http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/ Engadget HD Comments for Cable companies miss tru2way deadline, insist it's no big deal http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 7:08AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 8:53AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 8:56AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/
I suspect that we shall soon find out that water is wet.]]>Jul 2nd 2009 10:10AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 11:49AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 3rd 2009 4:28PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 11:55AMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/
Cable companies had nothing tied to the analog cutoff. Someone care to explain how a totally non related wireless analog broadcast from different companies had any influence on missing the July 1st date?

I sure hope it wasn't "well we only had analog decoders in the headend for the local channels" so we had to switch them out.

I wish SureWest or Verizon would fire up some fiber at my place, so I could ditch the antiquated analog cable I'm still receiving channels 1-99 ... Not to mention the crappy cable boxes and even worse "Navigator" software to boot.

I mean timewarner isn't any better than GM, they have no product to really be proud of. They just keep trying to stretch out any bit profit they can manage before being handed their hats.]]>Jul 2nd 2009 12:18PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 12:20PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 1:31PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 2:02PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 2:12PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 2:06PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 2nd 2009 10:21PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/
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Anyone? Anyone? Hmm. Thought not.

Nobody is hurt by a 1-2 month delay, and that's how close most systems are to launching.]]>Jul 4th 2009 6:29PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/
The thing I like it reboots in like 20 secs instead of 2-3mins like the SA8300hd box.]]>Jul 4th 2009 10:59PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/Jul 9th 2009 1:48PMhttp://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/http://enghddev.weblogsinc.com/2009/07/02/cable-companies-miss-tru2way-deadline-insist-its-no-big-deal/
1. Tru2way is all about the java-based software (middleware), not the CabeCARD. (formally known as Open Cable Application Platform – OCAP)

2. Java is 19 years old technology (200 y/o in computers years). Java failed in any real life commercial product, with the exception of toy applications (simple games) and one-of-a-kind special apps. Java is the academia’s favorite language/platform, but it is only good for education and quick demos, not mission-critical applications.

3. The bigwigs that swallowed the tru2way story, did so for the multi-platform promise: Write once, Run anywhere. They simply do not understand software. The cost of software development is in:
a> Establishing what the software (app) should do
b> Developing data-structures, algorithms, user-interface, protocols, etc.
c> Coding
Java, theoretically, addresses only Coding; However, once you have the app completed on one platform (say, Motorola box), it is cheap and the straightforward to port (re-code) the application to whatever other hardware platforms (Cisco/SA, Samsung, Pace, Panasonic, EchoStar, etc.) Witness the gaming industry; they do it all the time.

4. In order to save the little cost of porting the application (Guide/VOD) from box A to box B, which can be done quickly by a small team, the geniuses at CableLabs adopted Java-based OCAP, that adds to millions of boxes the cost of memory, CPU and royalties. If tru2way/OCAp cost extra $50 for each box, then do the math how much it cost to outfit millions of boxes with the technology. Compare it to paying 8 software engineers to port the (C/C++) application in 4 month from box A to Box B (remember, it’s only coding/porting, not developing the application!)

5. Designed for obsolescent: It is 10 years struggle to make OCAP (tru2way) platform run the basic Guide/VOD applications. The hardware cost is high. Today’s available products can barely run today’s apps (users report slower performance than legacy boxes). Any enhancement to the applications will:
a. either will not happen, because 2009 hardware cannot handle more, or
b. will be incompatible with today’s hardware; hence generating multiple versions (!) of each app and many unhappy customers.

6. Computer-science first? OCAP/tru2way promises to deliver TV applications on the fly, such as voting/polling, commercial-specific apps, etc. It means that the technology should: Download, allocate resources (memory, file handles, etc.), instantiate, execute, then de-allocate memory, etc. all in REAL TIME! This was NEVER done in computer science history. It cannot be done in Java.

7. All in all, tru2way (OCAP) was born as a tactic to fool the FCC that the Motorola/Cisco duopoly will end and retail Digital-Cable-Ready solutions will be available. Then, some industry executives fell for it.

8. SOFTWARE platforms are always created and controlled by monopolies. There are no examples in history that a complex SOFTWARE platform or an Operation System, designed by a committee, did well in the wild. Multiple-implementation “software platforms” do not allow applications to float between them. Conversely, applications can be ported (re-coded) to run on multiple platforms.

9. Tru2way is bad for:
a. Cableco’s, because it confines their innovation and takes away their box-rentals cash cow.
b. CE manufacturers, because it limits their ability to product-differentiate, while just adds cost to their products (see TiVo cold feet re tru2way)
c. Consumers, because they will have to pay for the hardware & license, just to "save" the Cableco’s the cost of porting their Guide code; Meanwhile customers will see their Cable box stuck in time (200 years), while non-Java solutions move ahead at the speed of the computer industry.

10. Tru2way faith? It will live, but after a surgery to remove its OCAP (Java) heart.
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