Cable Defends Downloaded Security as Feasible, PC-Friendly

The NCTA, repeating much the same wording as in its Nov. 30 report to the Commission (CD Dec 5 p3, Dec 1 p7), again defended DCAS as a feasible approach that’s “preferable to the existing separate security configuration.” Moreover, cable is “committed to implement DCAS for its own devices and for those purchased at retail” and “has no commercial interest in excluding PCs from receiving cable service, given the formidable competitive environment we face for obtaining and retaining subscribers,” NCTA said.

CEA had urged the FCC to “view skeptically” cable’s prediction in its report that DCAS would be ready to deploy nationally by July 2008 (CD Jan 24 p3). The PC companies -- ATI Technologies, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Intel -- said the NCTA report proposed content protection robustness rules so unnecessarily stringent “they would severely impede computer industry participation in the market for digital television navigation devices with no corresponding gain in content security.” NVidia filed its own reply Mon. in which it agreed with the PC companies that through DCAS, cable appears to be trying “to assert control over the internal architecture” of PCs by outlawing the use of PCI Express interconnects with cable-compatible DTV products.

NCTA said CEA’s criticisms of DCAS and of cable’s commitment to it “are unjustified and are belied by the facts.” By using a single non-proprietary microchip, NCTA said, DCAS can: (1) eliminate the need for a separate CableCARD matched to every network; (2) fit security into many more devices; (3) eliminate a manufacturer’s card slot; (4) reduce heat dissipation requirements; (5) increase energy efficiency; (6) simplify installation; (7) open up a world of competing vendors; (8) allow for more advanced DRMs; and (9) enable new service offerings to consumers.

The PC companies “miss the point” when they allege DCAS isn’t computer-friendly, NCTA said. “Although it may require more expertise to steal content traversing PCI Express than through less-secure configurations, the high-value content sought to be delivered by cable (such as early release HD movies) will attract the most skilled, experienced and well- funded pirates. Even without a probe or interposer, it is possible to build an add-in card which acts as the decoder and receives unencrypted streams, including one based on the PCI Express interface chips, which are available to any card manufacturer.” PCI Express is a relatively new technology, and concerns over its robustness are neither limited to the cable industry nor specific to the DCAS license, NCTA said. It may be possible to secure cable content through authentication of add-in cards, or other means, “and the cable industry is willing to discuss these issues with interested parties in an appropriate forum,” but to date has not been contacted to discuss these issues, NCTA said: “It seems obvious that public forums are not the place to discuss and resolve the points of vulnerability in the security of new technologies, specifically as they apply to cable.”

NCTA also took CEA to task for objecting to DCAS licensing procedures, “despite the fact that 2 of CEA’s major members have signed the license, and other members are in the midst of negotiations to sign as well.” NCTA said CEA objects to a “non-assert” clause in the DCAS licensing agreement. But NCTA said it’s a common IP risk-management technique to require those who commercially benefit from a technology to agree not to sue other participants with an IP claim that is essential to that technology. “Such an agreement promotes wide deployment of the subject technology at a nominal cost and protects manufacturers from being ambushed by hidden royalty demands from fellow licensees,” NCTA said: “CEA’s objection appears completely out of touch with its members, as this same structure is used in the DTCP and HDCP licenses. The Commission specifically approved this IP structure in the broadcast flag technology approval order.”

NCTA did hail as “one constructive comment” the CEA suggestion that there be a means by which potential licensees, who are evaluating but not yet committing or contributing to DCAS technology, may review specifications without committing their patent portfolios for a limited time. “This is a sound suggestion, and will be incorporated into the DCAS license,” NCTA said.

MPAA also filed a reply defending NCTA’s position. MPAA said though PC companies complained it would be difficult to access cable content via the PCI Express interconnect, “they do not assert that it is an unachievable task, given sufficient development time and resources.” The possibility that tools could be developed to overcome the problem “supports CableLabs’ position” that PCI Express is a “user- accessible bus,” MPAA said. Additional harm could come to content owners if controlled content is not protected when moving across the PCI Express interconnect, as the PC companies proposed, MPAA said. Therefore, MPAA said it believes the DCAS license agreement shouldn’t be amended to suit the PC companies’ objections.

However, Microsoft broke its silence in the docket, saying cable “evidently has worked hard” to develop its DCAS proposal, but the plan “requires improvement to be a workable software-based solution.” Microsoft continues to agree that downloadable security “merits support as potentially the most effective method to promote the development of truly competitive navigation devices while assuring the security and integrity of digital content.” But the plan “in its present form” falls short because it wouldn’t adequately protect the IP rights of licensees, Microsoft said, in apparent agreement with CEA. Like CEA, Microsoft also said that because the underlying specs aren’t yet available, it’s unclear how other technologies might “interoperate” with the cable systems under the NCTA proposal. Microsoft made the comment obviously unaware of the offer in NCTA’s own reply filed the same day to establish in the DCAS license a means by which potential licensees, who are evaluating but not yet committing or contributing to DCAS technology, may review specifications without committing their patent portfolios for a limited time. -- Paul Gluckman .HEADLINE IBM Announces Wireless Video-Capable Chipset to Guarded Carrier Reaction

Carriers expressed limited interest in IBM’s new wireless chipset; most agreed the 60 GHz-band chipset is interesting, and has potential, but few indicated any serious desire to explore using the technology for HDTV or other video deployment. The chip has the ability to process as much as 1.5 Gbps -- a blinding speed that would likely meet wireless HDTV requirements with room to spare -- but only over distances of about 10 meters, and only in the unlicensed, unfamiliar 60 GHz band. An IBM official touted the chipset’s potential and said the manufacturer will partner will other companies to sell final products containing the chipset, a move that could pique carriers’ interest.

The chipset is based on the 802.15.3c specification, and Brian Gaucher, IBM’s research mgr.-communications systems design, also sits on the standards committee for that specification. He told Communications Daily the chipset has the potential to drive a wide variety of convergent technologies, incorporating video and still images, data and voice: “We envision it being able to do… whole networks within a room.” Gaucher said the standards committee hopes to have an established standard there “in the 2007-2008 timeframe,” allowing consumers to use it in routers, to connect to laptops, “even as a peer-to-peer connection,” depending on who manufactures the baseband processor chip.

Most carriers were hesitant to praise or criticize the chipset, citing its newness and uncertainty around the band. A spokesman for BellSouth said the carrier would “probably monitor” the technology’s development. He said the 60 GHz band could have advantages -- “it doesn’t matter that we don’t have spectrum there since it’s unlicensed” -- but major disadvantages as well, namely the short range of such technologies. He said the technology “could have real strong potential” for on-premises applications but wondered whether many would jump on technology with such poor performance over distance. Verizon has mentioned this kind of connectivity in the past but a company spokeswoman said the FiOS TV technology is a major focus for the company.

A spokesman at Cox expressed interest in a different IBM chip altogether. He said the similar “Cell” chip designed by IBM for the yet-to-be-released Sony PlayStation 3 is especially exciting for its myriad uses applicable to gaming, wireless data transfer, real-time video chat, interactive television content -- all of which would integrate perfectly with the broadband services being offered by Cox. “We certainly embrace the gaming community,” he said, adding Cox was excited about the opportunities the Cell chip presents. A Comcast spokeswoman was especially mum on the technology, saying the company keeps an eye on, and is “always evaluating,” new technology, but wouldn’t comment on the IBM chip or any plans Comcast has in the wireless arena.