From: ron@celece.ucsd.edu (Ron Katznelson)
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv
Subject: Re: Why can't I use the neat features on my new TV?
Date: 2 Jan 93 06:08:23 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: UCSD Division of Engineering

In several submissions to this Newsgroup, comments were made about
the ever-growing consumer electronics interface problems associated
with CATV set-top descramblers.  Mention was also made of the
recently enacted Cable Act of 1992, directing the FCC to consult
with the Cable and the Consumer Electronics industries and
promulgate rules that specifically solve this problem. Some have
also questioned whether there is a technical solution in sight. 

Well, it turns out that there are several solutions using channel
traps and signal Interdiction devices which, unfortunately for the
cable operators, require the signals to be sent in the clear on the
cable system and require costly installation at every subscriber
location.

Recently, however, a San Diego based company - Multichannel
Communication Sciences, Inc. ("MCSI") has developed a new broadband
descrambling technology described in recent articles in
"Multichannel News" (June 1, 1992 page 26 and November 9, 1992 page
39) and in CED Magazine in an article entitled "Reregulation and
the Consumer Interface" (December, 1992 page 32).

MCSI recently demonstrated an economically viable technology that
will become available for cable system operators to provide their
subscribers with a truly "subscriber friendly" broadband signal
security system, by allowing cable operators to keep their signals
scrambled while avoiding the need for set-top descramblers. 
Digital Broadband Descrambling ("DBD"), a newly developed digital
technology for simultaneous on-channel processing of large number
of TV signals, utilizes advanced digital signal processing ("DSP")
methods for effecting such low cost broadband access control. It is
compatible with most RF and Baseband sync suppression scrambling
formats.

Unlike existing "single-channel-at-a-time" descrambling
technologies, an MCSI addressable device may be installed on the
side of the house or at a point of entry and it simultaneously
descrambles an arbitrarily selected set of scrambled channels. It
provides all authorized channels in the clear and thus enables
subscribers to enjoy all the features of their cable ready TVs and
VCRs in a whole-house service, including built-in VCR programming
functions, remote controls, watching and recording from different
scrambled channels simultaneously or consecutively, and viewing
multiple channels at once (picture-in-picture).

Unlike set-top descramblers currently in use, the MCSI system does
not employ single channel filtering or video demodulation-
remodulation circuitry and thus introduces no measurable frequency
response distortions or artifacts in either the video or audio
signals of the descrambled and non-blocked channels.  Therefore,
video and audio quality at the subscriber terminal is virtually
that which is provided at the head-end.

A technical paper on this system will be presented at the NCTA
Technical Conference in San Francisco (June 6-9, 1993).



Happy New Year to you all 
from Ron Katznelson
Newsgroups: rec.video.cable-tv,rec.video.satellite