Consumers, Manufacturers Need Certainty on CableCARD Support After Integration Ban, TiVo Says

The FCC should clarify operators' obligation to provide CableCARDs to customers using retail set-top boxes, TiVo General Counsel Matt Zinn and Chief Technology Officer Joseph Weber told FCC CTO Scott Jordan and Media Bureau staff Wednesday, according to an ex parte filing posted in docket 97-80 Friday. Consumers and set-top manufacturers need “certainty” that retail navigation devices will still be able to receive cable signals “after the integration ban sunsets,” the company said. The TiVo officials also spoke “favorably” about Comcast's support for CableCARD-using customers, which includes “a dedicated CableCARD support help-line, and an easy-to-access website with information on CableCARDs.” TiVo said its discussions with Charter about using Charter's downloadable security system in TiVo's products also came up in the meeting.