Tru2way® Home Networking Event Demonstrates DVR Content Sharing Between STBs and DLNA Devices

LOUISVILLE, Colo. — A CableLabs® interop demonstrated sharing of premium DVR content among multiple tru2way® set-top boxes and Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) Certified® devices, such as connected TVs, game consoles, PCs and mobile devices, over a home network in a secure manner.

Thirty-seven participants from 11 companies collaborated at the interoperability event held July 19-23 at CableLabs. Set-top manufacturers were represented by Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB), Cisco Systems, Samsung Electronics and Motorola. They worked together with DLNA Certified device manufacturers including Panasonic, Samsung Electronics, Sony Corp., as well as with DLNA Technology Component® vendors such as Microsoft and Cyberlink, as well as Irdeto, Myriad and NDS Group. Program guides with multi-room DVR capability from Cox (Trio) and Time Warner Cable (OCAP Digital Navigator [ODN] v.4.0) were also used in the interop.

CableLabs issued the latest revision of the home networking extension specification and associated reference implementation that is part of the tru2way suite of specifications in June 2010. Integrating home networking into the overall specification enhances the tru2way platform, making premium content sharing possible among multiple set-top boxes and DLNA Certified devices within a home network. The DLNA Interoperability Guidelines are the foundation of tru2way home networking specifications. The premium cable content is protected using DTCP-IP as it is transmitted over the home network.

“By using the tru2way home networking specification we can now offer pre-recorded premium content from cable set-top boxes to various DLNA Certified devices, enabling consumers to watch cable content anytime using any device in the home” added Mike Hayashi, Executive Vice President of Advanced Engineering for Time Warner Cable.

“Now a Cox cable consumer can utilize Cox’s Trio guide to record an event on the DVR in the family room and access it later from the bedroom television, thus enabling the promise of multi-room DVR capability,” explained Craig Smithpeters, Executive Director of Interactive Services Engineering, Cox Communications.

Content sharing among set-top boxes is enabled via a MoCA 1.1 (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) network that utilizes in-home coax wiring; thus alleviating the need to run new wiring within the home. MoCA can support multiple streams of HD video and offers 175 Mbps of throughput.

“This interoperability event represents a major step in the maturation of the tru2way home networking platform. Interoperability between set-top vendors to support a multi-room DVR solution is a key part of Comcast’s roadmap as we deploy this capability to our subscribers. We are pleased with the progress being made on this standards-based approach to device support,” added Steve Reynolds, Senior Vice President, Premises Technology, Comcast Cable.

The CableLabs interop event culminated in an open house where representatives of CableLabs member companies observed demonstrations and met individually with the participants. “Providing an environment where cable and consumer electronics manufacturers can work with each other and solve problems to advance home entertainment networking technologies is a valuable service that CableLabs provides to the industry,” stated Paul Liao, President and CEO of CableLabs.