SDV TiVo Adapter To Be Tested

In order to free bandwidth, many cable operators are using switches digital video technology (SDV) which results in more bandwidth. How this happens is that fewer channels are delivered to the cable box, and the rest are kept waiting at the edge router.

There is concern from third party DVR companies that one way cablecards could be rendered useless with this new two-way technology. The NCTA (National Cable and Telecommunications Association) made an announcement last year that they would partner with TiVo to create an external adapter that would enable TiVo access to SDV channels.

According to a report from Multichannel News, the first version of this device has already been submitted to CableLabs. The purpose is testing. The size of the adapter is expected to be like a small digital cable box.

To recap, due to the deployment of SDV technology by many cable operators one way cable cards might be made useless. As a result the NCTA has announced that an external adapter would be developed enabling TiVo unit compatibility with SDV channels.