Introduction to CableCARD™: History, Technology, Applications and

this open market of digital cable- ready consumer electronics devices via retail channels?<br><br> 10 The answer is in the numbers.. The good news : As of June 15, 2007, some 271,000 CableCARDs have been deployed by cable operators. The bad news : There are over 65 million basic cable subscribers.<br><br> Answer : CableCARDs have not done much to open the market for digital cable-ready CE devices via retail channels. 11 A Bit of History& Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Section 304) "Initiated by Congress "Allowed non-cable company devices to access cable networks "Provided wider number of choices for consumers in choosing consumer electronics devices for cable (and satellite) networks "Analogous to Carterfone ruling allowing consumers to purchase third- party telephones to attach to telephone networks "Resulted in the creation of CableCARDs 12 More History& FCC 3Federal Communications Commission "Charged with working in concert with the cable industry to carry out and enforce the 1996 law " cIntegration Ban d 3Create regulations to separate security and navigation within access devices 4original deadline was July 1, 2000 "First reference to cPOD d 3Point of Deployment Module 13 A Massive Effort& "NCTA 3represented cable companies "CEA 3represented consumer electronics companies Differing goals 3various standards created Development handed to CableLabs 3R&D arm of cable companies The result 3a massive engineering effort to create the POD (Point of Deployment Module, or CableCARD) 14 CableCARD Cooks in the Pot "Congress 3Passed Telecommunications Act of 1996 "FCC 3Charged to create a competitive market for 3 rd party STBs "Consumer Electronics Manufacturers 3Create high end DTV and STB products that are CableCARD enabled "CableLabs 3Develop the CableCARD specifications and define certification/testing "Motorola and Scientific Atlanta 3Create the CableCARDs 3available in 2003 "Cable Companies 3Prepare to deploy them 15 Why wasn 9t CableCARD successful? "Cable companies prefer to lease proprietary settops rather than CableCARDs.<br><br> "Proprietary integrated settops have more functions than CableCARDs. "CableCARDs suffer from cV1.0 dglitches. "CableCARDs supported only on expensive third-party settops and high end DCR TVs.<br><br> 16 CableCARD v1.0 "Implemented from a hodgepodge of standards: 3SCTE 28 3SCTE 41 3CEA-679B "No interactive program guide (IPG) "No Pay Per View (PPV), no VOD "No interactive services "Decrypt one program at a time 17 CableCARD v1.0 Deployed All cable providers MUST support CableCARD v1.0 (as of July 2004). First High end Digital Cable Ready (DCR) TVs available in August 2004. The good news: CableCARD v1.0 deployed!<br><br> 18 CableCARD v1.0 3The bad news "Cable companies advertised their STBs over CableCARDs "CableCARDs were difficult to install, requiring a technician to come out to home "Suffered from cVersion 1.0 dissues "CableCARD technology 3a cone-way d implementation 19 One way vs Two-way "One way 3Communication between the cable company and the DCR TV goes in one direction only 4from cable company to CableCARD. No communication path is available from the CableCARD back to the cable company infrastructure. What does this mean?<br><br> 20 cOne-way dImplementation "No interactive program guide "No Impulse Pay-Per-View (IPPV) "No Video on Demand "No Interactive Services "CableCARD is cpaired dwith DCR device Less than what is currently offered in today 9s proprietary set-top boxes! 21 CableCARD Infrastructure Cable Headend 3Facility for receiving TV signals for processing and distribution over a cable system. 22 BitRouter 9s Portable Cable Headend 23 CableCARD Infrastructure "Hybrid Fiber Coaxial Network (HFC) 3Broadband network that combines optical fiber and coaxial cable 3Used by US and Canadian operators 3Tree and branch formation 3Extends the headend output to cable customers 3Bi-directional network 24 Typical HFC Network Source: Wikipedia 25 CableCARD Infrastructure "Fiber Optic network connects headend to local nodes.<br><br> "Local nodes connect optical signals to electrical signals going to the homes (25 to 2000 homes for each node). "HFC network is non-symmetrical 4one direction has more data-carrying capacity than the other direction 26 Example CableCARD Install "Buy a DCR TV or STB "Call the cable provider for a CableCARD install "Wait for a technician to show up "Technician cinstalls dCableCARD 3Gets unique ID from CableCARD 3Reports it to the main office 3Main office sends EMM (Entitlement Management Message) to enable premium channels paid for 3CableCARD receives EMM 27 Example CableCARD install " Step 1 : Purchase Digital Cable Ready device: 3High end Digital TV (26 inches or larger) 3Set-top box (SONY DHG HD DVR) 3TivoSeries 3 ($799) 3Cable company set-top 3Vista PC/ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner 28 Example CableCARD install " Step 2 : Buy a CableCARD subscription from your local cable company 3Digital TV subscription 3Monthly rental for CableCARD provided by cable company 29 Example CableCARD install " Step 3 : Schedule a technician to come out to home and install the CableCARD 3Technician brings CableCARD to home 3Cable subscriber provides Digital Cable Ready device 30 Example CableCARD install " Step 4 : Technician visit 3setup 3Plug CableCARD into DCR device. 3Record unique ID displayed on screen by CableCARD after initialization.<br><br> CableCARD uses host to display identification on screen: 31 Initial CableCARD Screen 32 Example CableCARD install " Step 5 : Technician visit 3call headend office 3Technician calls the headend office and reports CableCARD ID. 3Technician requests a chit dto the CableCARD. A hit is slang for an Entitlement Management Message (EMM) sent over the cable network to the CableCARD.<br><br> Tells CableCARD what programming package(s) you are paid for and are entitled to watch. 3EMM authorizes a specific host/CableCARD combination. 33 Example CableCARD install " Step 6 : Technician visit 3wait for success 3Technician waits for EMM to reach CableCARD.<br><br> 3CableCARD receives EMM and becomes entitled to decrypt programming packages. 3EMM only sent at request of technician 3generally sent once. 3CableCARD receives ECM messages (Entitlement Control Messages) over the cable network, which contain key(s) to decrypt premium channels.<br><br> 3ECM messages are sent continuously. 34 CableCARD install issues "Cable company may not have CableCARDs in stock. "EMM may not reach CableCARD.<br><br> "Firmware version on CableCARD may not match operational network. "Pairing between CableCARD and host may not work correctly, causing initialization failure. "CableCARD cannot be moved to another DCR host without a technician visit.<br><br> 35 In-Band vs Out-of-Band "Cable network in the home (split into in- band vs out-of-band) 36 In-Band Path Data coming from the headend 3MPEG-2 streams: In-Band signals "Contain content you wish to watch 3HBO, ESPN "May be encrypted "Each cchannel dis transferred on 6Mhz of bandwidth, between 54Mhz and possibly up to 1Ghz "Multiple cprograms dcan be multiplexed on a cchannel dif there is enough space on the frequency "Emergency Alert Information 37 Out-of-Band Path More data in MPEG-2 pipe: Out-of-Band signals: 3Contain data, not video 3EMM (Entitlement Management Message) 3ECM (Entitlement Control Message) 3keys, encrypted by a proprietary mechanism (known by headend and CableCARD only) 3Channel Map 3Emergency Alert Information (sent on both in-band and out-of-band paths) 38 MPEG-2 Pipe MPEG-2 Pipe 39 MPEG-2 Transport Stream 40 Inside a Digital Cable Ready TV Source: BitRouter 41 One-way vs two-way " One way 3Communication between the cable company and the DCR TV goes in one direction only 4from cable company to CableCARD. No communication path back to the cable company infrastructure. " Two way 3Communication path in cboth directions d 4from headend to CableCARD and from CableCARD to headend.<br><br> 42 One-way network example Source: CableLabs documentation 43 Two-way network example Source: CableLabs documentation 44 Little known fact& "All CableCARDs are TWO-WAY 3have ability to send data back to headend. "However, manufacturers of digital TVs requested the first standard be one-way. "FCC defined elements of a one-way receiver.<br><br> 45 CableCARD 1.0 "CableCARD 1.0 3what we have been taking about: 3Current deployment 3One-way implementation on hosts 3No interactive services 3No extended programming guide (EPG) 3No Video On Demand 3No Interactive Pay-Per-View 46 CableCARD 2.0 "CableCARD 2.0: Latest implementation of CableCARD technology 3Two-way implementation for card and host 3Fixes many limitations of CableCARD 1.0 3Decrypt multiple streams at a time (DVR, PIP) 3CableLabs responsible for specification and certification 3No current deployment yet 47 CableCARD 2.0 "Operational Modes: 3M-CARD 3capable of processing multiple streams 3S-CARD 3v1.0 legacy mode 3single stream Single Stream Host (S-Host) Multi-Stream Host (M-Host) S-CARD S-ModeHost may reject S-CARD M-CARD S-ModeM-Mode 48 Motorola M-CARD 49 Scientific Atlanta M-CARD 50 M-CARD Capable Host "M-Host 3Multi-Stream Multi-Tuner capable device "Can be Settop or Digital TV "Specified by CableLabs 3OpenCable Host Device Version 2.X, where cX dis c0 dor c1 d "Support non-scrambled analog channels "Support in-the-clear digital channels "Support digital premium (scrambled) channels using a CableCARD "Support interactive and two-way services (VOD, IPPV, EPG) 51 CableLabs "Research and Development arm of cable industry "Located in Louisville, Colorado "Owns CableCARD specifications "Developed test procedures for CableCARDs and Hosts "OpenCable Project 3Promote cPlug and Play d availability for deploying interactive cable services in North America "Specifications available at http://www.cablelabs.com 52 OpenCable Host Device Overview "OpenCable Host Devices (OCHD2.1) 3OCS2.1 3OpenCable Set-top 3OCT2.1 3OpenCable Terminal http://www.opencable.com/specifications/host.html HOST2.1-CFR 3OpenCable Host Device 2.1 Core Functional Requirements 53 Source: CableLabs documentation 54 Signal Path Within DTV "Tuner 3Locks onto in-band signal of MPEG-2 stream you want to watch "Passed through demodulator 3recovers data from the signal (premium channel 3encrypted) "Passed to CableCARD "CableCARD checks EMMs for authorization "If entitled, then pulls ECM out of in-band signal (ECM is encrypted in proprietary manner) "CableCARD uses the DES key to re-encrypt the decrypted stream and sends the stream back to the Host "Host uses DES key to decrypt stream coming from CableCARD and then plays stream. 55 Host 2.0 Devices and Cable Modems "Host 2.0 Devices MUST contain an embedded cable modem (eCM) "eCM must be DOCSIS compliant "DOCSIS specified by CableLabs "Provides network connectivity to the Host 2.0 device for transmission of out-of-band data "Allows for bidirectional communication to/from headend 56 Host 2.0 Devices and Cable Modems "DSG 3DOCSIS Settop Gateway 3Required extension of Cable Modem technology 3Added feature above that found in on-the- shelf DOCSIS cable modems 3Programmable network packet filter 3Two different DSG modes 3 Basic and Advanced 57 Basic DSG Mode Source: CableLabs documentation 58 Advanced DSG Mode Source: CableLabs documentation 59 DFAST "Encryption algorithm allowing both host and CableCARD to derive the same cryptography key without transmitting the key over the interface. "Encryption algorithm is DES for S-CARD and 3DES for M-CARD "Licensed from CableLabs as C source code 60 Copy Control Information (CCI) "Information describing duplication rules associated with digital content "Indicates clow value dand chigh value ddigital video and audio content " cHigh value dcontent must be encrypted across the Host-CableCARD interface or any digital output "Encryption and decryption specified by CableLabs "Encryption key rotated per CableLabs spec 61 CCI Values CCI ValueMeaning Copy FreelyAny number of copies can be produced.<br><br> Copy No MoreA copy of the content already made, no more copies permitted. Copy OnceOnly one copy of the content is permitted. Copy NeverCopy never permitted for this content.<br><br> 62 CCI Value CCI ValueNameContent Value Encrypted across Host-CableCARD Interface? 0x00Copy FreelyLow ValueNo 0x01Copy No More High ValueYes 0x10Copy OnceHigh ValueYes 0x11Copy NeverHigh ValueYes NOTE: cCopy Once dCCI value is changed to c0x01 dafter copy is made. 63 Encryption and DVR "DVR and set-tops do not have a display device "Audio/Video outputs on Cable Ready DVR and Set-tops must have encryption "HDMI/HDCP "Analog 3Macrovision Prevent illegal copying of protected content 64 CableCARD Interface Source: CableLabs documentation 65 CableCARD Interfaces "In-band (INB) Transport Stream Interface 3 Carries MPEG-2 packets in both directions.<br><br> "Out-of-band (OOB) Interface 3Provides a data communication path between cable system and host in both directions. "Command Interface 3Communication packets transferred between CableCARD and Host. "Extended Channel Interface 3Communication path between the CableCARD and Host.<br><br> 66 System Overview Source: CableLabs documentation 67 Command Interface "Carries communication between applications running on CableCARD and Host "Layered architecture Source: CableLabs documentation 68 Architecture "Physical Layer 3Hardware interface "Link Layer 3Fragments and reassembles data objects passed over physical layer "Transport Layer 3Data objects associated with a particular transport connection "Session Layer 3Provides a logical means for the CableCARD to use cresources don the Host 69 Link Layer Packet "Data Channel Source: CableLabs documentation 70 Link Layer Packet "Extended Channel Source: CableLabs documentation 71 Transport Layer Source: CableLabs documentation 72 Transport Layer "Logical connection state "Transport Layer only allows one transport connection maximum for S-CARD "Transport Layer was removed from M- CARD architecture 73 Session Layer "Connects CableCARD capplications dto cresources don the Host What is a cresource d? "A resource is a defined set of functionality that provides a service to the CableCARD. "Sessions and Resources are defined by CableCARD specification.<br><br> 74 Sessions "Types of resources available on Host for use by CableCARD 3examples: 3System Time 3Resource Manager 3Provides resource list on Host 3MMI -Displays HTML pages on Host 3Copy Protection 3Key rotation 3Receive Extended Channel cflows d 3Such as cable channel list and channel navigation 75 Session Protocol Source: CableLabs documentation 76 Resources "Resources exist on the Host only. "CableCARD opens a csession dto a particular resource on the Host. "Application Protocol Data Units (APDUs) are wrapped in a Session Protocol Data Unit structure (SPDUs).<br><br> "Resources define a unit of functionality available to a CableCARD. 77 Resource Identifier "Resources on Host have a unique identifier (Resource ID). "Resource IDs are 32-bits long.<br><br> Source: CableLabs documentation 78 Session Protocol Data Unit Source: CableLabs documentation 79 Application Protocol Data Units "APDUs are data objects defined by the CableCARD specification. "APDUs send application data between CableCARD and Host. "APDUs are wrapped in a SPDU.<br><br> 80 Application Protocol Data Units Source: CableLabs documentation 81 Example Resource: Resource Manager Source: CableLabs documentation 82 High Level Host Architecture ©BitRouter 83 BitRouter 9s S-CARD Host Architecture ©BitRouter 84 BitRouter 9s M-CARD Host Architecture ©BitRouter 85 CableCARD Certification Process "Certification process operated by CableLabs "Certification processes for both Host and CableCARD devices "Ensures interoperability of cable products as part of the OpenCable project "Published test suite for Host and CableCARD devices 86 CableCARD Verification Process "License DFAST technology from CableLabs "Develop CableCARD stack "Visit CableLabs for cLab Development Use d "Advise CableLabs of Expected Date to participate in Test Wave "Sign DFAST Activation Notice "Submit product to CableLabs for Test Wave 87 CableCARD Verification Process "Purchase cproduction ddigital certificates "Go to manufacturing Once a product passes certification within a Test Wave, it can be self-verified 88 Types of CableCARD Hosts "UDCP Device 3Unidirectional Digital Cable Product or cDigital Cable Ready Receiver d(S- CARD) "M-UDCP Device 3Unidirectional Receiver using an M-Card "Host 2.0 Device 3Receiver that has support for two-way communication to headend "OCUR 3OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver 89 OCUR Device "Provides premium digital cable content to PCs "Employs DRM technology (Digital Right Management) "Specified by CableLabs "Currently supports S-CARD only (one-way) "Available on Microsoft Vista PCs certified as a OCUR device. 90 OCUR Block Diagram Source: CableLabs documentation 91 OCUR Technology Protection Transitions: Source: CableLabs documentation 92 FCC Roadmap "2003 3First S-CARDscertified "2004 3Availability of Digital Cable Ready Devices "2005 3CableCARD 2.0 specification available "2006 3Scientific Atlanta and Motorola M-CARDscertified "2007 3Availability of two-way Cable Ready Devices "2009-2010 3DCAS? 93 DCAS "Downloadable Conditional Access System "Future technology 3replace CableCARD " cDownloadable security dwithout a CableCARD "For use in digital cable devices (set-tops, DVRs, etc.) "Download any Conditional Access (CA) technology into a cable device in a secure way 94 DCAS, cont 9d.<br><br> "DCAS 3advantages to cable companies (MSOs): 3No CableCARDs 3No need to send technician 3Complies with FCC integration ban "DCAS 3advantages to customer: 3No need for a CableCARD 3Two-way implementation 3provides all features promised by CableCARD 2.0 3No CableCARD monthly fee 95 Introduction to CableCARD": History, Technology, Applications and Future Craig Gwydir Download latest tutorial version from: www.bitrouter.com

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