CEA And NCTA Reach Accord On Labeling Digital Television Sets

Agreement Advances Transition To Digital TV

25-May-00

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) announced that they have reached agreement on labeling information that will aid consumers in their purchase of new digital television equipment. The CEA-NCTA agreement establishes the labeling to be used to inform consumers about the capabilities of various digital television sets to receive digital and interactive digital TV services. All digital sets will be capable of receiving both analog and digital programming from a digital cable system. Digital TV sets with full interactive capabilities will be labeled ""Digital TV-Cable Interactive."" Digital sets that lack these capabilities will be labeled, ""Digital TV-Cable Connect.""""We're pleased to take this further step in the transition to digital television,"" said NCTA President and CEO Robert Sachs. ""Consumers will benefit from this agreement because they will know exactly what to look for when they purchase a new digital TV receiver. No longer will ambiguous terms like 'cable ready' cause consumers confusion.""""With this agreement, we have now passed one more milestone on the road to DTV,"" said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. ""As our industry brings new DTV products into the marketplace based on this agreement, consumers will have full access to the spectacular picture, sound and interactive features of digital television via their digital cable system."" Both Shapiro and Sachs praised FCC Chairman William Kennard for encouraging industry resolution of these issues.On Feburary 23, the two trade associations announced technical specifications that will permit the direct connection of digital television receivers to cable television systems. At that time, the industries also announced agreement concerning how program and system information will be transmitted over digital cable networks to digital TV receivers. A yet-to-be-resolved copy protection issue involving parties in addition to CEA and NCTA is the subject of a current FCC rulemaking proceeding on which comments are to be filed today.Today's agreement acknowledges that every digital TV set will not need to include a 1394/5C connector allowing reception of the full range of cable interactive services. However, all sets will be packaged with consumer information describing the features and functions of television sets with and without the 1394/5C connector. The descriptive information will appear in consumer electronics product manuals and brochures.Sets labeled ""Digital TV-Cable Connect"" - those without the 1394/5C connector - will be capable of receiving analog basic, digital basic and digital premium cable programming from any cable system that offers digital service. ""Digital TV-Cable Interactive"" sets - those with the 1394/5C connector - will be able to receive those services and other programming, including impulse pay-per-view, video-on-demand, enhanced program guides and data enhanced television services with a digital set top box. CEA and NCTA have agreed to continue discussions and expect to reach an agreement on the labeling of digital set-top boxes that will work with the ""Digital TV-Cable Interactive"" DTV sets. With approximately 68 percent of U.S. households receiving television programming via cable, these agreements mark an important point in the U.S. transition to digital television. CEA estimates that the first digital TV receivers bearing the new labels will reach market by the fourth quarter of 2001.CEA is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). CEA represents more than 600 U.S. companies involved in the development, manufacturing and distribution of audio, video, mobile electronics, communications, information technology, multimedia and accessory products, as well as related services, that are sold through consumer channels. Combined, these companies account for more than $60 billion in annual sales. CEA also is the producer, manager and sponsor of the International CES, the world's largest showcase for consumer technologies.NCTA is the principal trade association of the cable television industry in the United States. Its members include owners and operators of cable television systems serving over 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and over 100 program networks. Its membership also includes cable equipment suppliers, and others interested in or affiliated with the cable television industry.