Motorola bows HD-DVR set-top line

[Gregg Lengling]

Jeff Baumgartner, CED

Motorola Broadband has formally unveiled its DCT-6000 set-top series, offering what it calls the first digital box to integrate both high-definition television and digital video recording capabilities.

Motorola's line of 6000-class boxes is a step above its 5000-series, which includes the HD-capable DCT-5100.

The official bowing of the DCT-6000 line also comes on the heels of Motorola's recent decision to place the DCT-2600 on the backburner. That box was originally designed to house the core capabilities of the DCT-2500, a souped-up version of the widely-deployed DCT-2000, but also supply the software and hardware for DVR applications. Motorola officials said the decision to delay work on the DCT-2600 was based on cable operator interest in a box that combined HD and DVR functions.

The DCT-6000 series will feature an internal DOCSIS-compatible cable modem as well as the necessary DVR software that would enable users to record programs and use trick-play functions such as rewind, fast-forward and pause.

The box will also sport a 800 MIPS processor, a 150 percent improvement over 5000-class boxes, and an "entertainment packet" comprised of a direct digital connection based on 1394-DTV and DVI interfaces.

Broken down by model, the DVR-capable DCT-6200 will contain an MPEG encoder, but will require an external hard disk drive to handle digital recording functions. The DVR-ready DCT-6208 will contain an 80 Gigabyte hard drive. Motorola did not disclose pricing for either model, but said versions with multiple tuners and multi-screen PVR capabilities are currently in the works.

Motorola said it expects to deploy the 6000 series sometime this summer. The manufacturer did not specifically say whether any MSOs have placed orders for the new gear, but executives from Comcast Corp. and CableONE lauded the potential of the new line of boxes in a press release. Insight Communications officials expressed interest in Motorola's DVR plans earlier this year.

Operators have been waiting for Motorola to get a DVR-capable digital cable box off the ground for some time.

Scientific-Atlanta, the second-largest producer of cable boxes in the U.S., was the first to offer a digital cable box with an on-board DVR, but has yet to announce specific plans for a DVR-HD combo. S-A deployed 106,000 Explorer 8000 set-tops for the quarter ended March 28, 2003.