OCAP Coming Soon?

[Mark Strube]

I found an article that said Time Warner plans to start using OCAP sometime in 2006. However, everything I've found about it has been kind of vague... from what I can gather, it generally means more interactivity? Anyone know any more details? Here's a section of the article:

CES was also the forum at which executives from the major U.S. cablecos voiced their commitment to a Java-based open application platform for interactive TV services, called OCAP, and announced their plans to deploy the technology in their networks starting this year. OCAP, or OpenCable Application Platform, is a set of software developed by CableLabs and its members. OCAP includes middleware, and applications and authoring tools.

Richard Green, CableLabs' president and CEO, said the idea behind OCAP is to encourage third parties to develop two-way applications for cable TV networks. Such applications include, but are not limited to, DVR, programming interfaces, ad insertions, gaming and more.

Time Warner Cable beginning in 2006 will deploy OCAP in headends of cable systems serving five markets with a combined customer base of about 2.5 million customers. These markets are New York City, Milwaukee and Green Bay, Wis., Lincoln, Neb., and Waco, Texas.

Comcast Corp. will deploy OCAP in 2006 in Boston, Denver, Philadelphia and Union, N.J. Advance/Newhouse will enable OCAP devices in Indianapolis initially. Charter Communications Inc. will deploy OCAP in select markets beginning in 2006. Other companies making similar announcements were Cox Communications Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp.

While OCAP originally was developed for set-top boxes, it also can be embedded in TVs and other consumer electronics. In fact, Samsung at CES demoed an OCAP-enabled TV. The first OCAP TVs are expected to hit the streets in 2007. Executives from Samsung, LG Electronics and Panasonic were among the speakers at the CableLabs-hosted press event announcing the OCAP activities. Panasonic and Samsung also announced at CES their plans to supply OCAP set-top boxes to Comcast.

Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts noted that among the benefits of OCAP are automated provisioning of TV peripherals like speakers and DVDs, and the ability to use one remote control for them all.

source: http://www.xchangemag.com/articles/621feature01.html