CableLabs Ready To Test Tuning Resolver, TiVo Owners Await SDV Support

[zonereyrie]

Switched Digital Video (SDV) has been the bane of CableCARD users, notably owners of the TiVo Series3 and TiVo HD. SDV channels cannot be tuned by UDCP (unidirectional digital cable products) CableCARD devices, such as TiVo, as SDV requires bidirectional communication with the head end.

Enter the Tuning Resolver. As previously reported, the

Comments

[ninaf]

So is it hardware or software that would get SDV working with Tivo 3? I wonder if this will be supported now that they have stopped selling them.

[zonereyrie]

Yes. :-)

It is both - you'll need the Tuning Resolver, which is hardware, and the TiVo needs a software update to support it.

I asked TiVo about the Tuning Resolver when I heard about the S3's EOL, but they never answered my questions. I do expect it to be supported, since it is not dependent on the hardware in the TiVo and the code would be shared with the TiVo HD.

[unteins]

Does the HD support CableCard 2 or SDV? Did I miss that somewhere...

I hope they make something like this available for non SDV systems, unless of course Comcast goes SDV, then that's fine :)

[zonereyrie]

No, it doesn't. I mean the SDV dongle code would be shared between the devices.

Why would you need this for non-SDV systems? The Tuning Resolver is just mean to allow UDCP devices to access SDV channels. If they're linear and not SDV then you don't need it, the UDCP device can access it as-is.

[supershippy]

I wonder who is going to be eating the cost for these units. I suspect the customer. :(