Hi Eric,
While I enjoy discussing this area (cable TV) of the LM, I don't profess to be exceptionally knowledgeable in it. There are some posters on these boards who know far more than I about this topic, and that's why I usually ask for corrections and comments.
Let me address the issue that you raised. Granted, I, too, believe that both functions (and more) could and eventually will be integrated in a single enclosure called the stb.
But a chip does not an industry architecture make. Almost every salient point in the release that you cited was written in the future tense. Also, there is the issue of the millions of boxes that have been contracted for, and that must still be manufactured and delivered to customers, prior to a prospective "manufacturer" (implying: other than Broadcom) comes out with the integrated STB to, in fact, incorporate the dual chip capabilities in a new STB design.
Then there is the matter of the DOCSIS standards. Is the proposed box that the dual chip supports a certified component of the DOCSIS framework, i.e., in the manner in which it will be implemented?
Again, I don't know the answer to this, and I welcome in this case an answer to this question, along with comments and corrections.
Re: Cabliphony, or VoIP over Cable: I've lost count of the number of vedors who've come out with software, DSPs and other chips to support VoIP over cable. It will come to pass, no doubt. But when? I don't know.
Simply having a chip in place to support VoIP (among other things) is not enough. There are bellhead genre Operations Support System issues and backoffice agendas concerning how the MSOs interface to the established PSTN that must be solved first ...before an MSO plugs into a voip environment to play voice in the big leagues. BTW, thanks for bringing that release to the thread's attention.
FTTH the person, Denve, et al ... assuming someone builds a box around it, how does this chip play with DOCSIS acceptance? No brainer? Or does it require going to a vote?
FAC |
