argh...

SA will be in testing this summer in Calgary, if it goes well it will be launched along side Motorolla dct's. Shaw will continue to support both.


No more questions, no more pm either, I am getting sick of it.

Could they use he cable card system on both to avoid the headend problem?

my sources say (sorry do not want to give names or departments) this is unlikely as the cost would be astronomical to run moto and SA.

I know i know you all want sources confirmed but I cant do that sorry :(

jvic has started a nasty rumour

we can all praise him/her if it becomes reality but at this time untill it is confirmed is just that a rumour.

not all set tops have Cable Card Slots so far in Shaw the only ones that do are the HD models as far as SA equipment not sure never seen one

not all set tops have Cable Card Slots so far in Shaw the only ones that do are the HD models as far as SA equipment not sure never seen one

Actually, those are SmartCard slots, not CableCARD slots. There are early prototype boxes from both Motorola (The DCH series) and SA (the SA8300HDC and the SA3250C) that accept CableCARD but they aren't field released yet. And neither box will come up and run properly on the other headend. I've tried it -- multiple times.

Regardless, CableCARD won't make things cheaper either. An SA CableCARD requires an SA headend and a Motorola CableCARD requires a Motorola headend. So the costs are just about the same. The only savings comes in having to buy CableCARDs instead of entire set-tops.

As for DOCSIS/DSG, you *can* use the same CMTS (such as an Arris or a Cisco uBR or even a Motorola BSR64000) to service a Moto and an SA headend at the same time but that doesn't get around the core headend technology. Conditional access, encryption methods and channel map definitions are all different -- and incompatible.

But hey; Maybe Shaw has written some sort of super-secret translation system that will let SA boxes pretend to be Moto boxes. Guess we'll just have to wait to see.

there is a solution to this, look at what is going in states right now

there is a solution to this, look at what is going in states right now
What exactly *is* happening in the U.S. right now? Are you referring to OCAP? Or perhaps DCAS? RNG boxes? To which particular effort are you alluding to?

my sources say (sorry do not want to give names or departments) this is unlikely as the cost would be astronomical to run moto and SA.

I know i know you all want sources confirmed but I cant do that sorry :(

jvic has started a nasty rumour

we can all praise him/her if it becomes reality but at this time untill it is confirmed is just that a rumour.
just wait and see

What exactly *is* happening in the U.S. right now? Are you referring to OCAP? Or perhaps DCAS? RNG boxes? To which particular effort are you alluding to?
I am not alluding to anything, I fear that anything I am going to mention you are going to criticize. So just wait and see.

Hi there, as Oxford mentioned earlier in the thread, I also had a Scientific Atlanta Rogers Cable Box. Shaw tech came out and swapped it for a Moto Dct 2000 when Shaw took over Rogers territory in this neck of the woods.

Now perhaps in certain areas like the lower mainland in B.C., they have dual capability but have just chosen to use the Moto boxes for now.

Does anyone else agree with me that the SA STBs look pretty ugly? Like in comparison to the Motorola ones the SA's look so strange.

And if Shaw moves to SA, what does that mean for my Motorola DCTs? And what about the cable modems; are they being switched to SA?

I can't see why Shaw would spend the kind of money involved. Makes absolutely no business sense and Jim Shaw is a pretty good businessman.

Especially since SA equipment has its own share of bugs and complaints. It's not like Shaw would getting trouble free infrastructure.

No idea what "inside" information jvic may have but there is only one plausible reason for Shaw to be looking at SA. They are in acquisition mode right now and are probably looking at some smaller properties that already use SA. There would be some benefit to testing SA and if you see any SA equipment on Shaw, it will be tied to an acquisition plan and not a system wide architecture change.

Does anyone else agree with me that the SA STBs look pretty ugly? Like in comparison to the Motorola ones the SA's look so strange.

And if Shaw moves to SA, what does that mean for my Motorola DCTs? And what about the cable modems; are they being switched to SA?
I agree, they are not the greatest looking boxes. As I mentioned in another post, IMO, the whole DCT line from 2000 up to 34xx has a certain 'sexiness' & elegent style in all of the various designs.

...but stick the price tag on both boxes (at least Shaw DCT and Rogers SA), and all of a sudden that SA box looks pretty darn sweet! ;)

You can't make that comparison. Some cablecos (and satcos) subsidize hardware. Shaw doesn't. Rogers does in some cases.

Yes, I know. Just painful to see what the Rogers customers pay.

what would the menus and guide look like on the SA boxes even?

The testing or even a small pilot could also be a way to get Motorola's attention on support issues or in negotiations.

Summer has gone and past and new spring is here and no SA boxes

care to explain now? jvic

Summer has gone and past and new spring is here and no SA boxes
care to explain now? jvic

lol, I read this whole thread (luckily it wasn't that long) and only when I finished reading your post did I notice the date.