FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FACT SHEET October 1995 CABLE TELEVISION FACT SHEET COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN CABLE SYSTEMS AND CONSUMER EQUIPMENT Introduction Cable operators generally use converter boxes to increase the number of channels delivered to subscribers and to protect their services from signal theft and illegal reception by unauthorized persons. The Federal Communication Commission's rules do not prohibit the cable operator's use of a converter box. The Commission is aware, however, that converter boxes, as well as other cable operator provided equipment, may be incompatible with some consumer owned television sets (TVs) and video cassette recorders (VCRs) as well as other equipment. Furthermore, modern TVs often offer features such as picture-in-picture and universal remote control units. VCRs now give the user the ability to watch one program on one channel while taping another program on a different channel. Consumer equipment such as TVs, VCRs, and remote control units, which are currently marketed as "cable ready," often do not work properly when connected to cable television systems, leading to subscriber frustration. To help alleviate these problems, the Commission has adopted regulations to insure compatibility between home electronic equipment and cable systems. The following standards are also intended to allow for a transition to an environment where subscriber owned and cable system equipment are fully compatible. The Commission's compatibility rules will enable consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing equipment to work with their cable system. Rules for Existing Equipment (1) Cable operators are required to permit subscribers to use commercially available remote control units. Furthermore, subscribers who wish to use such commercially available remote control units may ask the cable operator to disable the remote control functions of their converter boxes. (2) Cable systems are prohibited from scrambling signals on the basic level (tier) of cable service. This prohibition allows cable subscribers who have TVs and VCRs capable of tuning basic service channels to receive them without a converter box. For customers who subscribe to premium (in addition to basic) services such as HBO, cable operators may still require the use of a converter box. (3) Cable operators are required to offer subscribers the option of having all signals whose reception does not require the use of a converter box, pass directly to the subscriber's TV or VCR, without passing through the converter box. (4) Cable operators are required to inform subscribers of which subscriber-owned equipment will work with their particular cable system. This information must be presented in writing and provided to consumers annually and when they first subscribe to the cable service. The notification shall inform subscribers that: (a) where a set-top converter is used to receive service, subscribers may not be able to use some of the special features of their TVs or VCRs mentioned above; (b) certain TVs and VCRs may not be able to receive all of the channels offered by the cable system. The cable operator must suggest ways to resolve the channelization problems, such as using a set-top converter; (c) subscribers may buy remote control units from other sources. Cable operators shall provide a list of the various models of compatible remote control units, along with a periodically updated list of sources where such units may be purchased in the subscriber's local area. (5) Cable operators are required to provide separate bypass switches, equipment with internal bypass switches, or other similar bypass devices to allow the direct reception of all unscrambled signals. Moreover, on October 31, 1995, cable operators will be required to offer special equipment which will allow subscribers to watch one scrambled or clear channel while recording another scrambled or clear channel at the same time. Additionally, cable operators must provide equipment which will allow subscribers to record any cable channel on a pre-programmed basis. Examples of cable operator supplied equipment to accomplish the above are: set-top devices with either multiple tuners, descramblers and/or timers. Cable operators must provide such equipment at the request of individual subscribers and may charge the subscriber for the purchase or lease of the equipment, and its installation, in accordance with the FCC's rate regulation rules. Rules for Cable Ready Equipment As part of the Commission's compatibility requirements, consumer equipment labeled as "cable ready" or "cable compatible" after June 30, 1997, must meet the FCC's cable ready equipment standards. Additionally, any device which displays or conveys the impression that it is "cable ready" and is for sale, must comply with the Commission's "cable ready" technical standards stated below. A TV or VCR, to be considered "cable ready," must be capable of tuning all cable channels (approximately 120 over a frequency range of 54 MHz to 804 MHz), contain an improved tuner which will help prevent common interference problems (i.e. adjacent channel, image channel, and direct pick-up) and provide adequate shielding for TVs and VCRs, thereby improving picture quality. Finally, the Commission is also currently reviewing proposals for future cable system and TV and VCR designs (such as digital transmissions and the standards for a Decoder Interface connector) to ensure long term compatibility between consumer owned equipment and cable systems.