GLDS Successfully Launches CableCard

(Carlsbad, CA – October 2004) – Great Lakes Data Systems, Inc. (GLDS) has completed both certification of the CableCARD interface, and successful launch of several live customer implementations. 

Numerous GLDS customer sites, including Eagle Communications, Inc., (Hays, Kansas) have launched CableCARDS for subscribers with card-ready television sets.  The software upgrade to support CableCARD is free of charge for all GLDS software customers with a HITS Digital Authorization Interface. 

"It's important to note that this wasn't just a successful lab test of the protocol," remarked Lon Rosado, GLDS President.  "Our engineers not only completed the CableCARD interface certification with HITS, but also proved the product with actual customer launches."  Cable operators using the GLDS authorization have reported that it works flawlessly.   

A CableCARD is a device that consumers who own Digital Cable Ready (DCR) TVs or other Digital Cable Ready devices can receive from their digital cable provider to allow for the descrambling of digital programming. The card is inserted into the DCR TV, and provides descrambling of the digital signal for channels to for which a subscription has been purchased. The card works in place of a traditional set top box. The term CableCARDtm is a marketing term that has been adopted by the cable and consumer electronics industries for the Point of Deployment (POD) security device.