Overview - Cisco Explorer Series Staging Manual

Chapter 7 How to Stage CableCARD Modules

Overview

To encourage competition in the availability of retail cable devices (hosts) for cable
subscribers, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that
host devices be available for sale in retail stores.
To comply with this mandate and to help ensure the security of encrypted (secure)
digital content, we manufacture the PowerKEY CableCARD Module to work with
these host devices. A CableCARD module inserts into a slot on a host device and
controls conditional access to secure digital content.
The CableCARD module also unencrypts copy-protected content so that authorized
host devices can record this content. The host device, such as a digital cable-ready
television, supplies all other basic tuning, navigation, and video display capabilities.
If the host device is capable of receiving clear digital content, and the subscriber does
not want to receive secure digital content, a CableCARD module is not required.
However, a CableCARD module is required if the subscriber wants to receive secure
digital content.
A subscriber in a cable system that uses our broadband delivery equipment must use
a PowerKEY CableCARD Module. Any host device can be purchased from a retail
store or elsewhere, but the CableCARD module must come from the service
provider for the subscriber's service area.
The CableCARD module uses the PowerKEY Conditional Access System in the same
manner as an Explorer DHCT to decrypt secure digital content. In fact, you
authorize CableCARD modules for services in the same way that you authorize
Explorer DHCTs.
Host devices with CableCARD modules can receive both inband and out-of-band
data. However, host devices without CableCARD modules can receive only inband
data.
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