I was wondering if anyone knew if any of the new panasonics are going to have cable card. from what ive seen, none of the 70. 700 or 750 seems to have it, but i havent really seen good specs on the 750 series. thanks. also, how about two way cable card?

bump. i think its time that mfr's started adding two way cable card, not taknig cable card away altogether. either that or installing circuitry that can be directly addressed by the cable companies. i know thats been talked about on here.

CableCard 1.0 already has bi-directional support. CableCard 2.0 adds multi-tuner support, eliminating the need for multiple CableCards to support multiple tuners.

Current CableCard implementations in TVs use unidirectional OpenCable receivers. These "one-way" receivers cannot access guide information [from cable company], interactive services, VOD, or channels delivered using Switched Digital Video (SDV) technology. This is a limitation of the receiver, not the CableCard. Bidirectional (two-way) CableCard implementations in televisions aren't expected for another year or so. Unidirectional CableCard implementations are a dead end, so I would not expect Panasonic or any other CE manufacturer to implement CableCard with TVGoS in their 2007 models.

To be clear, CableCard itself is not going away. In fact, we have quite the opposite. Starting July 1, cable companies are no longer allowed to purchase and deploy older STBs with integrated CAS. After July 1, all new purchases and installations must use new boxes with CableCard. These aren't the traditional unidirectional OpenCable devices; these are the first bidirectional OpenCable devices. They support the program guide, VOD, PPV, and SDV channels. Comcast and other cable companies have ordered tens of thousands of new bidirectional CableCard STBs and DVRs from Motorola and Scientific Atlanta.

Implementations of CableCard 1.0 are going away, yes.

The current implementation of CableCard with TVGoS is a dead end. Current CableCard 1.0 technology doesn't support channels delivered with Switched Digital Video (SDV), which will be used for an increasing number of new and existing cable channels in the next three years. If you aren't familiar with SDV, it's similar to VOD, except it is used for standard channels listed in the guide. It requires bi-directional communication to function, and that's not possible with current CableCard devices. Time Warner already uses it for a number of channels, and Comcast will began SDV deployment later this year.

With next-generation OpenCable 2.0 products, you'll get SDV channels, as well as VOD. You'll also get the same guide interface used by the cable provider on its set-top boxes. Displays -- as well as third-party DVRs -- will download the guide software from the cable company just as their STBs and DVRs download that software today. The cable companies, working together with the CE companies, have determined that this is the future of cable/TV interoperability, so solutions like TVGoS no longer have the same place in the market. I don't expect TVGoS service, as we know it today, to remain in operation much beyond 2010 or 2011.

I was wondering if anyone knew if any of the new panasonics are going to have cable card. from what ive seen, none of the 70. 700 or 750 seems to have it, but i havent really seen good specs on the 750 series. thanks. also, how about two way cable card?

Manufacturers seem to running from the cable card slot, Panasonic included. This may be a product of the new STB revisions due by July. :(

so youre saying bfdtv that the current sets that i have with cable card are already set to be addressable both ways? or are you saying that the set needs to have the capability as well? if thats the case, i may have to hold off on getting any new panasonic, as they probably will not have the necessary buttons on the remote for things like program guides and the like.

so youre saying bfdtv that the current sets that i have with cable card are already set to be addressable both ways? or are you saying that the set needs to have the capability as well?No.

As per my post above, current CableCard implementations in TVs use unidirectional OpenCable receivers. These "one-way" receivers cannot access guide information [from cable company], interactive services, VOD, or channels delivered using Switched Digital Video (SDV) technology. This is a limitation of the receiver built into the TV, not the CableCard itself. It is not possible to "upgrade" current unidirectional TVs with bidirectional functionality; new hardware is required.

Bidirectional (two-way) CableCard implementations in televisions aren't expected for another year or so. If you want a plasma with bidirectional (two-way) CableCard, then you need to wait for the 2008 models.

Bidirectional (two-way) CableCard implementations in televisions aren't expected for another year or so. If you want a plasma with bidirectional (two-way) CableCard, then you need to wait for the 2008 models.
i hope youre right. considering that most mfr's seem to be yanking it altogether, including panasonic apparently on the new models, hard to see them including it in next years models...although i guess its possible.

i hope youre right. considering that most mfr's seem to be yanking it altogether, including panasonic apparently on the new models, hard to see them including it in next years models...although i guess its possible.They are "yanking" it specifically because unidirectional receivers are obsolete. They are waiting for bidirectional receivers with the appropriate software. Back in mid-2006, Panasonic planned to put bidirectional OpenCable receivers in their 2007 displays, but late last year, they said the hardware (and associated software) wasn't ready, so they would have to wait another year.

well if thats the case it pretty much means ill be waiting til the 2008 models...then ill be able to get my 65 inch 1080p set that much cheaper.

A cable card primer. (http://www.opencable.com/primer/cablecard_primer.html)

Why would anybody DROP Cablecard in their sets when introducing a refinement of an existing HD model ? Philips dropped CC on the 9631 after having it on their 9630.

As I understand it, except for PPV and some high-end features, a CC gets you the same access as a STB.

Do you actually think anyone would prefer an STB if a cable card would perform the same tasks?