As the cablecos see consumers spending more time being entertained in front of the PC, the thought that they’ll spend less time watching pay-TV is frightening. Tru2way, the cablecos’ rebuttal to the Net in terms of interactivity and added applications, is not intended to be a direct competitor to the Net. It’s a tool the cablecos hope they can use to increase the time consumers spend watching the TV set. It’ll provide such things as an interactive program guide, on-screen stats during a sporting event, ordering pizza, e-mail, instant messaging and who knows what else.
The cablecos also know they’re competing with a new phenomenon – consumers watching Internet-delivered videos on the TV set. Set manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, HP and LG are promising sets with not only a built-in Internet connection but also direct access to online video sites like YouTube. Then there are a number of makers of digital media adapters that let users connect existing TV sets to the Net BE Apple TV, the NetFlix/Roku box, the Amazon.com/TiVo venture and perhaps especially Microsoft’s Windows Media Center Extenders. Then too, there’s the Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 online movie services that show movies on the TV set.
Will tru2way, the cablecos’ answer to the appeal of the Net, succeed? Specifically will enough of the cablecos deploy enough tru2way set-top boxes to entice third parties to develop software like instant messaging and services like ordering pizza with the TV’s remote control?
Those are the questions we asked Motorola’s senior product manager for tru2way, Richard Loechler, this week. Motorola decided to build a new platform to run tru2way on so it’s running a bit behind its competitors in software development. However, all the DCX models of set-top boxes including DVRs it’s shipping can have tru2way downloaded and installed whenever the cableco decides.
Loechler said Motorola’s tru2way is in beta test with one or more cablecos but would not say who they are. Asked when the final version will be ready, he’d only say, “Soon.” Some cablecos are already deploying tru2way-compatible set-top boxes but they are not from Motorola.
Tru2way is what’s often called middleware, sitting on top of the operating system and intended to make it easy for independent software developers to program applications and services.
The industry as a whole expects applications to come from a variety of sources. The TV networks, either themselves or by hiring independent developers, are expected to add interactive functions such as voting for contestants on game shows. Motorola intends to develop some applications itself such as caller ID but not a broad range of them. Motorola says it’s doing its part to help independent programmers by offering tru2way development tools for them to use.
Tru2way, on paper at least, has two major elements that are intended to attract developers. Keep in mind that the whole world seemingly has discovered the value of third-party applications BE from Apple and its iTunes App Store to Sony and its BD Live for Blu-ray players. Apple and Blackberry owner RIM have raised over $100 million each to fund developers. Microsoft says it has 18,000 developers working on applications for its Windows Mobile operating system for smart phones.
1. Because tru2way is based on Java, programmers will be able to “write once, run anywhere.” Tru2way will run on any tru2way box regardless of who makes it.
2. The six largest cablecos and several major makers of consumer electronics gear have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) which promises that starting in July 2009, at least 20% of the set-top boxes the cablecos ship will support tru2way until there are at least 10 million tru2way boxes installed in the States.
The CE makers will add to the numbers by shipping TV sets that have the set-top box functions built in. Panasonic has been showing TV sets running tru2way, including one that had a removable DVR with built-in screen that’s about the size of a portable DVD player.
The downside is that, unlike Apple and Microsoft, tru2way developers must go to each cableco and jump through hoops to get their applications deployed. There is no central clearing house for tru2way as there is for Apple and Microsoft.
CableLabs is currently overseeing the development of a specification for a whole home DVR that will also be tru2way compliant. The specs are published and can be implemented.
The MOU, Motorola’s Loechler said, is the key step toward tru2way’s widespread deployment and success because it shows the cablecos are strongly committed to tru2way.