For most of us on this side of the pond, it's easy to forget about cable television, but in the US it's a different story. ATI is developing an HD cable receiver for the PC, aimed at the US market.
The new product, called ATI OCUR (open cable uni-directional receiver - cute name) will be available 'later this year'. ATI are working with Microsoft on this one, as MS intend to bring HD cable viewing to the media edition of Windows Vista. It is logical to assume then, that OCUR will pop-up at around the same time as Vista, all being well.
Along with HD cable support, OCUR can receive analogue TV and free-to-air HD broadcasts too, but cable's where the interest is for the US, with some 68% of the market served by cable operators. You might expect to see five familiar letters pop up in association with such a piece of hardware, and yes, OCUR does incorporate Avivo technology.
If the hype from numerous sources is to be believed, and people buy into it, 2006 is to be the year of the media center PC. Vista will probably have a big role to play in this, so ATI is pleased to be working with MS on this. Indeed, MS are pleased too:
We're excited to work with ATI on this project, based on the company's industry-leading expertise in both multimedia PC solutions and the digital TV marketplace.
Of course, some of you couldn't care less about cable television, but our US readers will appreciate the significance of such a product. A preview of OCUR is on show at the 2006 International CES.
HEXUS.links
HEXUS.pr :: ATI's press release.
