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FCC OKs new rules for digital television
STANDARDS SHOULD BENEFIT CONSUMERS
By Heather Fleming Phillips
Mercury News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON - The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday took steps
to speed up the transition to digital television, adopting rules that would
make it easier for consumers to hook up to digital programming.
The FCC approved technical and labeling standards for digital TV sets, so
that TVs labeled as ``digital cable ready'' could plug directly into the
cable system without a set-top box. Consumers still would have to get a
descrambling security card from their cable operator to plug into the set.
The cable ``plug and play'' sets are expected to be on the market by the
2004 holiday shopping season.
Digital copies
The agency also adopted rules clarifying consumers' rights to make copies
of digital programming, a hotly debated issue that has pitted Hollywood
against consumer electronics manufacturers.
Digital TV holds out the promise of revolutionizing entertainment, offering
crystal-clear pictures and interactive programming. But consumers haven't
snapped up the new sets as quickly as broadcasters, cable companies and TV
manufacturers would like. The hefty price tag has kept some consumers away.
Adoption also has been hampered because consumers have had to lease digital
set-top boxes from their cable companies.
`Great result'
``This is a great result for consumers,'' FCC Chairman Michael Powell said
of the commission's 5-0 vote. The cable TV and consumer electronics
industries hailed the agency's action, which was prompted by an agreement
between the two sectors submitted to the commission last December.
Industry officials said the new rules could pave the way for cable services
to be promoted in stores such as Circuit City and Best Buy, where satellite
TV has had a strong presence for years.
For now, the agreement only covers set-top boxes for basic one-way cable TV
services. Consumers who wish to receive two-way services such as
video-on-demand or enhanced electronic programming guides still would have
to use a set-top box.
The digital copying agreement would allow consumers to freely make copies
of over-the-air broadcasts for personal use. It sets tighter restrictions
for making copies of programming on premium services and prevents copying
of pay-per-view programming.
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