LG, Funai Sign Tru2way Agreements

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 7/28/2008

Louisville, Colo. — CableLabs said Monday that LG Electronics and Funai Electric have signed the multi-industry Tru2way Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The CE companies join a list of manufacturers who have signed the MOUs, including Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Digeo, ADB, Intel and the nation’s top six cable providers — Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Cablevision, Charter and Bright House Networks.

Tru2way technology will enable CE manufacturers to develop products that accept bi-directional conditional access CableCARDs to enable unlocking encrypted video channels as well as engage in interactive cable services, including video-on-demand, voting and polling, games and e-commerce.

CableLabs said the MOU “represents joint cable operator and retail manufacture support and endorsement of the Tru2way technology platform developed by CableLabs for delivering two-way interactive digital cable video services.”

The Tru2way platform uses an upgradeable middleware system and Java technology that allows for innovation from both cable and retail device manufacturers. Thus, retail consumers who purchase digital-cable-ready devices will be able to receive interactive cable services now and in the future.