Downloadable Conditional Access System: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:37, 13 February 2015

Revision as of 07:30, 14 February 2015

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'''Downloadable Conditional Access System''' or '''DCAS''' was a proposal advanced by [[CableLabs]] for secure software download of a specific Conditional Access client (computer program) which controls [[digital rights management]] (DRM) into an [[OpenCable Application Platform|OCAP]]-compliant host consumer media device. The [[National Cable & Telecommunications Association]] (NCTA) proposed that DCAS be used as a substitute for physical [[CableCARD]]s, a standard also created by CableLabs for which products began appearing in August 2004 as part of industry compliance to the [[#FCC mandate|FCC mandate]], which in turn is pursuant to the [[Telecommunications Act of 1996]]. DCAS is growing in popularity as a less expensive alternative for CableCARD, with major North American operator deployments from Cablevision<ref> Cisco powers DCAS deployment at Cablevision, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMJg53hy9jM </ref> and Charter .<ref>Charter unveils Worldbox- Cisco key supplier of boxes with downloadable security, http://www.multichannel.com/news/technology/charter-unveils-its-worldbox/386685</ref>. DCAS deployments can be expected to grow in the coming years, thanks to favorable regulatory view from the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014 <ref> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STELA_Reauthorization_Act_of_2014 </ref> and FCC appointing a Downloadable Security Technical Advisory Committee,<ref> FCC appoints downloadable security advisory committee, http://www.fcc.gov/document/appointment-members-downloadable-security-advisory-committee </ref>, and wider support for key ladder (K-LAD) functionality from system-on-chip (SoC) vendors and set-top box manufacturers.

DCAS in the early days, was a controversial proposal for a variety of reasons: it did not exist, had no set deadlines for support on all cable systems, no specification even in draft form was public, may not have satisfied FCC requirements that security modules be separable, and required an operating system (OCAP) that a majority of [[consumer electronics]] (CE) manufacturers did not wish to implement. The DCAS project was abandoned by CableLabs in 2009. <ref>Jeff Baumgartner, MSOs Closing PolyCipher Headquarters, Light Reading Cable, (June 5, 2009), http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=177662&site=lr_cable.</ref>

[[Image:DCAS system diagram.jpg|thumb|400px|DCAS System Diagram]]

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== FCC mandate ==

The FCC has ruled that starting July 1, 2007, cable customers are to be able to purchase DVRs and other third-party devices to legally view digital cable without having to rent hardware from the cable company. On January 27, 2015, FCC announced the appointment of the Dowloadable Security Technial Advisory Committee .<ref> Appointment of members to the DSTAC, http://www.fcc.gov/document/appointment-members-downloadable-security-advisory-committee </ref>.

== See also ==