Cablelabs has announced that it has awarded the certified status to Samsung Electronics for an integrated digital television set (DTV).

The product connects directly to cable television systems and receives digital services without requiring a set-top box. Certification was achieved under the Cablelabs Opencable Project in accordance with the POD-Host Interface Agreement (PHILA) signed by Samsung last year.

Samsung’s DTV will be able to directly receive high definition television (HDTV) and other one-way digital programmes via cable, including premium services, without the need for a set-top box. The DTVs are also interoperable on digital cable systems throughout the US and Canada, where such DTVs are supported.

Cablelabs certified means that the device has passed a series of tests for compliance with the indicated version of the specification and has thus demonstrated interoperability with multiple cable distribution networks. Many of these devices provide other functions or are designed to comply with other specifications, in each case tailored by the manufacturer to meet the growing needs of consumers or cable operators in an evolving communication/entertainment sector.