Motorola Broadband Communications Sector and Pioneer Electronics have announced that they will begin testing procedures to assure compatibility between Motorola's MediaCipher conditional access system and Pioneer's plasma (flat screen) High-Definition (HD) compatible TVs.

The test is the first of its kind to bring together independently developed POD (point of deployment) and plasma HD compatible TV Host technology, and marks the beginning for establishing a real framework for support of DTV receivers, digital recorders with secure interfaces, and other devices for cable systems. Motorola recently expanded its MediaCipher conditional access system to include an OpenCable POD module, in adherence to the FCC requirements to offer completely separable security for consumer electronics devices. Pioneer has developed a basic digital cable ready television that targets compatibility with OpenCable POD modules such as the Motorola MediaCipher POD.

The two companies' engineering efforts will be in compliance with CableLabs OpenCable Host specification and proposed technical standards currently under review by the Federal Communications Commission. The OpenCable compatibility testing will begin at the Motorola MediaCipher integration lab in San Diego, CA as the first step towards the anticipated rollout of compliant consumer TVs in 2003, based on FCC approval of technical standards.

The Motorola MediaCipher POD module contains an embedded version of the complete access control/decryption hardware and firmware subsystem that is currently built into all Motorola set tops. The POD module -- which has a similar form factor to a PCMCIA module -- contains Motorola's security circuitry as well as an embedded battery backup for increased tamper resistance.

The Motorola digital conditional access technology included in the MediaCipher POD is currently installed in nearly 25 million digital set-tops worldwide, and provides comprehensive access control functionality as well as unsurpassed security. The Motorola MediaCipher system -- which consists of a headend-resident access control management system and MediaCipher-enabled set tops in consumer's homes -- allows operators to rapidly launch a variety of value-added services by supporting features that include service authorisations, impulse pay-per-view, authenticated report-back processing, secured software download and world-class encryption technology.