cBR8, NAGRA CA and Cisco Videoguard CA certification

Today, Cisco is proudly announcing that our cBR-8 Evolved CCAP has achieved both NAGRA CA (Conditional Access) and Cisco’s Videoguard CA certification in compliance with the standard DVB Simulcrypt used in Europe and other parts of the world for delivery of digital cable video to STBs.

Why is this important? Well, it allows cable operators worldwide to use the cBR-8 for video and data services if they have Cisco or NAGRA CA systems in place for the video delivery platform. By converging services onto a single platform they achieve significant cost savings from a total cost of ownership perspective. This is what CCAP is all about – convergence of services.

Just as a reminder for those who might not be familiar with the cBR-8.

The cBR-8 is the first integrated CCAP product designed for full spectrum DOCSIS 3.1. and beyond. Our full-spectrum platform can converge all services, including DOCSIS data services and MPEG/DVB video services, into a single chassis. At the same time the cBR-8 is designed for both conventional integrated capabilities as well as Cablelabs standardized Remote PHY. This all in the same chassis, imagine the total cost of ownership benefits by reducing required rack space, power and cooling in the Cable Operators HUB site!

The scalability the cBR-8 offers means that video and DOCSIS data services can be turned on by a simple, straight forward license activation, all 158 QAM channels in a service group, with a total of 64 service groups in a cBR-8 with the 8×16 line-card. Remote PHY will soon at least double that capability, no need for CAPEX burning chassis forklift upgrades, the same line-card can support Remote PHY or I-CMTS.

Now, what exactly was certified at NAGRA?

Cisco received a “Certificate of Compliance of Simulcrypt ECMG, EIS and PSI-SI Interfaces” from the NAGRA Kudelski group on the 23^rd of November, 2016.

At the same time we have passed all testing with our own Cisco Videoguard CA solution.

The cBR-8 was already deployed at cable operators in a converged fashion for both DOCSIS data and video services, now it can be used for NAGRA CA and Videoguard CA deployments as well.