The first documented deployment of set top converters dates back to 1966 in New York City. The two cable TV systems offered 12 channels of programming to their customers. The cable systems were plagued with complaints of “ghosting” – a fainter, duplicate image superimposed on the TV screen – caused by the off air TV stations in New York City. As a solution, each company bought and installed cable boxes which they nicknamed “Ghost Catchers.” The boxes converted the incoming TV signals to channel 3 and eliminated any interference from off air TV stations. They were built by a company from Los Angeles named International and were 12 channel turret tuners

As cable systems began to expand bandwidth in the late 1960s, Phil Hamlin introduced a 20 channel slide switch model. This unit was introduced in 1966 in Vancouver, BC and the Hamlin design was expanded to 42 channels in the late 1970s

Jerrold Electronics introduced a 12 channel set top box with a wired remote control in the 1960s. This model eventually evolved into Jerrold’s 30 and 36 channel models in the early to mid 1970s

What sometimes is called a turning point in the history of cable television, QUBE was launched in 1977 by Warner Cable. Launched in Columbus Ohio, cable viewers were introduced to several concepts that were to become central to the development of technologies available in systems today. Pay per view programs, special interest cable networks, and interactive services were unknown in 1977. QUBE viewers could choose from 30 channels which included 10 Pay Per View Channels, an adult channel, the first weather channel, and a children’s channel that later was to become Nickelodeon.

Since the system was interactive, customers were able to shop at home, play games, and answer questions like “Who should be the next Mayor?” Home viewers were given on-screen choices and 6 seconds later 50,000 homes were polled for their answers with the results posted on the TV screen. While not a financial success, QUBE allowed Warner Cable to win valuable franchises and grow as a company. QUBE was deployed in several other cities but with new addressable technologies being deployed the last of the QUBE boxes were removed from service in 1994. Warner Cable later merged with Time Inc. and now is known as Time Warner.

The 1980s saw mechanical set top boxes with wired remotes eventually replaced by boxes that had digital displays and Infrared remote controls. These were also able to be controlled using addressable technology. While much more reliable and consumer friendly, these boxes were eventually phased out with the introduction of digital-delivered TV in the mid 1990s. The capabilities of today’s boxes are far greater than the original boxes first deployed in the 1960s. With its many options, High Definition DVRs available today are the most complex customer boxes that the industry has ever deployed. With improvements in technology and new applications, today’s set-top boxes offer unlimited possibilities in programming and capabilities.

by Bill DesRochers

Bill DesRochers is the resident cable historian here at Time Warner Cable in Portland. His collection of obsolete cable TV gear collected during his 35-year cable career is an impressive look at how technology has changed in that time.