cable ready or iDCR extends DCR. Unlike the DCR standard, iDCR supports interactive customer features such as electronic program guides, pay-per-view and video on demand. Consumer devices which support iDCR also support the new OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) standard developed by CableLabs. In practice however, the rental of cable converter boxes (or since the late 2010s, the rent-to-own arrangement of digital media players with a provider's app if the customer prefers) has remained a lucrative business line for most cable providers, and they have preferred to phase out support of analog or digital cable-ready televisions which are not CableCard compliant and rent converter boxes out instead, with prevention of cable theft another reason for the arrangement. References External links Tru2way Primer CableCARD for Digital Cable TV CNET TV Buying Guide - HDTV Basics Cable television technology Digital cable