CableCARD

A CableCARD is a PCMCIA-like device that allows cable customers in the United States to view and record encrypted digital cable television channels on TVs, digital set-top boxes, digital video recorders, and personal computers not manufactured by the cable provider. CableCARD is usually rented out to cable customers for a small fee.

The CableCARD was created as a result of a U.S. federal mandate from the Telecommunications Act of 1996, that required cable companies to provide consumers with freedom of choice for viewing digital television and allow for a competitive retail market for set-top boxes.

In 2020, the FCC removed the requirement for cable companies to provide CableCARDs, allowing cable companies to force customers to use their proprietary equipment and barring them from using devices such as TiVos and HDHomeRun. They are still required to provide consumer access through a so-called "separable security".