A plan that students hope would make cable in every undergraduate dorm an achievable goal is still far from reality, the head of Harvard Arts and Sciences Computer Services (HASCS) says, as issues of cost, priority and technological feasibility remain unresolved.

An Undergraduate Council-backed proposal to send digital cable television over Harvard’s existing Ethernet infrastructure will be presented to the College’s Committee on House Life (CHL) tomorrow.

Last year, the CHL determined that wiring for standard cable would be too costly, dashing students’ hopes of watching “SportsCenter” and “The Sopranos” from the comfort of their rooms.

This year, council member Wesley H. Kauble ’06 is promoting the new plan for cable—which avoids costly construction and new wiring—and he said brings the goal finally within reach.

Kauble and others said that a successful implementation of Ethernet television at Northwestern University is guiding their efforts.

According to HASCS Director Franklin M. Steen, however, the proposal is not a simple one.

“There is a lot of work to be done before we get there, a lot of hurdles that need to be conquered,” Steen said.

There is no way to know whether the plan is feasible, he said, because no testing has begun.

Steen said he has concerns about how an Ethernet television system would effect network bandwidth use.

While this worry hasn’t stopped Northwestern, Steen said that Harvard’s network is configured differently and that Northwestern’s success can’t be necessarily replicated here.

“We are a little different [than Northwestern]—we don’t have uniform set-up, and Northwestern is somewhat smaller then Harvard,” Steen said.

And the required testing can’t be done until deans and House masters agree to support it.

“There is no sense in us doing any testing or preparation until we know this is going to be funded, and it goes through what ever political things that need to be done,” Steen said.

Some masters have already stated opposition to cable in students’ rooms.

“I’m not in favor of them having it in their rooms because I think it’s too great a temptation,” Adams House Master Sean Palfrey said last year.