Get your Vista CableCARD coverage

So last night Microsoft formally finally lifted the veil for Vista CableCARD reviewers; we've got some stuff up, so do be sure to check it out to get your fix of what amounts to being the most expensive DVR rig yet devised. We missing something? Let us know in our what do you want to know? post, alright?

Installing a Vista CableCARD Media Center PC (part 1): Fiasco!
Installing a Vista CableCARD Media Center PC (part 2): Perfecto!
Vista CableCARD Media Center PCs - what do you want to know?

[Jesse S @ May 22nd 2007 4:22PM]

Why go with this over a PC with a tuner card paired with a set-top box?

[ScOObyDoo @ May 22nd 2007 4:29PM]

Am I correct that it only has ONE CC slot? That already gives it a major disadvantage over the Tivo S3, until of course they get dualstream cablecards working on it...

Even then, will/can Vista record 2 HD streams?

[Jeff @ May 22nd 2007 4:35PM]

Leave it to MS and their licensed partners to take something every Media Center user was dying for and make it as difficult to use and feature-crippled as possible, thereby ensuring its failure.

Then in a year, when everybody looks at the numbers, they'll say "well, we tried, and there just wasn't any market" as they pull all support to focus on their own proprietary and DRM-laden IPTV or some other such nonsense.

Mark my words.

[ScOObyDoo @ May 22nd 2007 4:46PM]

I hardly think you can Blame Microsoft for this. CableCard is a PITA and that has nothing to do with them. It took me 2 weeks just to get my Tivo working correctly with 2 cards. In this case Microsoft has to deal with ATI, Dell and the cable company.

And when the vast majority of cable employees don't even know what a cable card is (like in my case) then you are in trouble.

[Izzy Llamas @ May 22nd 2007 4:52PM]

Its easy to blame Microsoft, so lets do it.

[eakira @ May 22nd 2007 4:55PM]

CableCard is overrated.

[Calvin Gorriaran @ May 22nd 2007 5:09PM]

Were can we buy the ATI CableCard boxes?

[Calvin Gorriaran @ May 22nd 2007 5:11PM]

Where can we buy the ATI CableCard boxes?

[spyboy @ May 22nd 2007 7:10PM]

You can't get one, unless you buy an HP or a Dell or a few custom HTPC boxes that cost $2k+

I just want the box, I don't want a new pc, I have a RAID5 DVR box waiting for a cablecard setup.

[Calvin Gorriaran @ May 22nd 2007 8:02PM]

I can't find any option to add ATI to the HP or Dell Media Center PCs.

[Jason Spangler @ May 22nd 2007 5:12PM]

How quiet are the systems? I have a custom-built HTPC in my living room that was built to be quiet, so I worry about these off-the-shelf systems being too noisy for off-the-shelf use.

[Bob E @ May 22nd 2007 5:21PM]

I have DirectTV and still they can't figure out how to give me HD programming I paid for 3 weeks ago. Bunch of idiots running around.

If it weren't for my XBOX 360 and XBOX Live I wouldn't have any satisfaction at all with my new Sammi 46" PCD. Now this Vista setup looks great but I don't have cable at my building, just dish.

[gadgetjunkie @ May 22nd 2007 10:59PM]

HP removed the ATI Digital Cable tuner on Frday, but I do not know why. Perhaps there are similiar issues as Peter's

[Jumpman @ May 22nd 2007 11:01PM]

When will anyone make a whole house descrambler that goes in the basement? No more set top boxes!!!

[Chris @ May 23rd 2007 4:54PM]

Does it have an over the air tuner aswell as the cable card? If so, when you record a channel that is offered on both tuners will it choose the drm'd cablecard or the OTA tuner? Do all cablecard tuned recordings get drm, or just specific channels?

[Ubergeek @ May 24th 2007 3:22AM]

here is a short overview of my experiences with a Sony XL3 that comes with 1 internal OCUR card and a Blu-ray read/write drive:
- without inserting a CableCARD in the system I can view or record NTSC, ATSC and Clear QAM signals. Notice the "or" between "view" and "record" as the system only has one TV Tuner... shame...
- I can even record all these programs to a blank Blu-ray disc
- the moment I pop in a CableCARD I can view or record the Cable content but cannot record it to Blu-ray
- I can, however, steam it (using Ethernet -- to address the point earlier about wireless) to my Xbox360.
- I can even watch the same file on the XL3 and the Xbox at the same time (sweet, no more watching the same TV show with the wife!)
- I can connect an external HDD and store content on it. I can see both the internally and externally recorded content in MCE
- BUT, I am unable to view the content stored on the external HDD on anotehr PC (as Ryan mentioned, the content protection behind OCUR is such that one has but limited "to go" scenarios -- in fact, it seems to be limited to the Xbox360).

this short summary is the result of personal trial and error as well as numerous hours on the phone with Cox and Sony.

here is some other stuff I have found out:
- you CANNOT buy a standalone OCUR device
- you can ONLY obtain it from a Cable Labs certified PC maker
- at this time, there are but limited options for CableCARD lovers: Sony, Dell, Niveus, Alienware
- also, I had some issues with CableCARD detection but a recent firmware upgrade from Ati resolved that
- now if Sony had shipped with 2 CableCARDS, had 1080p output, I would be a completely happy customer
- still, if you are looking for HD media hub, I recommend this product