If you are going to use Windows Media Center as your DVR, a cablecard tuner is a “must have.” Over the last 10 months, I have been using a Ceton cablecard tuner in my main HTPC.  The tuner worked well, except for a hiccup trying to make it network accessible.  I actually had to send my card back to Ceton.  In fairness, the networking process was stull a beta at the time. 

I have made the switch to the Prime because I have three computers I use to watch TV, all connected to a wired network.  One is connected to my Epson projector and serves as my main media center.  The other is my desktop I use as a general computer with a 24 inch Dell monitor.  The last computer I have is a nettop connected to my Toshiba 42 inch LCD in my den.  The nettop is primarily used as a streaming box since it cannot support the size of a tuner. 

HDHomerum Prime Set-up

The Prime, which is almost the same size as the original HdHomerun QAM tuner (see picture to the right), was setup without a hitch, especially since my cablecard had already been activated by Verizon (note: Verizon does not tie your card to a specific device so you can smply switch it to a new tuner).  The setup process involved installing the Silicondust HDHomerun software and then setting up the tuner in media center.  Simple. 

Pros and Cons

The only issue I have run into is the fact that my Dell monitor does not support HDCP. 

The advantages of the HDHomerun Prime include:

1) One cablecard can be used for 3 seperate streams to three different locations.

2) Smaller computer cases can be used without worrying about the size of the tuner.

3) Ipad 2 support through Elgato.  Unfortunately I have the original ipad.  No dice.

4) You are not reliant on one media center to be always on. 

5) Low power consumption at less than 10 watts.

If the network capacibility of the Prime does not interest you, a cheaper option is the upcoming Happauge cablecard tuner that has two tuners (compared to 3 for the Prime) and costs about $140.

Everything was great with with the Ceton card until yesterday.  Installation was a snap, since my CableCard had already been activated.  Overall, I have been very pleased with my purchase.  Yesterday, however, was the first glitch with the card.

As it turns out, I was not able to record the Super Bowl.  Luckily I was actually watching the game so it ended up not being a big deal. Heading over to thegreenbutton.com, it seemed I was not the only with the problem.  Apparently, the latest version of the firmware for the Ceton tuner has issues reading some of the “broadcast flags.” For now, the only solution is to request the beta firmware, which I just did about 5 minutes ago.  Hopefully, this fixes the issue.

This got me thinking: the price of used XPS 420 on sites like Ebay and Craigslist should start to fall, making an entry level CableCard machine even more accessible. Typical prices right now for used XPS 420 run about $500 depending on the specs.

You can buy digital cable tuners on Ebay for about $150 a piece so for a two tuner XPS 420, you are looking at about $800. This should drop with time. If you are in the market for a CableCard machine, I would start to monitor the prices for used Dell XPS 420s.

The TP25, based off of the VGX-TP1, has added that extra digital cable tuner but has lost the sleek form factor. It would look out of place in any home theater set-up. The awkward design is made worse by the fact that the the digital cable tuners are external units. I have no idea why you would design a minimalist computer and then pair it with external tuners. Makes no sense.

I can’t see the TP25 as being successful, especially at a price point of $3,000. The Dell XPS 420 trumps it on price and quite frankly, I would rather have a black Dell box than a TP-25 sitting in my living room.

Ceton has announced their upcoming M-Card Digital Cable Tuner. From their website:

Connect your Microsoft Vista Media Center PC to any U.S. Cable TV Company including Comcast, Time-Warner, Cox, Charter, etc., to watch and record Cable programming via the new multi-stream, bi-directional CableCARD, the M-Card. Pause, rewind, fast forward, and record live TV utilizing Media Center’s Digital Video Recorder.

The multi-stream aspect of this tuner should lower prices of media center PCs since you do not have to have 2 separate DCTs. Hopefully that will save almost $300 for users.

The website is slightly cryptic about whether this card can handle switched digital video. Ceton says the card is bi-directional, which would leave me to believe that the card could handle switched digital video. Hopefully that is the case, and would be a large step in the right direction. I am waiting to see if ATI announces a card of their own.

Maybe M-Card Tuners is why Sony is selling DCTs on their own. They need to clear their inventory. We shall see I guess.

Via Chris Lanier’s Blog.

Beginning in July, though, cable operators became subject to the “integration ban” and could no longer offer most CableCARD-free cable boxes. With the cable companies forced to play on the same field as the third-party players, a viable market for “navigation devices” was expected to develop. As we noted above, that hasn’t happened yet.

I think the article is worth the read but misses the point slightly. No one is going to buy a simple set-top box. People want additional features or slick interfaces, like Tivo. The point of the integration ban was to make the cable companies use CableCARD themselves, to level the playing field with companies like Tivo. The real advantage of CableCARD will be opening up access to third-party DVRs, like Moxi, and the TVs.

I saw a VGX-XL3 at the Sony store in Tyson’s Corner. It was hidden from view and was not even connected. To me, it should have been hooked up to a Bravia to both show off the TV and to sell the media centers.

Basically, the system was too expensive and under-powered. For a cheaper price, you could get a better performing media center with 2 tuners from VelocityMicro PCs or even from Dell. The only thing going for the VGX-XL3 was the case, which was really nice and would fit into any living room.

Hopefully, Sony will release an improved version in the future.

Via Chris Lanier and TvSquad.

The VAIO LT trumps the featues of the iMac with its high definition options. The HD version of the VAIO LT, which costs $2,900) has a Blu-ray drive and a Digital Cable Tuner to watch HD cable with a CableCard.

Because of the size of the screen, this system most likely will not live in your family room as a media center. It would be great though as a second TV in an office or den. Think of this computer as an office computer with “benefits.”

One thing to note is that the system only comes with on Digital Cable Tuner, which means you can only record OR watch one channel at a time. Though, this should not be a big deal for an office computer.

Sony has certainly been creative with their CableCard offerings. They are the only company that is offering a CableCard computer with any type of styling. The VAIO line also already had the impressive but tragically flawed VGX-XL3.

A non-HD version is available for about $1,900.

Alienware is finally getting around to updating the Hangar 18 with CableCard support. Apparently the first iteration of the Hangar 18 sans CableCard support was a resounding success, which is surprising to me because of its complete lack of HD support.

CE Pro has the scoop:

Soon, Alienware will offer CableCard support for the Hangar 18 through an external OCUR (OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver) box. Here’s the hitch: OCUR will only be available through professional home technology installers/resellers. “We feel that OCUR is a solution that requires the expertise of a reseller and installer to perform an optimal customer experience, which does not warrant direct consumer sales of OCUR-equipped products,” says Marc Diana, product manager for non-mobile products.

Well, this pretty much guarantees that I will not be buying the Hangar 18. Why is CableCard support so difficult for companies to implement into their media centers? No one has really done it right, besides Velocity Micro. Sony is close but the VGX-XL3 really needs 2 digital cable tuners.

Dell also has made an interesting choice with the XPS 410. Digital Cable Tuners (DCTs) are only available on the high-end version, which also comes with a Blu-ray drive standard. With two DCTs and a Blu-ray drive, the XPS 410 costs about $2,000. Not too bad considering a comparable system at Velocity Micro PC costs $3,500. Unlike HP, you can buy two DCTs through Dell, though they are only available as external readers.

Hopefully, Dell will offer the occasional price break for this system.