ATI OCUR Cablecard Tuner for Windows Vista

[DFranch]

I just read this thread at anandtech. ATI showed their new cablecard tuner for Windows Vista. Will Sage be able to use this? I don't want to have to switch to Media center, but this is the configuration I want to use when I go HD.

[Mysticeti]

{on edit I deleted most of my post -- looks like I posted duplicate info in the hardware forum}

I have a question about "HD tunner affinity" in SageTV but I'll do some research first...

[evilpenguin]

I really hope Microsoft doesn't do anything shady with Vista's cable card DRM solution and make it an MCE only thing.

[mikejaner]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

I really hope Microsoft doesn't do anything shady with Vista's cable card DRM solution and make it an MCE only thing.

They will. It's not because they can, it's more because they have to. How else would they get the deal struck with the Cable Companies. Without locking it down, there is no way they could be assured their content isn't ripped and distributed to all the H@x0rz.

[Naylia]

The same way that you get access to HDCP and 5C content...charge exorbinant sums of money from a company for access to the specs and to issue them a key for their product and then yank the key the moment the product gets hacked.

[sleonard]

Originally Posted by mikejaner

They will. It's not because they can, it's more because they have to. How else would they get the deal struck with the Cable Companies. Without locking it down, there is no way they could be assured their content isn't ripped and distributed to all the H@x0rz.

Just the other week I read something from Bill himself that implied that everything needed to use Cablecard, including the DRM, will be available to 3rd parties.

*(As long as the 3rd parties are willing to implement the DRM and other restrictions)

*(Oh, and also pay the fees for royalty/licensing/etc.)

[jptaz]

Has anyone actually been able to use CableCard with an HD Set?

My Cable Company (Wide Open West) does not even broadcast the local HD channels in the clear which is supposed to be legally required. Unless someone sues the Cable Companies I doubt they allow you to just rent a CableCard and if they do it will likely be the same cost as the rental of the Digital box anyway. They make too much money and have too much controll with the Boxes to not force everyone to use one. That and most consumers don't even know what Cable Card is.

Just my thoughts.

John

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

I really hope Microsoft doesn't do anything shady with Vista's cable card DRM solution and make it an MCE only thing.

According to an interview (I think I linked it a while ago) the protections required for CableCard and the like will be built into the OS in such a way that they will be available to all programs. It sounds like it will be much like any other OS service.

Hopefully it will pan out that way.

Originally Posted by jptaz

My Cable Company (Wide Open West) does not even broadcast the local HD channels in the clear which is supposed to be legally required.

I see this posted a lot, and I'm not sure it's true, I think it's a myth-become-fact sort of thing. If I interpreted the FCC rules correctly, cable companies are only required to carry the local stations. And since most/all cable companies carry locals in the basic analog package, that satisfies the rule. Thus they can carry or not the HD versions, and encrypt them or not. Not until later this year (or later probably) when the locals turn off their analog broadcasts will the cableco's have to open up the HD versions.

[Diginerd]

http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2662

I gotta get me one of those!!!!

Oh. Meh..

Shame it currently specs that you need a Windows Vista version of MCE. :-(

[heffe2001]

I'm hoping that my previous MCE beta experience will net me one of these for testing purposes when the Vista MCE beta starts this month . I liked MCE at first, except for the hard 2 tuner limit. If they raise that on the vista version, I'll be forced to take a very hard look at MCE vs Sage when Vista is released...

[mikesm]

I spoke to the MSFT Vista team today at CES. They said the cablecards and the DBS interfaces) will use the normal video storage format for today's MCE. Extenders will all work with cablecard content. You can run up to 4 cablecard interfaces in a single server, but you may not be able to use all 4 if you mix DBS interfaces with cablecard.

It sounded like the content was going to be protected the same way the content is protected today, so maybe it's not such a big problem.

More after I talk to the VWB folks tommorrow.

Thanks,
Mike

[flavius]

Originally Posted by heffe2001

I'm hoping that my previous MCE beta experience will net me one of these for testing purposes when the Vista MCE beta starts this month . I liked MCE at first, except for the hard 2 tuner limit. If they raise that on the vista version, I'll be forced to take a very hard look at MCE vs Sage when Vista is released...

You're gonna need a new server, don't you?