Cablecard... again.

[QuasiInsomniac]

Are there any rumors regarding official cable-card tuner support directly from Sage? The reason I ask is my local providor, WOW, is going all digital next week and phasing out analog (hence the need for a Ceton and SageDCT), and I have it on good authority that Time Warner will follow suite starting at the end of 2011. I have always wondered what the percentage of people is who are using Sage as their primary DVR, but without cable boxes and IR blasters, just with analog tuning and possibly OTA.

It seems that if Sage doesn't start generating some buzz on cable card support, then that entire demographic could be wiped out as users. I know that if the Ceton card wasn't an option, I wouldnt be able to continue using Sage. As much as I really have enjoyed Sage over the last eight years, those are just the facts.

[gplasky]

Because of the requirement for DRM you're proably not going to see this offered by Sage. The HD-PVR and a set top box is a viable alternative. As well as the Colossus card-once the bugs are worked out. People don't really care what the solution is to recording HD as long as it works all the time and is cheap enough. Sage not having a cable card solution is not the end of the world for Sage. If they did everyone would have a cable card in their TV and no set top boxes.

Gerry

[Mitch G]

I'm also a wow customer and getting ready to address this issue as well
Since I don't care about premium channels ( e.g. Hbo) I'm probably going with the cablecard-sagedct solution
But I'm waiting as long as possible to see if the silicondust product is released and helps drive down prices


Mitch

[valnar]

I'm a WOW customer in the Cleveland area and just had to go through this. With the exception of my HDHomeRun tuning the "free" HD network channels, I relied on their entire analog setup for my extended cable channels.

I ordered the two free digital adapters from WOW and installed them along with a USB-UIRT. I am still using two analog cards in my Sage server - only now I don't use their built in NTSC tuner. Other than slow channel changing, everything works flawlessly. The USB-UIRT learned the remote codes just fine. I only had to manually learn the Enter command.

I don't have any premium channels from WOW, so there is no love lost there. However, I don't get to enjoy their new extended cable HD channels just yet. I'll wait for the Colossus to mature before I add that.

[btrcp2000]

I mothballed my dish r5000s because cable was a better deal and it would allow for there to still be TV if sage went down, but if TW does this, then I have no reason not to go back to dish.

[QuasiInsomniac]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Because of the requirement for DRM you're proably not going to see this offered by Sage. The HD-PVR and a set top box is a viable alternative. As well as the Colossus card-once the bugs are worked out. People don't really care what the solution is to recording HD as long as it works all the time and is cheap enough. Sage not having a cable card solution is not the end of the world for Sage. If they did everyone would have a cable card in their TV and no set top boxes.

Gerry

I disagree on two counts. Not everyone has a cable-card enabled TV or even knows what a cable-card is. It's not like the cable sales reps ask you if you need a cable box or will a cable-card do.

And I would think that others like me would get pretty tired of a per cable box rental fee every month. That would be a few bucks x 5-6 tuners, and that could be upwards 30 bucks a month just in rental fees.

You are definately right about the solutions needing to work all the time and being cost-effective though.

[QuasiInsomniac]

Originally Posted by valnar

I'm a WOW customer in the Cleveland area and just had to go through this. With the exception of my HDHomeRun tuning the "free" HD network channels, I relied on their entire analog setup for my extended cable channels.

I ordered the two free digital adapters from WOW and installed them along with a USB-UIRT. I am still using two analog cards in my Sage server - only now I don't use their built in NTSC tuner. Other than slow channel changing, everything works flawlessly. The USB-UIRT learned the remote codes just fine. I only had to manually learn the Enter command.

I don't have any premium channels from WOW, so there is no love lost there. However, I don't get to enjoy their new extended cable HD channels just yet. I'll wait for the Colossus to mature before I add that.

I *almost* went this route until I found I'd have to get five converters from them (cost just as much as a box) and I had no idea how to do hook them up to a 2250 which only has one cable input. Glad to hear they work though. It would be a good backup if the Ceton doesn't work out.

How slow is slow?

[QuasiInsomniac]

Originally Posted by Mitch G

I'm also a wow customer and getting ready to address this issue as well
Since I don't care about premium channels ( e.g. Hbo) I'm probably going with the cablecard-sagedct solution
But I'm waiting as long as possible to see if the silicondust product is released and helps drive down prices


Mitch

I wish I could wait it out, but the wife needs all her cooking and midget shows on TLC... And WOW is threatening to start the process on the 28th. I simply just ran out of time.

I will PM you or post here to give you my results. Hopefully it will help you in your upgrade.

[Mitch G]

I look forward to reading about your WOW-Cablecard-Ceton-SageDCT adventure.


Mitch

[QuasiInsomniac]

Originally Posted by Mitch G

I look forward to reading about your WOW-Cablecard-Ceton-SageDCT adventure.


Mitch

I'm not. It's an expensive mistake if it doesnt work out. But it seems like enough people have paved the way at least for a workable solution.

[Clift]

Have you checked to make sure the channels you want to get are (or are going to be) "copy freely?" If not it could be an expensive mistake indeed.

[Mitch G]

When I inquired about copy freely with wow they indicated that the nonpremium channels (eg TNT USA etc) are currently copy freely but wow simply passes what it gets from the network. So although wow doesn't seem interested in clamping down they can't guarantee what the networks will do


Mitch

[oddjob]

What!!

Thats not good, I have WOW and just to watch and record analog. Let me know what WOW users do.

That is so disappointing

For Me, They said digital comes in May. To use a cablecard, it would cost another $25 per month to upgrade my cable package.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by oddjob

What!!

Thats not good, I have WOW and just to watch and record analog. Let me know what WOW users do.

That is so disappointing

For Me, They said digital comes in May. To use a cablecard, it would cost another $25 per month to upgrade my cable package.

If you want to continue to watch what was previously just analog, you should have received an email to get your two free digital adapters. You'll need one or two analog capture cards in your Sage box. Buy a USB-UIRT and a 1/8" stereo-to-dual 1/8" mono splitter if you want to use two tuners. You'll need some 1/8" IR transmitters too.

[oddjob]

Originally Posted by valnar

If you want to continue to watch what was previously just analog, you should have received an email to get your two free digital adapters. You'll need one or two analog capture cards in your Sage box. Buy a USB-UIRT and a 1/8" stereo-to-dual 1/8" mono splitter if you want to use two tuners. You'll need some 1/8" IR transmitters too.

Thank you
I will print this to keep. I have not tried IR transmitters before

[QuasiInsomniac]

Originally Posted by valnar

I'm a WOW customer in the Cleveland area and just had to go through this. With the exception of my HDHomeRun tuning the "free" HD network channels, I relied on their entire analog setup for my extended cable channels.

I ordered the two free digital adapters from WOW and installed them along with a USB-UIRT. I am still using two analog cards in my Sage server - only now I don't use their built in NTSC tuner. Other than slow channel changing, everything works flawlessly. The USB-UIRT learned the remote codes just fine. I only had to manually learn the Enter command.

I don't have any premium channels from WOW, so there is no love lost there. However, I don't get to enjoy their new extended cable HD channels just yet. I'll wait for the Colossus to mature before I add that.

http://www.thewowbuzz.com/blog/techn...tion-revisited

I just about crapped my pants when I read this. I was following some of the FAQ from Steve Stanfil because OddJob sent me a link.

Does this mean that a company actually listed to a group of customer complaints, stopped their original plan, sat down internally and talked it out, then went ahead and gave the customer exactly what they wanted, thereby securing their future business for all eternity? Because that's exactly what it looks like...

@WOW - Well played good sir, well played indeed. JD Power and Associates Customer Service award is in the bag this year... again.

[QuasiInsomniac]

Ok, other WOW customers might want to confirm this...

I'm going through some of these new channels that WOW is delivering over QAM. Here is where the other foot drops, none of the channels are in HD. So basically nothing has really changed for us WOW users. Oh, except for the fact that all widescreen content now has black bars around the entire program.

Are we better off? You be the judge. I guess I'm satisfied I don't have to use these crappy converter boxes.

[valnar]

WOW....just wow! I can't wait for this regression! That is wonderful news. Thanks for the post.

[QuasiInsomniac]

It really does seem like 2 steps forward and one step back. But I responded to his email that I appreciate the fact the content is still there. I also told him that as a customer, I wouldnt mind paying a little extra to get those QAM channels in HD since it seems like WOW is actually taking an extra step to take HD content from the providor and remix it down to 480i.

Really does seem silly that 100% of devices that have QAM tuners (tuner cards, TV's, and TiVOs) are HD devices. Yet the broadcast of QAM of non-OTA channels isn't in HD.

I'm still impressed that this guy is actively engaging with customers and getting stuff done.

[gplasky]

The HD stuff is broadcast in QAM. It's just not broadcast in ClearQAM. I'm on Comcast and they still broadcast some of the HD stations in ClearQAM. (OTA locals and UHD, MGMHD, TBS, etc.) Not as many as they use to. At one time I was getting like 92 channels in clearQAM. Now about 37. I use the HD-PVR and a set top box to get them all now.

Gerry