Over at Zatz Not Funny, the greatest name ever for a blog, Zatz asks an important question: What’s up with CableCARD-ready PCs? Did they fall off the face of the planet, or are people just not enthusiastic about the idea of sticking a PC in their entertainment center?
I look at it this way: There’s one group of people who have no qualms about getting a home theater PC (or HTPC) and truly experiencing a one of a kind entertainment extravaganza, then there’s people who head over to Wal-Mart to buy a home theater in a box and think a $50 DVD player and a couple of plastic speakers will recreate the joy of heading to the movie theater. The fact that theaters have gone to hell (in a hand basket) notwithstanding.
With a CableCARD slot-ready PC, users can do away with having to rent a set-top box from the local teleco or what have you, can have storage space from here to next Tuesday and, with the appropriate software, can do everything that a TiVo or a generic DVR can do. What gives? Why don’t people jump on top of this?
Could it be price? Zatz points out that such PCs can be had for $1,500—not cheap by any means, but nothing that couldn’t be saved up for in a few short months. In the meantime, you could figure out how to best integrate the HTPC into your setup.
Or could it be that, for whatever reason, people just don’t want a PC in their entertainment center? Wasn’t the Mac mini supposed to be aimed at, in addition to first time Mac users, people who wanted a cheap HTPC solution that doesn’t look like garbage?
It seems, to me at least, that the smart money is on using a HTPC. Over time, it gives the most “bang” for the “buck,” and you’re not indebted to the local teleco for life.
Or maybe I’m just dumb.
Do CableCARD PCs Really Matter? [Zatz Not Funny]
i would love to have one, but i want to build it!! or be able to add it on to my current media center pc. why can’t i just buy something like a usb cable card reader and a tuner card that supports digital cable, plug it into my media center and start recording?
You are not dumb, but most people are. Let’s face it, most people are like the Walmart goers you alluded to. We smart people need to stick together, perhaps round up all the idiots and shoot them off into outer space, sans Hitchhiker’s Guide.
the problem is that smart people know that you can not replace your digital cable box with a CableCARD-equipped MCE.
Want HBO OnDemand? you need a cable box.
Want PayPerView? you need a cable box.
Want to record 2 channels? You need a dual-CableCARD MCE.
Digital cable is cool and all but without on-demand, dual recording, and PPV, I’ll stick to having a cable box and a dual analog tuner MCE.
@Sean:
Amen sir. Welcome to the world of lawyers, DRM, and greed.
@Paul:
Agreed.
@sirshannon:
This is true about the OnDemand, PPV, and dual 1 way cards for recording two shows… BUT they should come out with newer M-cards that will have two tuner recording capability in just one card. They should be two way cards so they’ll have access to the dynamic guide, and I’m assuming OnDemand and PPV would be something they could handle too.
The real problem is that its just too darned expensive to do this… $600 for just two ATI Digital Cable Card receivers, another $1000 at least for the PC, then if you’re not using the HTPC in the room where your home theater is, there’s getting the DRM protected content to your living room. The only answer? The xbox 360. And while I believe it is the best gaming console on the market with no hesitation (I own one). I do not believe that it is the best media extender option… The fans are just too loud, and the unit (if used only as an extender is just too expensive if used for only that purpose).
I’d love to go HTPC with dual cable cards. I just can’t justify buying a new computer when I already have one capable of handling two HD capture cards that’s running Vista premium. Sorry Microsoft. I’ll wait for the DirecTV PCI card (if it ever comes)… supposedly that can be purchased without buying a whole new PC. But even then, I’d want to read some reviews of how well Vista MCE (Premium) works with the 360 as an extender…. over an ethernet network. If users complain about anything (for example) channels changing slow on live TV, or constant disconnection issues, etc. I”m going to scrap this entire idea and maybe try to go with MythTV or one of the other similar products.