Switched digital support for CableCARD still on track for second quarter
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Feb 8th 2008 12:23PM
posted Feb 8th 2008 12:23PM
It's hard to believe the first quarter of '08 is almost half way over, but time can't pass fast enough when you're waiting on something. TiVo fans everywhere don't look like they'll have to wait too much longer for new HD channels -- that are already available to cable co' DVR users -- thanks to new testing equipment that CableLabs has received that is designed to allow 3rd party CableCARD devices to play nice with switched digital video. This new STB -- which is also known as a tunning resolver and is expected to look something the box pictured here -- will allow any 3rd party CableCARD device to access channels delivered using SDV -- assuming the device is compatible. At this point, this is all about TiVo owners, but many hope that Microsoft will get in on the action as well.
OK.. show of hands. How many HDTV owners have a "Top" on their "Set" big enough to put all these freakin' "Set Top Boxes"?
Wasn't that one of the points with cablecards? Get rid of all the stupid boxes?
So here we have a solution to your incompatible set top "box-less-ness"... a set top box !
Of course they could accomplish this all with a dongle, but now I'll have to find more shelf space to set this thing somewhere. I mean, look at the thing. They barfed 2-3 different design themes into a single bizarre shape. CableLabs is the only organization I know of that purposefully puts out bad products that they don't want their customers to ever use.
I couldn't agree more. Granted I don't know a hell of a lot about this device or SDV in general but if this is just a USB dongle and communications are still going to utilize the coaxial cable, why can this not be accomplished via a software/firmware update from TiVo? I know they may be provider specific but TiVo already knows who your provider is.
Looks like a motorola DCT700 to me
The ONLY reason I stuck with cable was support (and continuing support) of Cable Card and the TiVo S3.
I'd love to have all the HD channels on DirecTV, but I know I can keep my TiVo interface and enjoy SDV later this year.
If this was not the case, I would dump cable FOREVER.
Let's hope they stay smart.
And let's NOT forget this will all be dust in the wind because there is ANOTHER technology lurking that negates cable cards completely (DCAS).
From what I can make out DCAS could work as a USB Dongle (with a software/firmware update) since it is just some circuitry and a chip. I'm sure the same is true of a "tuning resolver". In a time when electronics can get smaller and smaller, why are these devices getting bigger and bigger. They consume more power since it will also need to be left running the whole time, when I'm sure it could just get power from the device it is plugged into. It would be cheaper to produce and more people would want it. Also, if it's cheaper, you've got more people that would just get one rather than try to find a way around using one. I'm sure i'm over simplifying things, but when will Cable/Satellite Companies realize that the end users are consumers and not the enemy that they treat us as.
According to wikipedia, "The FCC has ruled that starting July 1, 2007, cable customers are able to purchase DVRs and other 3rd party devices to legally view digital cable without having to rent hardware from the cable company."
Aparantly that would need to be amended to "The FCC has ruled that starting July 1, 2007, cable customers are able to purchase DVRs and other 3rd party devices to legally view digital cable AND STILL HAVE to rent hardware from the cable company."