Engadget

Ceton officially drops the InfiniTV 4 price to $199

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:37:00 EST

A device that was selling for around $600 on eBay just two years ago, is now officially priced at $199 -- the second $100 price drop in the past eight months -- and is available immediately from some of your favorite online retailers. That means both the USB and PCIe versions of the CableCARD tuner that can record four HD channels at once, cost a mere $50 per tuner. While this makes it the cheapest per-tuner CableCARD tuner ever available, the dual tuner Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 at $149 retail ($112 street) still requires the lowest total entry cost into the PC CableCARD tuner market. We've come a long way since ATI offered a single tuner for $299, but the still-pricey cards make it easy to understand understand why TV manufacturers and other set-top box makers, like Boxee, can't hide the price of a CableCARD tuner in the cost of their products.

Continue reading Ceton officially drops the InfiniTV 4 price to $199

Ceton officially drops the InfiniTV 4 price to $199 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Six tuner HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tuner ships tomorrow

Richard Lawler — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:54:00 EST

We're not exactly sure what is so complicated about building CableCARD tuners, but after being bitten by the inevitable delay bug Silicondust says it is ready to ship the six tuner version of its HDHomeRun Prime. A tweet went out earlier stating Newegg would be forwarding the units to customers beginning tomorrow, while a post on the company forums confirms the first shipment leaving their location just a short while ago. Unfortunately that still leave the $249 three tuner version twisting in the wind, but if you preordered just hang in there, more word is promised "later this week."

Six tuner HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tuner ships tomorrow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elgato offers HDHomeRun TV tuner bundled with its EyeTV software for $180

Richard Lawler — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:38:00 EST

Elgato has been pushing EyeTV for Mac software alongside its own various TV tuner devices for a while now, but if you prefer Silicondust's HDHomeRun it's added a new package to the list of offerings. For $179.95 the dual-tuner HDHomeRun comes with EyeTV3 software for Mac, drivers for a PC and the requisite cables for you to watch some TV on your computer. It's not a major leap for the hardware or software involved, but if you're a fan of both they're now available in one convenient package at the Apple Store, Amazon and other retailers.

Continue reading Elgato offers HDHomeRun TV tuner bundled with its EyeTV software for $180

Elgato offers HDHomeRun TV tuner bundled with its EyeTV software for $180 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 May 2011 14:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner officially available for preorders for $249, six tuner version next week

Richard Lawler — Sat, 14 May 2011 09:40:00 EST

After a false start when it passed certification earlier this month, SiliconDust's three CableCARD tuner HDHomeRun Prime is finally available for preorder from Newegg for $249. The release date is scheduled for June 29th but those interested in getting it hooked up to their HTPC as quickly as possible may want to wait until next week when the six-tuner 6CC version goes up for preorder, as those are expected to begin shipping first. There's no volume discount on the tuners at $499, but at $83 per tuner you might be able to justify it as a better value than the four-tuner and also network-sharable InfiniTV 4. Either way, if you just need a bit more information before purchasing, you'll find it on the sales page, on the linked PDF below or in the video trailer embedded after the break.

[Thanks Justin & @TheReal_PeterF]

Continue reading HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner officially available for preorders for $249, six tuner version next week

HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner officially available for preorders for $249, six tuner version next week originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 May 2011 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner passes CableLabs tests - Update: Preorder pulled, 6-tuner ships first

Richard Lawler — Mon, 02 May 2011 01:26:00 EST

We've been waiting for SiliconDust's CableCARD-compatible HDHomeRun Prime for a little over a year and it seems finally ready to bring its triple tuner TV magic home, having gained CableLabs certification as of April 28th and subsequently showing up for preorder on Amazon. While this is mostly big news for Windows Media Center fans who need a new way to get premium channels on their box it also supports other DVR software like MythTV on Copy Freely-marked content. HTPC builders don't have to choose between this HDHR3-CC and the (suddenly in abundant supply and still $399) Ceton InfiniTV 4 just yet, since the listing has no shipping date and the last we'd heard from SiliconDust was that preorders would ship around 30 days after it completed certification. Check out our hands-on impressions from CES a few months ago if you're on the fence, but right now all that's standing between you and that grey box is a little bit of time... and $207.

Update: According to a post on its forum, SiliconDust confirmed the HDHomeRun Prime has been certified and an email announcement will follow shortly, however it expects to deliver a 6-tuner Theater version first with the three tuner box appearing afterwards. The post also notes sites are "incorrectly listing" the HDHomeRun Prime for preorder and "will not be first in line for delivering product" so you may want to wait for the official word on which "major retailer" has the go-ahead to make sure you're first in line. The option to preorder disappeared from Amazon this morning, we'll let you know when and where the option to purchase pops up next. [Thanks, robniep]

Gallery: Hands-on with the HDHomeRun Prime

[Thanks, Neil]

HDHomeRun Prime TV tuner passes CableLabs tests - Update: Preorder pulled, 6-tuner ships first originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 01:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget HD: All-in-one DVR to replace my HTPC?

Richard Lawler — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:40:00 EST

As much as we love DIY projects, HTPC owners know that from time to time the "yourself" part can be the most frustrating one when things don't work quite right. That's where our friend Chris finds himself on his current project, and he's looking for a way out:

"Last year, I built my latest generation of Windows Media Center HTPCs. They're quad-core beasts w/ SSD OS drives and 1 TB storage drives. 4 GB of RAM, Blu-ray drives, Windows 7, gyro-mouse remote -- the works. I've got 4 total tuners via 2 HD Homeruns connected to 3 separate attic/rooftop antennas. On paper, it all sounds like a dream. The reality is, Windows Media Center has been a nightmare to use and maintenance is a never-ending chore. Codecs, subtitles, driver issues, more codec issues, software glitches, more codec issues, problems with going to/waking up from sleep, poor performance even on these powerful quad-core machines, etc. etc.

Needless to say, I'm in the market for a replacement. Here is my small (and what I think is a very reasonable) checklist.

At least 2x ATSC tuner that works w/ OTA antennas. I know a lot of people are convinced they can get everything they need from the web, but when there is free HD video being broadcast, and plenty to watch on the dozen or so channels in my area, I feel like it is a very logical request to have my streamer/HTPC box include tuners.

DLNA support. It has to be able to fetch/store metadata and cover art. It doesn't have to get carried away with cast/crew photos or anything..just basic cover art, description, runtime, rating, etc. would do.

Netflix/Hulu Plus. These are an absolute must, but it'd be nice to do Youtube and a few other basic streaming services if possible.

(Continued after the break)

Continue reading Ask Engadget HD: All-in-one DVR to replace my HTPC?

Ask Engadget HD: All-in-one DVR to replace my HTPC? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tri-tuner comes one step closer to reality

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:43:00 EST

Originally announced at CES in January, Silicon Dust's entrance into the encrypted cable TV tuner market just reached an important milestone on its way to market: CableLabs Certification -- anytime CableLabs is involved things take longer than anyone expects. The price of the three tuner HDHomeRun Prime is still set at $249, but the hope of being released by the "holidays" seems lost (Thanksgiving counts as one of those days right?). Said product is expected to start production in the next few weeks, after which you'll be able to pre-order the elusive tuner from major retailers. The big question of course is with the Ceton InfiniTV 4 still on a three month backorder, and selling on eBay for over twice its retail price, which should you order? We suggest you pre-order both just to be safe; worst case you end up on the good side of a crazy eBay auction.

HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tri-tuner comes one step closer to reality originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CableLabs amends OCUR spec, tuner sharing and MythTV are on

Ben Drawbaugh — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:21:00 EST

We told you that CableLabs had received a few requests to amend the OCUR spec that dictates what a CableCARD tuner for a PC can and can't do, and as expected the organization that many love to hate has come through -- we, expected it anyways. The first change is the most significant which is that each tuner in an OCUR can be paired with different PCs at the same time. This lets you buy one quad tuner and use it on four HTPCs simultaneously; one tuner per PC (a single tuner can't be shared simultaneous though). When we originally asked CableLabs about changing this they said, maybe, but it'd take three to six months to run through the process. The other change we're glad didn't take forever to become a reality is the one that stated that even Copy Freely content had to be transmitted securely, which meant that Windows 7 Media Center was the only way to watch any CableCARD tuner stuff, and while there isn't much encrypted QAM content out there marked Copy Freely, MythTV and SageTV fans will have access to at least some premium HD content. This isn't as big a deal as changing the meaning of Copy Once to something less draconian, it is welcomed news for those who just received their InfiniTV 4 (pictured above) and felt constrained by the old rules. We're sure there could be considerable time between when the change is made official and when the firmware is released to the public, but hopefully Ceton and SiliconDust don't waste any time making it happen.

CableLabs amends OCUR spec, tuner sharing and MythTV are on originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun Prime with CableCARD might work with MythTV after all

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:43:00 EST

We've been following the developments of SiliconDust's HDHomeRun Prime for some time and while there's still no word on when it'll be ready to sell, the latest interesting news is that SiliconDust hopes to make it work with MythTV. Unfortunately the OCUR spec requires that any content marked Copy Once, or worse, be locked down with PlayReady DRM before it leaves the tuner, and there's almost no chance of that changing. But believe it or not there is plenty of programming delivered via encrypted digital cable that is marked Copy Freely (depending on your provider of course). So apparently CableLabs is considering a engineering change recommendation made by SiliconDust that would allow Copy Freely content to stream to DVR software that isn't CableLabs certified, and thus can't participate in the encrypted connection -- yes that's right, the content is encrypted as well as the communications between the hardware and software -- which means that software like MythTV could work with the tuner. Depending on your provider and your DVR software of choice this could be very good news.

HDHomeRun Prime with CableCARD might work with MythTV after all originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun CableCARD will feature three tuners in time for the holidays

Ben Drawbaugh — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:02:00 EST

What you're looking at here is a picture of the board that makes the new HDHomeRun CableCARD tuner work. You might notice the four squares on the right, those are the tuners, yes there are four -- don't get too excited -- but one of 'em is for the out of band data and can't actually be used to record HD. But that's still one more usable tuner than initially announced at CES and the best news is that the price remains the same at $249. There isn't a hard release data yet, but the goal is to release the beta details in the coming weeks, then submit it to CableLabs for certification and then finally have it in your HTPC in time for the holidays -- when exactly do holidays start again? The actual case isn't done yet, but there won't be a hump like the classic HDHomeRun and as you can see the gigabit network tuner's connections are all on the back including one coax, one USB, power, and a single CableCARD slot for all three tuners -- the USB doesn't do what you're thinking, it's for the Tuning Adapter. Contrary to some reports -- a USB version isn't on the table and we can't say we're surprised as that wouldn't be Silicon Dust's style. A picture of the connections on the prototype after the jump.

Continue reading HDHomeRun CableCARD will feature three tuners in time for the holidays

HDHomeRun CableCARD will feature three tuners in time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun CableCARD tuner beta signup is on

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:28:00 EST

Ever since Microsoft and CableLabs removed the OEM hardware requirement, the CableCARD tuner market for the PC has really heated up. While it has brought some new players to the PC tuner market,it is has also attracted some old favorites. We caught up with SiliconDust at CES and at that point the dual CableCARD tuner was just the test board (pictured above), but today the beta sign up went live. Anyone interested can fill in a few details about their setup and hope to get selected, but the response has been so great that we're told the window will probably be shorter than two weeks. If you are selected you'll receive the beta hardware in about four weeks. We would of course like to try it out for ourselves, at which time you'll hear all about it.

Gallery: HDHomeRun development board

HDHomeRun CableCARD tuner beta signup is on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ceton's CableCARD tuner to work over the network too

Richard Lawler — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:57:00 EST

Weighing yet to be released CableCARD on PC products against each other? Add this tidbit to the comparison: Ceton's MOCUR should work as a networked tuner, according to a post by VP Jeremy Hammer on The Green Button forums. His post indicates that, like the HDHomeRun CableCARD, Ceton's product will be available to other PCs by bridging it with the host computer's Ethernet card, and not blocked as it was with ATI's product. That might help to smooth the $399 price tag when it goes on sale soon, for those still stuck on reply hit the forums with your questions or check out our CES hands on for another look.

[Thanks, @brennokbob]

Gallery: Hands-on with the low profile Ceton quad CableCARD tuner

Ceton's CableCARD tuner to work over the network too originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun's CableCARD implementation lives up to the brand

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:42:00 EST

We have always thought the HDHomeRun was an ingenius idea, especially since it's possible to share multiple tuners with multiple PCs over the network. When we first learned that SiliconDust was going to release an HDHomeRun that supported CableCARD, we were concerned that our favorite features wouldn't make it into the product. So we dropped by the booth and checked out the development board (pictured above) to learned more about the plans -- this is a dual tuner test board, despite the fact it looks like it has three. The best news is that you'll be able to share a tuner with multiple Media Center PCs, which is really cool. Now obviously only one PC can use a tuner at a time and if the content is marked Copy Once, you can only watch it on the PC where it was recorded, but it is still cool. The HDHomeRun software that works with the existing hardware, also works with this, but isn't required. SiliconDust expects to start the beta in the next few months -- no you can't sign up yet -- with a release later this year. The box will look a lot like the existing single tuner HDHomeRun (the blue one pictured in the gallery) but without the hump and will include a CableCARD slot and a USB port. Speaking of the USB port, it is for a Tuning adapter, but you can also plug it directly into the PC like the ATI or the Ceton card, but obviously that kind of defeats the purpose.

Gallery: HDHomeRun development board

HDHomeRun's CableCARD implementation lives up to the brand originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun developing a dual CableCARD network tuner for $249

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:49:00 EST

We had a feeling that after Microsoft removed the draconian OEM requirement from Windows 7 Media Center that we'd see more CableCARD tuners and we're glad to say we were right. The original ATSC/QAM HDHomeRun was love at first sight for us three years ago, so we were very pleased to learn that the crew over at Silicon Dust was working on a network based CableCARD tuner. The dual tuner model in development will require just one CableCARD and one coax input, but will allow you to record two HD shows at once, and all for $249 -- less than the single ATI CableCARD tuner sells for today. The nice thing about the networked tuner approach that has made the HDHomeRun so popular, is that even if you have your heart set on a small form factor PC like the Dell Zino HD, you can still have access to premium content even without any empty PCI-E slots. The only bad news is that the press release after the break has no mention of when this little guy might be available.

Continue reading HDHomeRun developing a dual CableCARD network tuner for $249

HDHomeRun developing a dual CableCARD network tuner for $249 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun with CableCARD coming to CES

Richard Lawler — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:43:00 EST

We already loved the HDHomeRun as a QAM or ATSC device, but word is there's a new model on the way featuring CableCARD. Unfortunately, the above picture and a "(more info at CES)" note is all we have to go on for now after they were posted in the SiliconDust forums, but that should be more than enough to get many HTPC fans salivating for the company's next product.

HDHomeRun with CableCARD coming to CES originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Broadcast Flag rides again, courtesy of NBC & Microsoft?

Richard Lawler — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:28:00 EST

Just like efforts to close the analog hole, our old friend the broadcast flag (don't remember what that is and how it was defeated? Take a quick trip back to 2005 with us) has reared its ugly head again. Displaying the kind of tenacity rarely seen outside of horror movie villains and potential presidential candidates, some Vista Media Center users have apparently gotten the above popup while trying to record broadcast TV from NBC. Since the FCC regulation giving the broadcast flag its power to remotely disable your recording ability was overturned, not only should it not be enabled, there's no reason the system should respond if it were. The EFF's working with the makers of the HDHomeRun to find out why this happened at all (although it's not the first time); whether it's an honest mistake somewhere or if Microsoft slipped a bit of extra DRM into its latest OS.

[Via EFF]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Broadcast Flag rides again, courtesy of NBC & Microsoft? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 May 2008 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Broadcast Flag rides again, courtesy of NBC & Microsoft?

Richard Lawler — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Regulatory, Media PCs, NBC, OTA

Broadcast Flag rides again, courtesy of NBC & Microsoft? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 18 May 2008 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Engadget HD: How can I record premium content on my HTPC?

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST

Life is good if you got HD, but it's not all good. Sure, HD is great, but only if we can have it on our own terms, and unlike the analog sources before it, the powers that be are doing everything to keep us down. In the spirit of wanting things done right, our friend Justin writes in.

I'm a big DIY PC guy, and I've been looking into ways of recording HDTV on my PC for quite sometime now. The problem is, I want to record HD Streams from my local Cable Provider (Charter), or possibly switch to Dish Network's HD-only package and record those streams. Unfortunately, either of those requires either a CableCARD or proprietary tuner. I know DirecTV has one in the works (Release Date: Day and Date with Duke Nukem Forever, I hear), and that Niveus has a dual CableCARD USB 2.0 Tuner (At an ungodly $1500 price tag), but that's all I can find!

Believe us, we hear ya' Justin, but the options are slim. But while none are perfect there are a few ways to accomplish what your after.

Continue reading Ask Engadget HD: How can I record premium content on my HTPC?

Filed under: Ask Engadget HD, Industry, Media PCs, Cable, Fiber, Internet, Satellite

Ask Engadget HD: How can I record premium content on my HTPC? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MythTV 0.21 available, adds ClearQAM support via HDHomeRun

Richard Lawler — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:22:00 EST

It's been a while since we checked in on the MythTV project, just updated to version 0.21, most notably adding QAM recording for HDHomeRun owners. If merely recording unencrypted HDTV via cable isn't enough, upgraded users may notice lowered memory consumption, the ability to record main and/or secondary audio channels, a couple new official plugins and a bunch of other tweaks. Check the wiki for the full list and get your Linux DVR going.

[Via TV Squad]

Filed under: DVRs, Media PCs, Cable

MythTV 0.21 available, adds ClearQAM support via HDHomeRun originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HDHomeRun to bring DVB to Media Center

Ben Drawbaugh — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:21:00 EST

The HDHomeRun is our favorite networked HD tuner -- never mind the fact it's the only one. Having a tuner on the network instead of in the HTPC has a few advantages including the ability to use a smaller PC case, to use as many tuners as you want, and not having to run coax cables to the PC. But what might be the biggest advantage is, that it can add tuners that would otherwise be unavailable -- like QAM on Windows Media Center Edition. Now it seems the team at SiliconDust is working on a version for the rest of the world and will enable DVB-T and unencrypted DVB-C for various DVR packages on the PC including Microsoft's Media Center Edition.

Filed under: Media PCs, Media streamers

HDHomeRun to bring DVB to Media Center originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Elgato's EyeTV software gets HDHomeRun support

Ben Drawbaugh — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:17:00 EST

We just love when two great products come together; and now the best HDTV software for the Mac and our favorite HD network enabled tuner work together. As much as we loved the HDHomeRun when we reviewed it, the lack of software support was a real drag and while Linux, XP and Vista all have great support now, Mac fans were left with a few decent home grown applications that weren't that feature rich. But now you can install EyeTV on any Mac on your network, connect the HDHomeRun in your closet or behind your TV and enjoy clear-QAM or ATSC HD; and because it uses UDP, it even works great over an 802.11G network. You can pick up the bundle from Elgato.com for $199, or if you already have an HDHomeRun, the EyeTV software is available for download in single and multiple licenses.

[Via MacMinute]

Filed under: Cable, OTA, Apple

Elgato's EyeTV software gets HDHomeRun support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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