Can I build my own Media Center PC with a Digital Cable Tuner?

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

JohnR

2008-07-11 23:24:35 UTC

Hi,

I'm ready to build a second Media Center PC. This time I would like
Digital Cable Tuner. I have OTA HD in my current system.

Is it possible for me to build my own system with a Digital Cable
Tuner?

Thanks,
John

Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]

2008-07-12 01:20:11 UTC

Permalink

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without that
information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the Cable Cards on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Post by JohnR
Hi,
I'm ready to build a second Media Center PC. This time I would like
Digital Cable Tuner. I have OTA HD in my current system.
Is it possible for me to build my own system with a Digital Cable
Tuner?
Thanks,
John

JohnR

2008-07-12 02:11:47 UTC

Permalink

Doug,

Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?

I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).

Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without that
information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the Cable Cards on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]

2008-07-12 02:19:33 UTC

Permalink

They're typically going to be your major OEM's, Sony, Dell, HP, Velocity
Micro and the higher end smaller OEM's like Niveus. To my knowledge, there
are no "cheap" Digital Cable Ready solutions.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"JohnR" <***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:6243e9f2-1637-4ec9-8a47-***@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com...
Doug,

Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?

I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).

Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without that
information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the Cable Cards on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]

2008-07-12 02:21:08 UTC

Permalink

But here's a list from ATI's web site (they make the tuners).

http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/partners.html
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"JohnR" <***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:6243e9f2-1637-4ec9-8a47-***@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com...
Doug,

Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?

I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).

Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without that
information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the Cable Cards on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

JohnR

2008-07-12 02:38:18 UTC

Permalink

Doug,

Thank you for the link. I'll check out the various sites. I like my
current media center PC, but I only have OTA HD. I want a cable card.
But at the prices of these systems, I'd rather have a TiVo HD.

It seems like all that matters is that the proper support be included
on the motherboard to honor the HDCP requirements. I wonder why
someone doesn't make a motherboard and sell it on Newegg that does
this. Maybe I'm missing something. Do you know of a motherboard that
will work with the digital tuner?

John

Post by Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]
But here's a list from ATI's web site (they make the tuners).
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/partners.html
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
Doug,
Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?
I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).
Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without that
information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the Cable Cards on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]

2008-07-12 05:15:04 UTC

Permalink

No. As I said, the PC (including the motherboard) must be certified as
Digital Cable Ready, in accordance with CableLabs requirements. You are
only going to find this in pre-built, certified systems.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"JohnR" <***@gmail.com> wrote in message news:7125dbe9-aba7-44b2-9f0b-***@b1g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
Doug,

Thank you for the link. I'll check out the various sites. I like my
current media center PC, but I only have OTA HD. I want a cable card.
But at the prices of these systems, I'd rather have a TiVo HD.

It seems like all that matters is that the proper support be included
on the motherboard to honor the HDCP requirements. I wonder why
someone doesn't make a motherboard and sell it on Newegg that does
this. Maybe I'm missing something. Do you know of a motherboard that
will work with the digital tuner?

John

Post by Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]
But here's a list from ATI's web site (they make the tuners).
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/partners.html
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
Doug,
Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?
I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).
Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without that
information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the Cable
Cards
on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

F. Edwin Felty

2008-07-12 17:35:47 UTC

Permalink

Post by Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]
But here's a list from ATI's web site (they make the tuners).
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/partners.html
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
Doug,
Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?
I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).
Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without
that information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the
Cable Cards
on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Newegg has Hauppauge TV cards with digital tuners:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380047&Configurator=&Subcategory=47&description=&Ntk=&SpeTabStoreType=&Order=BESTMATCH&srchInDesc=digital+tuner+Hauppauge

They have some other brands, but Hauppauge is the only one I am familiar
with...good support, too.

Eddie in Loveland

"Dreams are stack dumps of the soul."

Curious

2008-07-12 18:18:45 UTC

Permalink

The Hauppauge digital tuners just like the other brands of digital tuners
can not receive encrypted cable channels which are all the channels but the
local stations.

Post by F. Edwin Felty

Post by Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]
But here's a list from ATI's web site (they make the tuners).
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/partners.html
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
Doug,
Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists the
vendors that sells these computers?
I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the value
(they are expensive).
Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs. Without
that information in the BIOS, you will not be able to activate the
Cable Cards
on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380047&Configurator=&Subcategory=47&description=&Ntk=&SpeTabStoreType=&Order=BESTMATCH&srchInDesc=digital+tuner+Hauppauge
They have some other brands, but Hauppauge is the only one I am familiar
with...good support, too.
Eddie in Loveland
"Dreams are stack dumps of the soul."

F. Edwin Felty

2008-07-12 22:37:43 UTC

Permalink

Post by Curious
The Hauppauge digital tuners just like the other brands of digital
tuners can not receive encrypted cable channels which are all the
channels but the local stations.

Post by F. Edwin Felty

Post by Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]
But here's a list from ATI's web site (they make the tuners).
http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/partners.html
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
Doug,
Thank you very much for your reply. Is there a web site the lists
the vendors that sells these computers?
I've looked at Dell and HP, but am not very impressed with the
value (they are expensive).
Thanks,
John

No. The PC and its hardware must be certified as "Digital Cable Ready", by
the manufacturer, following the requirements of Cable Labs.
Without that information in the BIOS, you will not be able to
activate the Cable Cards
on
your system.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixeshttp://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP
Prohttp://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

Post by JohnR
Hi,
I'm ready to build a second Media Center PC. This time I would
like Digital Cable Tuner. I have OTA HD in my current system.
Is it possible for me to build my own system with a Digital Cable
Tuner?
Thanks,
John

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380047&Configurator=&Subcategory=47&description=&Ntk=&SpeTabStoreType=&Order=BESTMATCH&srchInDesc=digital+tuner+Hauppauge
They have some other brands, but Hauppauge is the only one I am
familiar with...good support, too.
Eddie in Loveland
"Dreams are stack dumps of the soul."

Well...If you want the cable stations through a tuner on the motherboard, I
think the cable service or DirecTV is going to regularly extract money from
you to access paid content. And then there is the PPV problem...even more
money.

Eddie in Loveland

"Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts."

kbachler

2008-12-13 21:41:00 UTC

Permalink

Post by Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]
No. As I said, the PC (including the motherboard) must be certified as
Digital Cable Ready, in accordance with CableLabs requirements. You are
only going to find this in pre-built, certified systems.
--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com

This sounds like collusion to control the market.

Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]

2008-12-16 23:10:56 UTC

Permalink

No, it was a requirement of CableLabs. Anything that connects to the cable
system has to be CableLabs certified. And they would not give that to the
ATI tuners unless they along with the mandate (by CableLabs) that the PC's
they're attached to be Digital Cable Ready certified by CableLabs, as well.

Doug Knox, MS MVP DTS-XP
Win 95/98/Me Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
===============================
Associate Expert
ExpertZone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
===============================
Replies to the newsgroups only please!

Post by kbachler

This sounds like collusion to control the market.