CableCARD and Satellite Sercive

[TimeHorse]

Does anyone know if StarChoice or Bell ExpressVu are planning to offer CableCARD decoders?

 

[rkrenicki]

Its not really possible, since CableCard (as the name denotes) is designed for Cable service..

That, and the tuners in the televisions are not specifically designed to do what you want. they have no voltage selection, they tune the 50-860mhz band instead of the L-band (900-2150mhz)

While it would be a great idea, the current technology does not allow for it.

 

[philhu]

except, Directv has announced a 'cable card' for dtv service.

So it is possible, I'd guess

 

[rkrenicki]

Where do you see this? I havent heard anything like this.

Its not technically possible to work in a CableCard slot, as the tuner just cant physically do what it needs to (voltage switching, tone inject, or even the right band to tune to)

Perhaps its a "CableCard"-Like device, but it would require a television specifically designed for it, as the big limitation is the NTSC (or ATSC) Tuner modules

 

[Kryspy]

ultaryon,

CES 2006 it was announced that cablecard was going to be avaialble with DirecTV service.

Details are available on this site as well.

Cable card is just another CAM solution so it is possible to use it with any provider.

Kryspy

 

[rkrenicki]

But there is the underlying problem of the tuner.. the NTSC/ATSC tuner in the television simply cannot tune satellite signals.

You can have any cam in the world, it wouldnt matter, but the parts conecting the antenna to the decoder need to work with both.

Unless they are going to start making televisions with CableCard and a NTSC/ATSC and Satellite Tuner which is a possibility, but that means that any existing CableCard television wouldnt be compatible, and therefore would splinter the install-base.

I do admit, its a great idea, and I am all for it, however its just not compatible with the existing CableCard standard.

And if you thought adding ATSC tuners was difficult for television manufacturers, imagine when they are told they have to add Satellite tuners too!

 

[Satellite Expert]

Cable Card will not be adapted for use with any system using encryption from Kudelski.

In addition, Bell has already stopped investing in Expressvu. They are going IPTV route.
Shaw only invests enough in SC to keep the sub levels from falling (and the cash flow numbers up).

Both are going the "single wire to the home" route as it makes the most business sense. The more services a customer gets from 1 supplier, the less likely they are to change. In addition that's what their competitors are doing as well - Telus in Western Canada and Rogers/Cogeco/Videotron in the east.

 

[Stargazer]

If the TV Out from the satellite receiver goes into the television's input then it could get the same information to the television that goes to it as does the cable lines.

 

[Kryspy]

ultatryon,

No you missed the implementation. These are being implemented into HTPC not existing cablecard equipped TV's.

First lot will be to OEM builders with a consumer available version to follow.

Simply build yourself a HTPC with eith Wndows Vista or by then most likely SageTV, BeyondTV etc. and add either a internal or external cablecard module.

Kryspy

 

[rkrenicki]

The HTPC Cablecard implementation is a 100% replica of the current television implementation. Meaning, if an HTPC card were to be made for DirecTV, it would not be CableCard complaint in any way, and same vice-versa. The PCI (or perhaps PCIe) cards will be CableCard 1.0 (single stream) and 2.0 (Multi-Stream) compatible with NTSC/ATSC and QAM tuners, not an L-band Satellite tuner.

What was unvieled at CES was a special DirecTV Television with an integrated tuner, not a CableCard.

For more information, here is the Humax Press Release: http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/newscenter/news_sub2006.asp

And the Digitimes article: http://www.digitimes.com/displays/a20060104PR201.html

The OPs question was if BEV or Starchoice would release a "CableCard" (specifically by name, assuming for his CableCard ready television, and I still stand by my original statement of.. "Its not possible, and therefore they will not release one"

 

[rkrenicki]

Kryspy, your comments are contradictory...

Your now telling me I missed that you were talking about a DirecTV capture card, where your prior comment was saying that DirecTV unvieled a CableCard at CES?

CableCard != PC Tuner Card.

Yes, CableCard is basically a CAM, but the interconnecting hardware from the CAM to the source just isnt gonna work.

 

[Kryspy]

ultryon,

See here:

http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2662

Directv didn't announce anything cablecard specific. The announcement came at the Bill Gates speech in the beginning.

Directv has signed on as a partner meaning they will provide cablecard access to their programming.


Kryspy

 

[rkrenicki]

Does anyone know if StarChoice or Bell ExpressVu are planning to offer CableCARD decoders?

This is getting off topic.. The answer to the above question is simply "No".

Again Kryspy, your comments are contradictory... I am fully aware of the CableCard system for the PC, I have read quite a bit about it (I work for a Cable company, and therefore keep up on this stuff).. but your prior statement is as follows..

CES 2006 it was announced that cablecard was going to be avaialble with DirecTV service.

Directv didn't announce anything cablecard specific. The announcement came at the Bill Gates speech in the beginning.
Directv has signed on as a partner meaning they will provide cablecard access to their programming.

 

[Kryspy]

Oh boy,
Not to beat a dead horse but my point was clear..... The announcement was made at the introduction of CES by Microsoft that Directv had signed as a partner with the OCUR/cablecard technology.
I never said that Directv announced it personaly
It is okay to admit that you misread someones statement you know...... and working for a cable company doen't guarantee one to be in the know; ExpressVU employees are proof of that; they are like Mushrooms; kept in the dark and full of $hit.

Regards,

Kryspy

 

[Kryspy]

Ultryon,

Further reading and confirmation here .....

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060105-5913.html

Kryspy

 

[rkrenicki]

Again, that details a PC compatible DirecTV reciever (either USB or PCI) not CableCard. Show me where in that article it mentions CableCard... Lemme help you, its nowhere I do admit its a great idea, and I hope to see it soon, its still not CableCard.

From this article: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060105-5906.html

...Microsoft announced a partnership with DirectTV that will allow Windows users to transfer high-definition content onto their Media Center PCs. Microsoft also has made a deal with the cable companies that will give Media Center CableCard 2.0 support, which will allow it to use high-definition cable programming as well, and may open the door to using pay-per-view services from your computer....

These are two completely seperate agreements, one with DirecTV, and one with Motorola/SA for Cablecard, they are not directly related to each other.

This discussion has nothing to do with the OPs question.

And again, to answer the OPs question, No, you cannot get a device for any satellite service to put into your CableCard television.

I am not trying to be a dick about this, but trying to make sure the OP does not get confused.

 

[TimeHorse]

And again, to answer the OPs question, No, you cannot get a device for any satellite service to put into your CableCard television.

Thanks Ultrayon!

Your explainations are quite lucid. I am not an expert on the differences between L-Band and other bands -- I only know that in Germany all the televisions have Microwave Satellite Receivers built in.

But no, I don't actually want a cable card to plug into my TeeVee. Actually, I was asking because I wanted to get a device I could plug into a TiVo Series 3 so that it could tune and record the satellite signal directly. That is to say, it's not a question of getting rid of a box. I don't mind the box. I just want some way more reliable than IR to have the TiVo drive the Satellite tuning.

Anyway, thanks again for all the info. It was quite illuminating!

 

[rkrenicki]

The slot in the TiVo series 3 is the same beast, different location, also Cable specific.

However, each of the providers have a DVR available for their respective services, such as the DVR530 for Starchoice and the 9200 for BEV.

 

[TimeHorse]

However, each of the providers have a DVR available for their respective services, such as the DVR530 for Starchoice and the 9200 for BEV.

I know. I am going with the *C DVR530 and despite the DVI vs. HDMI it is a pretty nice DVR. However, I doubt I'll find a hacker community or a weeknees.com for the DVR5300 or 9200 to do even something as simple as add capacity, never mind running a web server so I can programme my DVR remotely. Still, if I can get a signal given all the tree cover I think I'm ahead of the game. And if not, expect a new listing on ebay.ca.

Thanks again.

 

[Kryspy]

I can't be bothered.

We'll see who is right when the and if the product sees the light.

I have the advantage of having read the current article.

Kryspy