Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

Keith Combs — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 06:32:18 GMT

Here's my review of the XPS 420 so far:

blogs.technet.com/.../dell-xps-420-first-impressions.aspx

Enjoy,

Keith

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

cj — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:10:14 GMT

alex:

128MB ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO [subtract $100]

256MB Radeon ATI HD 2600 XT [Included in Price]

256MB nVidia GeForce 8600 GTS [add $100 or $3/month1]

512MB Nvidia GeForce 8800 GT [add $150 or $5/month1]

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

alex — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:01:07 GMT

though to vlaidate - Dell support new what i was talking about and was super helpfull. They just couldn't sell me what i wanted :-)

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

Alex — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 06:59:24 GMT

ChrisL: Yes i know but i want the convienience of running one cable <grin>

the bigger issue for me is the dual format player HP do (blu-ray and HD-DVD) i think this will cause me to go for the HP.

(oh and it is not possible to get the dell with ATI 2600 as someone suggest - i asked dell)

PS i actually wanted the alienware H18 - but it is sooo overpriced has too many thing i don't want and not enough of things i do want (dual format)

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

cj — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:01:24 GMT

FYI

for those with FIOS, there is hack that might work- so you dont need a cablecard, basically passing through your STB.

here

www.hometoys.com/article.php4

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

chrisl — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:31:23 GMT

By "here" I meant for the sake of this conversation FIOS is cable and thus works with CableCARDs. There are technically details that don't really apply that I'm skipping over.

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

TV — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:43:07 GMT

Here's me hiding in shame assuming we were only talking about the US Market.

Thanks for that. Where is "here" for you? Sorry, pretty new to this blog.

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

chrisl — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:37:48 GMT

Alex: I think there might be an adapter to help with that, however HDMI audio is nothing more than SPDIF. If you have DVI, just run SPDIF alongside and you have the exact same thing that HDMI+audio offers.

TV: Yes, CableCARDs work with Cable TV in the US only. FIOS, for all reasons here, is cable (it's QAM, works the same as Cable) so it can use CableCARD's without an issue.

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

TV — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:19:34 GMT

Cable card is only for legacy Cable companies, correct? So, no Dish, DTV, FIOS, Uverse,etc..

This sux for me, but I guess it's great for you guys who are with a legacy cable company

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

cj — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:17:43 GMT

get the ati 2600 with hdmi

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

Alex — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 03:20:54 GMT

But they don't have HDMI out as an option - so how on earth is one supposed to watch HDCP content? Over DVI - you have to be joking i want HDMI audio.

www.dell.com/.../learnmore.aspx

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

cj — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:48:05 GMT

thanks, chris

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

scott — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:47:33 GMT

That would be great. I want to use 4 media extenders along with the 4 digital tuners.

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

chrisl — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:10:20 GMT

Scott: It would work with four tuners, but it is not supported by Microsoft or Dell and would require a hack to have it work. I'll have more on this later today.

cj: You need HDCP if you are going through a digital connection. I'll try and address the rest of your questions in another post.

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

Scott — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:06:42 GMT

I wonder if the XPS 420 will ever allow 4 CableCard tuners?

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

cj — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:45:16 GMT

hi chris

(cross-posted on your blog)

i have been a long time reader of your mce blog, along with thomas hawk's.

i currently have a custom-built htpc with mce2k5 and lots of add ons (commercial skip,

webguide, my movies, mce mame, tvtorrent rss, etc), and now use hdhomerun for qam cable

in mce- works well. i also have a cablecard in another room, right into my hdtv, along

with a xbox360 extender/tversity .

i have been thinking of upgrading my mce box, and besides the form factor of the xps420,

i love everything about it (obviously dual cablecard).

my concerns/questions:

-hdcp required? i have old NEC VM5, should have DVI-D HDCP, but not 100% if it will.

-time warner cable nyc support?

this is my biggest concern - spending $1300 for a new over-glamorized cablebox,

and the cable company stinks. i have spent years of my life trying to get time warner to

service its own products - to no avail. whenever i have an issue with the cablecard in

my hdtv, it takes 3-4 visits, a complaint with the city, a foreman visit, and 5-6 hours

of my time to resolve it. for the past 2 years they have marketed cablecard in my area - yes no one supports it.

for example, after 1 year of working, premium channels stopped. 3 techs came out- 3- and each arrived and said "Cablecard - i don't have one with me." Finally- when they did get it working - the fore(wo)man said - "just spend the $10 a month and

get the hd box". Similar to the comments in this link - www.anandtech.com/.../showdoc.aspx . What they don't realized is hd-dvr (plus hbo) x 2 VS cc x 2 is $300+ a year.

Chris - are you concerned about this??

-Also - was anyone able to get $200 off (7D425SNMDPQF3N) and the $200 gift card?

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

cj — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 05:27:46 GMT

i would get the better audio card - for digital audio out

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

chrisl — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:28:54 GMT

While there is no official answer, I wouldn't imagine BOCRs not working on current systems. Now, they will require you to purchase new physical tuners, but I see no reason why CableLabs or Microsoft would limit these to brand new OEM PC's. The concept of the BIOS and COA are not likely to change.

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

Glenn — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 00:17:34 GMT

Well, I guess the obvious question now is... will I be able to upgrade one of these to BOCR or whatever when that evolves? I don't see spending thousands on a PC that I'll have to toss on the scrap heap once a solution to SDV finally appears...

re: Dell’s CableCARD Re-entry Is Huge In the Grand Scheme

chrisl — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:07:51 GMT

FYI, I did a quick calculation on the price difference between the XPS 420 and a self build. All prices are rounded via Newegg.

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 - $270

Intel Motherboard (used lower end Intel for reference price) - $120

Vista Home Premium OEM - $110

3GB of DDR2 667 - $80

Radeon HD 2400 PRO - $50

320 HDD - $80

DVD Burner - $35

Random case - $100

Total: $845

Dell price for same specs is $899 and the ability to get CableCARD. Mix in employee discounts or education discounts (10%) that a ton of buyers have, you really can't go wrong with the XPS 420.