Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

Wayne — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:10:20 GMT

And CableCards are not available to 95% of the population of this planet.

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

chrisl — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:38:00 GMT

I'm not trying to directly compare the two, I just said you are talking "CableCARD money" for the tuners. CableCARD tuners are around $280/each, the HD-PVR is $250 each. The difference is that CableCARDs post like $2/month, where STBs cost $8-$12/month. In the end, you still have advantages and disadvantages in both. You can pick which one is for you. :)

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

CoupleOfPoints — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 22:20:59 GMT

"Right, so you need two of them for a dual tuner machine. That means $250x2 + your monthly rental fee for two STBs. For most that's $500 for the capture devices then an extra $200/year for the STBs."

So then, this is on par with buying 2 CableCard tuners for a CableCard PC, except you actually SAVE $1200+ since you don't need to spend extra to buy a OEM CableCard PC!

CableCard PC with 2 CC tuners = $1700

Hauppauge HD-PVR x2 = $500

In either case you have to pay the monthly fees for digital cable + HD channels + STBs/CableCards.

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

Wayne — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:04:25 GMT

For those of us in Canada this is the ONLY solution for HD. Since MS obviously doesn't care about us, and is unlikely to support this product in the near term, it is likely to drive me away to Sage.

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

chrisl — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:44:56 GMT

Brian: That would be the conclusion I draw from the hardware loan agreement picture, but nothing has been confirmed. I'm not expecting to see the update until Oct. at the earliest.

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

chrisl — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:43:24 GMT

Right, so you need two of them for a dual tuner machine. That means $250x2 + your monthly rental fee for two STBs. For most that's $500 for the capture devices then an extra $200/year for the STBs.

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

Brian — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:34:58 GMT

"This puts the chances for a retail consumer installed device pretty high."

Which means that we can install the DIRECTV device into an existing Vista PC?

Any speculation on timing given the FIJI and typical beta testing process timelines?

Thanks!

re: Short Bits: Media Center Show, Hauppauge HD-PVR, CableCARD

SouthPaw — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 02:27:42 GMT

Why would you need "two cable/satellite STBs" The HD PVR 1212 only support a component single Input?