How to install a CableCARD tuner in your Media Ctr

[Skaggs]

How to install a CableCARD tuner in your DIY Media Center
by Ben Drawbaugh, EngadgetHD, posted May 12th 2009 at 11:00AM



Access to premium HD on computers has eluded most for way to long, so as soon as we heard that it was finally possible for anyone to add a CableCARD tuner to just about any Media Center, we just knew we had to try it for ourselves, and more importantly, share with you exactly how to do it. This doesn't really require any hacking, or anything illegal for that matter -- we're not lawyers -- but it isn't cheap. The internal version of the ATI Digital Cable Tuner pictured above can be found new on eBay for about $195, or new from PC vendors like Cannon PC for just under $300. If that doesn't seem like a bad deal to you and you already have an HTPC up to the challenge, then you should join us on our journey to HD bliss by clicking through.

Read the rest here.

[hurnik]

Interesting. I'm surprised ATI was able to get away with that since Cable Labs refused to certify any device for a PC unless it was part of a complete system (so you couldn't just put a CC device in any regular old PC).

I wonder if it'll adhere to the stupid CCI bytes (not sure if that's dependent upon the OS or not)

[xzi]

There was a time where the Media Center OS itself could only be sold by OEMs as a complete system as well. This had to do more with making sure the experience was good when you spent that kind of money with that kind of expectation than anything else. That is a lot easier to control when mom and pop shops and people with internet access aren't trying to build things themselves.

Now with things like the Vista Logo Certification program, if Microsoft and ATI feel that they have a reliable partnership I don't see why they wouldn't open that up as well for Cable Cards to increase adoption rate for the enthusiasts that weren't willing to buy an OEM setup.

[hurnik]

Appears to also be unidirectional, so not sure if Windows MCE or whatever allow Tuning Adapter support or not.

If not, then no SDV for you.