Ceton to Unveil CableCARD Quad-Tuner [Zatz Not Funny]
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is announcing a new product from Ceton at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas that has the ability to allow a PC to simultaneously tune in to four separate cable channels. Ceton's PCI Express “Quad-Tuner” card accepts a single multistream CableCARD. Installing the tuner in a desktop computer PCI bay gives a user the capacity to tune into four live channels of digital cable.
According to Light Reading's Jeff Baumgartner, Microsoft's Windows 7 OS has increased the number of tuners that a PC can recognize from two to four, hence the Ballmer introduction of Ceton's Quad-Tuner.
Convergence devices are popping up all over CES. While most involve moving IP-based video to the television screen, Ceton's Quad-Tuner indicates that there's still a demand for digital cable via a computer.
I was told Insight is dropping support for cable cards. Please don't as things are just starting to pick up for HTPCs.
Posted by: Kenny | Thursday, January 07, 2010 at 10:15 AM
All I want is the ability to run a cable to the back of a server in my basement with one of these cards in it. I want to put 2 - 4 TB of drive space in the machine and DVR everything that comes in to that one machine. Beyond that I want to use Xbox 360's at every TV in my house as Media Center Extenders. Centralized DVR. No more paying $16 bucks a month to try and remember which DVR I recorded which program on. That's insane.
Only other caveat is that I need 4 HD channel recording capability and I haven't seen if this card is capable of 4 HD streams. Why can't I have what I want? Why can't Insight pioneer the space?
Posted by: Derek Licciardi | Thursday, January 07, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Can someone confirm that first comment. That would seriously make me consider dropping Insight if cable cards are no longer availabe. Please confirm!
Posted by: Josh | Thursday, January 07, 2010 at 05:59 PM
I've been waiting to upgrade to digital cable for build-your-own PC's to be approved for CableCard use for years. I'm very glad to see it finally coming around. I've never been impressed with Insight's cable box and Tivo just charges too much. This will be a very good thing, and a way for Insight to get more money out of my pocket willingly.
Silicondust is also coming out with a 2 tuner, networked tuner. That company is well known for their excellent customer support.
Please, Inisght, do NOT drop CableCard support. I'm tired of only receiving basic cable, but I won't be paying extra for your DVR just to get the good channels.
Posted by: David | Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 07:58 AM
Indeed.
I switched to Insight from then Sigecom (now WoW!) because of customer service issues.
Those 'issues' were mainly because I got tired of being lied to (blaming my PC and cable modem) for the constant outages of service.
Strangely enough, as soon as I switched service, the same 'defective' (according to Sigecom) cable modem has worked perfectly for the last 4 years.
That said, I was upset when I called to ask why the basic tier HD QAM channels were scrambled and was told that it was impossible to broadcast them in the clear.
That is bullshit, plain and simple.
Personally I resent being forced to pay $16/month per set for a DVR just to receive basic tier analog service in HD.
In fact, if DirecTV and Dish didn't try to screw their customers even worse, I would have already dropped Insight for satellite TV.
Posted by: Darrin Ziliak | Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 07:35 AM
Cable providers in the United States are required by the FCC to support CableCARDs. If anyone at Insight says otherwise, get their name and run 'em up the flag pole.
Posted by: Mike | Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 12:47 AM
Another tidbit worth remembering: Cable companies in the United States are required by the FCC to provide CableCARDs conforming to the current CableCARD specification, and MUST correct incompatibilities between their networks and all certified CableCARD devices.
Just sayin'....
Hey, if we can't get "free" Digital X.0 HD channels for free (as defined by being "free" with our actual Digital subscription, rather than requiring an additional $10-15 monthly fee PER TV), at least we can legally hold feet the fire when we shift to CableCARD tech this year.
Posted by: Mike | Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 12:58 AM
Can someone give me some sort of hard reference - a FCC URL, or regulation # that the FCC has generated that specifically states that they are required to support CableCARD?
Tudor ApMadoc
http://photos.apmadoc.net
Posted by: Tudor | Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 08:19 AM
I was wondering what experience if any the insight in northern Kentucky had with the ati cable card tuners? I know they are the only tuners of this type available now. Have any been installed, attempted, or tech advised on the procedure? I am planning on buying a SD hdhrCC in the fall but would really like to be able to tell me wife that installation should not be a problem or do I need to prepare for the worse?
I have looked on the official site and there is nothing written that I can find about cable cards at all so it has me a bit concerned.
Posted by: brad | Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 08:49 PM