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Cable Card PC - Please help

M

Moericus

n00b
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Messages
24
First, let me say I want to design a multimedia system with a desktop and a HDTV. I will have my Comcast digital box plugged directly into the TV for OnDemand content. I also want the desktop to view and record digital HD channels and display them on the TV.

I was a little disappointed to hear you can't record HD digital cable channels without a cable card PC. I read this on a few sites and they also said only a few brands make this kind of PC (Velocity Micro, Sony, HP, Vidabox, Niveus Media, S1Digital, Okoro Media, and Dell). I immediately narrowed my decision to HP or Dell. I don't really know why but they seem safer to me. The HP build seems like a better fit for me.

Here it is:
Your m9100z series
Operating system Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)
Processor AMD Phenom(TM) 9500 quad-core processor - 2.2GHz
Memory 3GB DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (2x1024,2x512)
Graphics Card 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT, TV-out, DVI-I, HDMI
Networking 802.11 b/g USB Wireless LAN card
Hard Drive FREE UPGRADE to 750GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s
Front Productivity Ports 15-in-1 memory card reader, 2 USB, 1394, video, audio
TV & Entertainment Experience ATSC-NTSC TV tuner with PVR, FM tuner, remote
Sound Card Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio
Mice & keyboards HP Wireless Multimedia Keyboard and Mouse
Monitor HP 20-inch LCD Wide Flat Panel Monitor

The desktop will be on an adjacent wall so I need to run HDMI and sound cables back and forth. I also need 2 cable jacks.

I had this jack in mind for the desktop and TV.
http://www.geekbro.com/index.cfm/hurl/page=product/itemid=719803?source=GoogleBase
Both coax jacks will send cable signals into their tuners, comcast box and PC tuner.
The HDMI jacks will run signals from the PC to the TV.

I am going to buy a smaller LCD HDTV while I recoup some basement finishing expenses. Right now I'm looking at Samsung 32" TVs. This TV will probably go upstairs in my bedroom once I get a bigger TV.

I still haven't researched a sound system for the TV, but it has to be able to get signals from the PC too.

OK, so since I am really new to this...
Will I be able to record HD channels on this PC and view them on my TV?
Will I be able to view all of my PC's videos, pics, games on TV?
Any potential problems with this setup?
Any suggestions for a surround sound system?
Do I still have to get Comcast to install a cable card in the PC?
 
I launched the world's first CableCARD equipped PC last year - beating all other OEMs to the punch. I'm intimately involved with this technology. Personally, when it comes to CableCARD PCs - you get what you pay for. Just make sure that you understand each one's warranty and return policies incase things don't go well during the installation process...

To answer your questions:

1) Yes - with an XBOX 360 or v2 Media Center Extender
2) Yes
3) It doesn't include a TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner - that's what you need for CableCARD
4) Not in particularly
5) Most of the time, yes - they will have to come out and install. I've heard of people being able to pick up CableCARDs and do a self install, but this is rare.
 
Omaura said:
I launched the world's first CableCARD equipped PC last year - beating all other OEMs to the punch. I'm intimately involved with this technology. Personally, when it comes to CableCARD PCs - you get what you pay for. Just make sure that you understand each one's warranty and return policies incase things don't go well during the installation process...

To answer your questions:

1) Yes - with an XBOX 360 or v2 Media Center Extender
2) Yes
3) It doesn't include a TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner - that's what you need for CableCARD
4) Not in particularly
5) Most of the time, yes - they will have to come out and install. I've heard of people being able to pick up CableCARDs and do a self install, but this is rare.
Click to expand...

What do you think is the best Media Center PC for around $2500?
 
w zabka said:
What do you think is the best Media Center PC for around $2500?
Click to expand...
The Dell with two CableCard tuners and a 360 to act as an extender so that you can stash the Dell into a closet or cabinet close by.
 
I believe you also need a HDCP secure connection from the graphics card to the TV for the CableCard support. Make sure your TV supports it, as well as the chosen graphics card in the PC, then hook it up with HDMI or DVI.
 
The newer sony looks like a pretty good solution too, with the blu-ray changer, might be a little higher then your budget, but now that blu-ray's won, why not get a 200 disc changer as well.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665231960

Edit: looking at the specs it doesn't come with a cablecard tuner, I guess I figured it did, the VGX-XL3 did, wonder why this one doesn't...

Don't know how many people are running the OEM cablecard solutions, but the PCs can accept up to 4 tuners. Sony's now selling them by themselves. Wonder if someone can get a copy of the bios that allows them to work and if that's all it needs...

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...552921665246461&productId=8198552921665246461
 
I never thought of buying a Media Center Extender. It looks like nice. But, I was basically going to use my HDTV as a second monitor for the desktop. That'll be ok right?

I thought the HP m9100z desktops were built for cablecards, but now I'm not sure if their TV tuner is a cablecard one. I guess I'll look at the Dell one again. If I buy the a stand-alone ATI tv wonder digital cable tuner will it work on any PC?
 
ND40oz said:
Wonder if someone can get a copy of the bios that allows them to work and if that's all it needs...
Click to expand...
What you need for CableCard:
1.) Special BIOS
2.) Special version of Vista (you can't buy it and no one will sell you a copy of it).
3.) COA key for CableCard tuner enabling the use of it on your system (much like how you need to put the COA in when you install Windows).
 
CrimandEvil said:
What you need for CableCard:
1.) Special BIOS
2.) Special version of Vista (you can't buy it and no one will sell you a copy of it).
3.) COA key for CableCard tuner enabling the use of it on your system (much like how you need to put the COA in when you install Windows).
Click to expand...

Hmm...according to this post, all he needed was a bios update from vm to add support, I haven't heard of a special version of Vista for it.

http://msmvps.com/blogs/wifizone/ar...-vista-mce-amp-cablecards-happy-together.aspx
 
Thats cause he doesn't understand what is needed. MS has a special version of Vista that has CableCard support enabled; he probably didn't notice it because it's virtually identical to the version of Vista that you and me all know except that VMC supports QAM tuning natively as well as CableCard (QAM is needed because thats how CableCards tune channels).

What they would have to do is back up his data and install this version of Vista on his machine and then install the CableCard tuners.
 
If you want to run your audio through a receiver can you still go the extener route with a 360?
 
Is there a definitive list out there with all CableCard ready PCs? I don't mean just the brands, but the model #s too.
 
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/236901.aspx

Looks like you only need the OCUR pid with what they're doing here, people say they've reinstalled the MSDN versions of Ultimate and just used the pid provided by Dell and they were all set. Of course, they have a dell 410 with the correct bios as well.

I wonder if sony is providing the pid on the tuner, usually they have the sticker on them, if so, all you'd need is the bios.
 
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