At CES 2006 (370-some days ago) Microsoft
and DIRECTV cut a deal to “enable the
flow of digital content among Windows-based PCs, DIRECTV’s set-top boxes,
PlaysForSure-compatible devices and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment
system, which will allow customers to experience DIRECTV programming and
digital content stored on their Windows-based PCs in a variety of new ways.”
Everyone thought this was perfect, an alterative to Cable
when we knew that CableCARD would mean buying a new PC. The hope was that the DIRECTV deal would come
along and save those who wished to build their own PCs.
Sean
Alexander said at the time “In the
future (timing wasn't discussed), you'll be able to have an installer come out
and install a DirecTV tuner into your Media Center PC and get your local
channels complete with DVR. As many know, DirecTV uses their own
protection scheme with a "conditional access card" not unlike a CableCARD.”
Of course, I hope Sean meant “local cable channels” and not
just “local channels”, but anyway, skip to CES 2007 (right now) and neither
DIRECTV or Microsoft has anything else to say about it. I figured that they would announce something,
anything at CES this year. Doesn’t look
like it’s going to happen though.
This leaves the door open for DIRECTV support in either
Vista SP1 or (hopefully) Vista Media Center Update Rollup 1 (this coming before
Vista SP1, hopefully).
Can anyone confirm this thing is still real?
Update: Thanks to Heath
for posting this in the comments.
DBSTalk.com
got a quick Q&A with DIRECTV at CES and said “HTPC Cards - Still in progress, internal beta testing”
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at
http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/