I was getting close to pulling the trigger on a new HP m9200t CableCard PC (which I would rip the guts out and shove into my elegant and quiet OrigenAE X11 case), when I suddenly ran across the specter of SDV.

It appears that once a cable operator begins moving HD channels to SDV, regular CableCard devices will no longer be able to tune in these stations.  Vendors like TiVo have smartly gotten ahead of this and are promising a solution for their users. 

But I've heard boo from ATI, Microsoft and OEMs that have offered us the current CableCard solution for Media Center.  The only thing I've heard is that Motorola is coming out with an "SDV tuner resolver" that *may* work with Media Center PCs.  I can't seem to find anything more substantive than that right now.

I would like to keep this thread open and alive so that I and others can have a single place to see the latest updates in thsi arena.

If you have information, please post it to this thread.

Thanks,
Jon

I'm in the same boat, been thinking about making the jump to a cable card system but, the SDV keeps popping in my head holding me back. I just hate to spend $700-1000 on a system then spend $500-700 for 2-3 cable card tuners just to find out 6 months from now they wont work with my cable company goes to SDV (or at least don't have the opitions for the new HD channels because of this).

Does anyone know the standpoint on this with Microsoft or anything else in the pipeline ? Will the current ATI cable card tuners work with it with maybe a bios update ?

It's hard to say, but if any news was going to come out you'd think it would be during the cable show the weekend after next.I don't remeber seeing MS on the exhibters list, and it doesn't seem to be on the website. I'll check it again when I get home. I do know AMD was on the list, so maybe they'll have something new.

JonDeutsch:

Vendors like TiVo have smartly gotten ahead of this and are promising a solution for their users. 

Considering SDV is already being used in many areas across the US, I wouldn't say Tivo was ahead of this.  Tivo had to respond as Cable Companies started planning for SDV usage.  But they are still behind, as many Tivo users already can not get certain channels, same as the VMC users.  Microsoft of course is even further behind.

The only ones lucky so far, are those of us using FIOS.  If I were you I'd do one of the following:

1)  Go cable card and FIOS

2)  Wait for the Direct TV tuner

3)  Wait for the SDV resolver, and see if it works with VMC's.

 

-D

Over in Lost Remote the post on SDV asked us to write the providers re SDV.  I sent an email to Brian Roberts as follows:

While I applaud the movement to Switched Digital Video (SDV) from Non Switched Video, without the adoption of new CableCARD technologies it leave those of us who are heavily invested in this technology out on a limb.  The issue is that technologies exist, e.g., Tru2Way, to allows two-way communications between user devices and Comcast, but you have made no effort to provide for the technical infrastructure for these devices.  What this means to me is that once Houston goes to SDV, my only alternative is to go back to the ascetically displeasing and functionally terrible devices provided by your DVRs and STBs or have no HDTV.

 

To try to be fair, yesterday I picked up a STB from Comcast and compared to both TiVo and the Microsoft Media Center.  As before,  it is dismal.  The function and usability is terrible and the features are almost totally lacking compared to either of these systems.

 

My request is that Comcast lead the way by rolling out new CableCARD technologies, along with SWD.

---------------------------------------

Tony Werner responded and another person, Bill Warga, responded to that, as follows:

We are testing devices now that we call tuning adapters.  We expect to take quantity deliveries of these devices in october.  They will interface to Tivo DVRs and at some point Media Center PCs.   The MCE pc requires some software to be written by microsoft. 

 

Bill what is the model numbers of the tivo products that these will support?

 

Tony

------------------------------

The 2 TiVo models that the adapter supports is the Series 3 and the TiVo HD. These are the 2 models that use CableCARD's.

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

STBs suffer from poor software and even poorer support.

When I was a cable customer I replaced STBs every few months. They never work on issues, they are just parts switchers.

I do have to say, I love the cablecard concept, if but only I had a better cable company.

Anything new on the SDV front?

I have the same question: Anything new on the SDV front? I desire an XPS 420...but am scared to pull the trigger on the dual tuner model...for the SDV reason. Any news? Ben D? Chris L?

I'd check with your local cable provider.  I was told that Comcast in my ares isn't going to start switching to SDV until the Feb 2009 cutover date, and then it would be a year or so until they turned off my old CableCard.

Phillyjaq:

I'd check with your local cable provider.  I was told that Comcast in my ares isn't going to start switching to SDV until the Feb 2009 cutover date, and then it would be a year or so until they turned off my old CableCard.

I'm in King of Prussia, PA, so I'm guessing Phillyjaq is in the same region I'm in.   Feb 09 is right around the corner, which means there's no way it makes sense for me to invest in a cablecard system at this point unless there is guaranteed support for SDV from ATI/MSFT/Whoever.   Correct?

I live in Ohio with Time Warner Cable. Since Im a current CableCard subscriber I got a letter in the mail from them about a week ago letting me know that a number of less popular channels would be moving to SDV in September and reminded me that my CableCard was not capable of tuning these channels. The end of the letter mentioned a SDV tuning adaptor was in the works. If anyone is interested I can post the letter here later. Just let me know.

Actually Jon,

I'm in Arlington, VA.  My company moved me out of philly a couple of years ago.  You may want to check with your local provider.

 

Cox here in okc is not adding it anytime soon they just got done upgrading their network for 3ghz and are only using 800mhz right now so they are good for a while.

Of course this is all missing the point...

As customers of MSFT, ATI and our local cable providers, I feel that we're not being treated as customers here.   MSFT and ATI should be telling us what our path is during this transition.  Proactively.   As a responsibility to their customers. 

Has anyone contacted ATI or MSFT and demanded a communication from them on this?   I would actually see it going down this way:

MSFT (which probably doesn't have to do much if anything software-wise) sees this train coming and calls ATI to ask them what their plans are to support Media Center for the transition to SDV...

• ATI says, "Good point.  We'll get back to you on that in 6 weeks. K?  Thanks." 
  
• Six weeks passes, and ATI doesn't respond. 
  
• MSFT calls again "Hey, what about that SDV thing for Media Center?"
  
• ATI says "Oh, yeah, right.  For those 1000 units we sold (vs. the 400 million video cards we sell), um, yeah, it's a real priority for us.  Sorry, we'll get back to you next week, promise."
• MSFT calls again "Yo, wassup with the SDV transition?  Why are you staying on the down-low?"
• ATI says "Sorry, the program manager is on vacation (it's the summer, silly), so as soon as he gets back, we'll let you know what the plans are."
• MSFT calls again "Hey.  C'mon.  We have 30 million Vista SKUs with Media Center out there that need to know what's happening with their CableCard support."
  
• ATI says "Um, how many of those SKUs are CableCard-ready OSs?"
• MSFT says "Um, we just got a call waiting... can we give you a call back?"

Jon

...I've posted in several places on this general topic. I really would like to buy the XPS 420 with the ATI dual cable card tuners. I can't find out whether the dual cable card setup is future-proof as far as SDV is concerned. I have emailed with a dozen or so other folks in the same boat...there are people reading this board who know more than we do. HELP!