Velocity Micro's CableCARD Grand Theater PC ships

It's been a hot couple of days for the shipping industry, as we've seen everything from automatic HDMI switches to the OQO Model 02 leave the docks en masse, and while Velocity Micro's much-anticipated CineMagix Grand Theater PC didn't quite beat out Niveus (which is admittedly just a CableCARD-ready solution), it's apparently joining the fray anyway. According to a report / screenshot over at Gearlog, it looks like Velocity Micro's intentions to ship its CableCARD HTPCs within the month actually panned out alright, as at least one lucky user is enjoying "premium HDTV on a Media Center PC" already. Notably, the coveted recipient didn't seem to have any major qualms when contacting Verizon for assistance in bringing the FiOS action into the HTPC, which makes the collective majority of us weep in envy. So if you've been waiting around to make sure this wasn't just one long-winded dream, feel free the pinch yourself and hand over your credit card deets, because these bad boys are ready and waiting to head your way.

[raaaaaa @ Mar 30th 2007 2:13PM]

fios bent over cause they are new in the area, but try calling cablevision for example to get some help hooking these cards up and they will put you on hold while laughing at you in the background

[Naveed @ Mar 30th 2007 2:15PM]

im definately going with a setup like this. Although im going to go the custom PC route, just need a hdmi out, great video card, CableCARD, and all the other goodies of course. Just waiting on second gen dx10 cards and cablecards

[sdsdv10 @ Mar 30th 2007 6:46PM]

@Naveed
"im definately going with a setup like this. Although im going to go the custom PC route,"

Uh, did I miss something, isn't Velocity Micro a maker of "custom PC's"? Please explain further...

[poreilly @ Mar 30th 2007 2:22PM]

Naveed:
Build a custom PC with CableCARD support? You can't do that!!! Obviously the only reason you would build a custom PC is so you could hack the CableCARD and start uploading premium content to your torrent sites. There is no other conceivable reason to build your own Media-PC.

Nice Try.

Good thing CableLabs (or rather Microsoft bowing to CableLabs pressure) only allows Certified PCs to use CableCARDs. Otherwise you might have gotten away with it. Now go buy a pre-built CableLabs Certified PC...Just ignore the fact that you could build the same PC for a fraction of the price.

[LJKelley @ Mar 30th 2007 2:54PM]

You are such an Idiot... Your tirade is meaningless because you answered the reason why anyone would want to build a custom Media PC... to save money. Not only that but to work to your own specifications. My Media PC works really well, uses Vista but costs considerably less than 'factory' made computers.

I have built my own Media PC without CableCard support obviously, but does that mean I upload recorded shows to BitTorrent? No. But I will freely put them on my PocketPC or other devices so I can enjoy my content wherever I wish.

http://www.startblue.net

[Patrick @ Mar 30th 2007 2:59PM]

LJ, obviously you forgot to install a sarcasm detector on your custom build.

[palehorse @ Mar 30th 2007 3:10PM]

umm, your sarcasm meter must be broken because poreilly's post is dripping in it... duh.

His whole tirade was actually aimed AT cablelabs and this ridiculous "Certified System" crap that they've dumped on the HTPC world. In other words, you cannot build your own custom systems to use Cablecards. Due to their HDCP DRM, they will only work in pre-built systems that are certified by cablelabs...(at least until some crafty hack finds a way around that).

try to keep up...

[palehorse @ Mar 30th 2007 3:12PM]

my last reply was meant for LJ...

[walk2k @ Mar 30th 2007 3:23PM]

No word on price?

Yes you have to buy the PC whole, but there's no reason to believe you can't upgrade it. As far as I've heard, the only thing tied to the CableCard tuner(s) is the motherboard BIOS. Theoretically you could still upgrade the HDD(s), the CPU, the RAM, etc...

Depends on the price though. If I can already buy a dual-CC-tuner DVR for $800 that isn't expandable (Tivo S3, and much less than $800 on discount/ebay/etc), I wouldn't have a problem paying $1000-1200 for an expandable PC-DVR that I could throw a few 1TB drives in a closet and mount via LAN...

[Akinsanmi Fanu @ Mar 30th 2007 4:03PM]

'CableCARD' and 'custom' don't belong in the same sentence without a negative operator in there...

[Jeff @ Mar 30th 2007 5:03PM]

wow. that screenshot sure make Vista's "Flip 3d" feature look cheap and crappy.

:\

[sdsdv10 @ Mar 30th 2007 6:51PM]

palehorse,

No flame, just a suggestion. Next time use the "Reply" button and the association will be shown in the Engadget comment section.

[Naveed @ Mar 30th 2007 7:22PM]

hah, yeah, i know about the whole certified PC thing(didnt know it was official though). I just have a feeling its just an introductry thing. I guess i was just hoping they would eventually make it available seperately. I really dont think there would be a market for it otherwise. Most people, i assume, would just use whatever thier cable company gives to them. I mean how many people seriously use the CableCARD for their cablecard equipped TV. Or maybe a video card with HDMI in. Id love to have everything go through my PC. Just seems nicer and cleaner. It would allow me to get rid of everything else on my tv stand(dvr, slingbox, dvd player- and some people have more than that) and get rid of ALOT of wires.