DirecTV "suspends development" on HDPC-20 tuner

File this one in the category of "Oh, no they didn't!" Sadly, it seems they really have. DirecTV has sent out an email stating the following: "DirecTV has suspended the development of the HDPC-20 tuner project that was designed to integrate DirecTV service into Windows Media Center after assessing the impact of missing the August 2008 release of Windows Media Center update and considering timing of the next release." The note goes on to say that both the satcaster and Microsoft understand that folks are clamoring for an easy way to get DirecTV content on the PC, and that both companies are "continuing to explore ways to integrate DirecTV service with Windows-based PCs in the future." And to think, that hands-on we got late last month just might be the last you ever see of this promising little box. Why... just, why?

[Via Gearlog, thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Platinum_Skeet @ Dec 9th 2008 3:47PM]

THIS IS MADNESS!!!

[HOOPER @ Dec 9th 2008 6:34PM]

THIS IS SPARTA

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 9th 2008 3:49PM]

Good call.

There's no purpose for it.

With DirectTV2PC, you can just stream the recordings on your DTV PVR to your PC. And that's already available and it works, and you don't have to leave your PVR on all the time or wonder if you'll mess up your game of Fallout 3 by recording The Daily Show in the background.

[Kris120890 @ Dec 9th 2008 3:50PM]

What way is better than integrating it in to Media center. Not that this has a chance of making this outside NA anyway.

[kempcross @ Dec 9th 2008 3:54PM]

i hate directv.

[gilescory @ Dec 9th 2008 3:56PM]

I'll tell you why. Tivo's coming back to DirecTV:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/03/hell-freezes-over-new-directv-hd-tivo-on-the-way/

[Josh @ Dec 10th 2008 11:57AM]

I think this is the case as well.

[Paul @ Dec 9th 2008 3:59PM]

I'm happily recording DirecTV to my media box on a daily basis thanks to my Hauppauge HD-PVR and mythtv box.

[Geir @ Dec 10th 2008 4:00AM]

You'da man!

[Joe H @ Dec 9th 2008 4:02PM]

"... after assessing the impact of missing the August 2008 release of Windows Media Center update and considering timing of the next release."

Am I the only one who reads this to mean that its still coming, but now for Windows 7 instead?

[kjb434 @ Dec 10th 2008 8:48AM]

You'll also noticed they only said "suspend" and not "end" development too!

[Ren @ Dec 9th 2008 4:05PM]

Guess I'll stick to cable after all ! I was going to switch to directv when this thign cam eout, guess not anymore !!!
Now if only the HD-PVR would work inside mediacenter.....

[Victor @ Dec 9th 2008 5:46PM]

I'm with you on that. I think DirectTV really dropped the ball on this. I was actually willing to do a 2 year contract in order to have this. Then again, it really depended on how well the tuner worked with closed captioning and the like, but... still quite a disappointment to say the least.

[Jeff P. @ Dec 9th 2008 9:09PM]

I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER (3 times just for good measure) go back to cable. TWC has the absolute worst customer service in the civilized world. Directv, on the other hand, actually values their customers. I've never had a problem dealing with them. The fact that their product is heads and tails better than cable is icing on the cake. I'd love to have a solution for adding Directv to a HTPC but in NO way is it a deal breaker.

[Achilles @ Dec 9th 2008 4:06PM]

This blows. DTV and MS at it again. What, not enough money to be made or did they not want to share it?

[iansilv @ Dec 9th 2008 4:08PM]

yeah- blow it off- no reason to have it ready for windows 7!!!!!!!!!

ARRGGHH!!! just give me freakin' multi room viewing that is seamless- one listing across all dvrs- this is ridiculous!!!!!

[Belunos @ Dec 9th 2008 4:09PM]

Why not, it's not the same thing. With this device, you would record DTV directly into media center. It'd mean one more device to get rid of by using a HTPC

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 9th 2008 4:13PM]

It's not the same thing. It's better for most of us. Why would I want to run a Media Center PC just to PVR DirecTV when I can get a box that does it for $200 or less from DirecTV?

All they have to do is integrate DirecTV2PC into Media Center and the solution will be better for most people, even if it is slightly worse for a few.

[AndyS @ Dec 9th 2008 4:17PM]

"It's not the same thing. It's better for most of us. Why would I want to run a Media Center PC just to PVR DirecTV when I can get a box that does it for $200 or less from DirecTV?"

Because I have much more flexibility. For instance, with a Media Center box, I can store terabytes of data if I want so I don't have to constantly juggle shows to keep free space for new recordings. I can put extenders all over the house for seamless integration. I can use custom apps that do things like automate commercial skipping, etc.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 9th 2008 5:43PM]

DirectTV's PVR supports eSATA drives.

Your answer doesn't answer the question as to why I would want to do this, only why you would want to.

Like I said, this will be better for almost everyone, even if it's a bit worse for others, such as yourself (those who already run a windows media center server).

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 10th 2008 3:57AM]

Okay, I get it. Some if you would rather have a Media Center machine. A machine where just the copy of the OS installed is more expensive than an entire PVR is on DirecTV. And you'll mark down anyone who disagrees with you.

Well, I, and I think a lot of others, disagree with you.

Would I rather have DirecTV offer me unprotected content I could stream around the house for free and save for later? Yeah. But that was never going to happen. The DirectTV2PC system seems better to me. It doesn't lock me into Windows, and is a lot cheaper.

I'm sorry it doesn't work for all of you. But I'm more sorry you feel that anyone who disagrees with you deserves less to be heard than you do.

[Eric H @ Dec 10th 2008 8:23AM]

The point is that the existence of this device wont take a way your PVR it would still be an option, why is it a good thing to have one less option?

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 13th 2008 4:16PM]

Development costs money. Fewer options might not be better for all, but they can reduce costs, which can help a lot of us.

Anyway, it sounds like it wasn't going to make Windows 7 anyway, so it was going to be a while.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 9th 2008 4:10PM]

'As our plans progress toward a Windows Media
Center-compatible product, we will make an announcement at the
appropriate time. '

They've just abandoned this method. DirectTV2PC uses standard DLNA streaming with a DRM that is supportable by other devices (but not yet currently). All MS has to do is support the DirecTV2PC DRM and they can then stream the content through Media Center from your PVR.

[Tom N. @ Dec 9th 2008 4:12PM]

As great as technology is, it never seems to reach the true convenience level I truly want.

[treacherous @ Dec 9th 2008 4:20PM]

Well said

[AndyS @ Dec 9th 2008 4:13PM]

They don't want my money apparently.

I would switch to satellite if a provider would allow me to use their tuner with Media Center without requiring me to buy an OEM pre-built box.

[JerkfacedFed @ Dec 9th 2008 5:05PM]

BINGO

it pissed me off to no end that cablelabs had to f*** up the entire media center ecosystem with that god damn requirement to only use oem built pcs for cablecard digital cable ready media center boxes. I would have had media center in all rooms of my house streamed to xbox 360's from a powerful and cheap computer with a nice htpc custom case, terrabytes of storage, and many hd tuners.

why oh why did they screw this up so badly that people are actually looking forward to the crappy satellite tv based DirecTV. you would have to pay me to deal with the outages that my neighbors tell me about. they have cable and satelite just to deal with these problems.

i cant stand the cable companies, but satelite just sucks.

[Crand @ Dec 9th 2008 9:03PM]

@JerkfacedFed

What outages? Is your neighbor a quadriplegic who tried installing a dish himself? I have only had TV drop two times since 1999, once for a solar flare and once for a hurricane. And if you want to try to tell me that the HD content on digital cable is better than Directv then you sir can F right the hell off.

[Jeff P. @ Dec 9th 2008 9:17PM]

@Crand...
I agree wholeheartedly (but without the whole "F" me thing). I actually happen to have a dropout right now due to the freezing rain and snow that has been going on since last night and is caking my dish up like crazy. This is the only problem I've had with my signal in a year. On the other hand, when I had cable all you had to do was to sneeze too loud and the signal would go out and stay out for hours. Any signal loss on satellite is typically over within a few minutes. Maybe my problems with cable were a local problem but it was so bad that I'd rather have no service than to go back to them.

[Nate @ Dec 9th 2008 4:14PM]

As a CableCard user, I had no intention of using this but was really looking forward to some competition to cablelab's dominace of OEM media center digital premium feeds.

[Darrell @ Dec 9th 2008 4:15PM]

This is why I'll soon be switching back to cable or go with Verizon Fios when that finally gets rolled out to my neighborhood. I can't imagine why in this day and age DirecTV still doesn't have free HD, or a Clear QAM like interface where I could just connect a TV to a line. I get it, the box is there for decompression and security, but seeing that Cable really doesn't give a shit, it would be a good idea to have a similar setup. I was actually hoping that this would be the first step in this direction, but I guess not, and I can't keep waiting for better service when other companies are offering it for the same price, if not cheaper.

[PeterB @ Dec 9th 2008 5:57PM]

So you can connect your TV to the cable company and get maybe 10-11 channels? Whoop-de-do.

You still need a cablecard they wont give you or know how to install, and a cablecard interface noone will sell you, to watch anything other than your locals and EWTN off cable.

The grass isn't greener anywhere else.

[treacherous @ Dec 9th 2008 4:26PM]

Truly disappointing. I got DirecTV service with the hopes of someday getting a hold of this product.

I guess our only hope now is that they enable some sort of media center interface with their existing receivers.

[Peter Sills @ Dec 9th 2008 4:29PM]

WHO CARES!?!?

I am already using DirecTV inside Windows Media Center - with the new TV Tuner Pack and have the DirecTV tuner (or DiSH for that matter) working as a tuner inside VMC.

This is all using the software/hardware mod from Nextcom Wireless (R5000-HD). Works like a charm. VMC sees it just as another tuner and viola - HD captured, un-DRMed and free and clear!

Lovin' it! Why wait for Microsoft and DirecTV to get their act together - works perfectly TODAY!

[iansilv @ Dec 9th 2008 7:18PM]

hey man- is there any place on the net that will instruct someone on how to do this? I am seriously jealous... All i want is multiroom viewing! Please point me in the right direction...

[CaptCaveman @ Dec 10th 2008 3:00PM]

I'll have to look into this. But I was really hoping for an official solution to using Media Center. I have to say that I've been let down so many times with Media Center and Vista. The OS is fine. But all the integration that I was looking forward to just hasn't happened.
First there was Cable card support. Then the announcement that you couldn't "roll your own" when it came to the hardware. Then the Directv announcement came out. When I didn't hear anything for over a year I should have known that this wasn't going to happen. I honestly think I'll just be dropping Directv and going with a subscription base service for the shows that I watch on a regular basis. I mean honestly, I'm paying about 100 bucks a month just for basic service, locals, and the HD channels that they carry. When I can setup an Amazon subscription to watch the shows that I always watch and pay about that per year instead of per month. Tack on another 30 bucks for the Playon software and have access to Hulu material also.
I'm going to have to run this across the wife again to see what we want to do.

[Erv @ Dec 9th 2008 4:31PM]

Maybe they didn't see a way to make enough money off it

[GeekPI @ Dec 9th 2008 4:33PM]

While it isn't full integration into media center, their official beta DirecTV2PC software works quite well.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/contentPageNR.jsp?assetId=P4920044

[silicon @ Dec 9th 2008 4:54PM]

cablelab's needs to be sued for monopolization of cablecard tuners, they only let OEM's have them.

[shaka999 @ Dec 9th 2008 5:01PM]

Anyone know if you can stream/share between two DirecTV HD DVR's? Seems like if they are streaming to a PC they could share between DVR's as well. Might convince me to upgrade my second DVR if they can.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 9th 2008 5:45PM]

You cannot stream/share between any DirecTV boxes at this time, only to PCs. Maybe soon. But I wouldn't go upgrading your 2nd box yet, when (if?) DirecTV supports it, you want to make sure you have a box that is capable of it.

[Robr @ Dec 9th 2008 5:51PM]

At least Dish Network is still working with MS to bring satellite DVR to Mediacenter.
Windows7 MCE beta with Dish starts soon...

[Ronald A. Dowty @ Dec 9th 2008 5:54PM]

Eventually we're going to get our TV shows over the Internet and satellite will be screwed and cable companies will be nothing more than ISP's. The cable and satellite companies have put up so many roadblocks that services to the customer have suffered. There's no reason why I shouldn't be able to record a show on a central PVR and watch it on any TV, computer, phone or media player I own. The technology exists today.

[bobjfs @ Dec 9th 2008 6:24PM]

I bet if they charged us another $20/mo to use the service, they'd both lose their minds trying to figure out how to make this technology work.

Sloppy, slovenly, and slipshod. That's the current state of the business world. Why should Winders and Duhrect-TV be any different?

[Aaron @ Dec 9th 2008 6:40PM]

Lame lame lame lame lame.

I'd love to hear the insider story explaining why.

[plushog @ Dec 11th 2008 11:34AM]

Here is one guess, there is no official native MPEG4 support in Vista Media Center outside of the OEM Fiji tv pack. This DTV tuner means it would be sent out to the masses which do not own OEM built vista media center boxes.

Windows 7 will have native MPEG4 and then this tuner will work for the masses.

[GaryZ @ Dec 9th 2008 6:49PM]

you've got to put a big hand-drawn red cross on that photo, engadget style

[ran @ Dec 9th 2008 10:01PM]

That's too bad.

[m04arch @ Dec 10th 2008 1:19PM]

Honestly, this announcement is unfortunate but I really believe that it wasn't MS's or DTV's own fault. At least not wholly. It always comes down to money.

Who would stand to lose the most money here? MS has done their part by delivering the integration into MC for the HDPC-20 as seen in the Engadget photos. Ed Bott has verified a driver installed with a Windows 7 69xx build for this support. MS did their part. Was it in timely fashion? THAT may be debateable but not likely the reason. MS loses money by this not going forward but a significant amount? No.

DirecTV had the hardware developed and working. See above. DirecTV loses money by this not going into production and released to the public. I'm sure they would've sold it to the user then turn around and still charge a monthly lease (how does THAT work...still sticks in my craw).

Both MS and DTV had a fair amount of R&D into this but who's to say how much? It's hard to believe that it would be scrapped or shelved after 2+ years of developement unless they both felt they couldn't recover their investment such as their wasn't a big enough market for the product and/or they couldn't charge enough for the product/service to make it fiscally viable. I gotta believe they would've realized that sooner rather than later. This brings me to what I believe to be what is going on.

The content providers. The studios. The networks. The ad agencies.

THEY lose the most if it goes into production and is easily accessable to the average end user.

If the home user can easily get it into a PVR and save it in a readily available format, then who needs to purchase CSI Season 'xx' box set? DVD/BluRay movies? If you have HBO or the like, PVR it and you have it at your beck and call, not to mention pay per view or what. The ad agencies would stand the least to lose only because you can already pause/ff through live tv/hdtv. HD is where it's at and where it's going. The money minds saw the opportunity in HDCP after watching what Napster did to the recording industry back in the day. The industry learned its lesson well.

With HDCP hardware compliance, the chips (literally) are in place to protect content. The wheels were set in motion long ago for this MS/DTV project to fail. Too bad neither saw that soon enough to put the project to rest soon enough. My guess, and its only a guess, is that the delay over the past year or so was how to wrangle with the HDCP and restricting content use to a single PC (possibly to share on a home network). That means some sort of DRM again. We know how that ended up.

Bottom line is there will always be a way around, but I'm not that smart to do it (yet). 'They' will never make it easy. Never. Sure there are ways to do it now, but there are sacrifices either in SD vs. HD, UI eyecandy or whatever. Ten, twenty years from now, it will be commonplace and we'll wonder why didn't it happen sooner? Because someone had to figure out how to control it first and make the most money off it.