Ace Computers promises $999 CableCARD HTPC at CES 2009

HTPCs may still be a niche market, but getting one equipped with a CableCARD for under a grand could do great things for adoption. Little-known Ace Computers will reportedly debut such a rig at CES, and the machine will be known as the LMS 250. It'll be made available in a few configurations, one of which includes a triple-core AMD Phenom X3 and one that houses an Intel Core 2 Duo E7300; the former will be built around AMD's Maui entertainment platform, while the latter could quite possibly be the last to use Intel's own impossible-to-understand Viiv technology. Prospective customers with fatter wallets can upgrade the baseline rigs with a Blu-ray burner, but even the $999 edition will include 2GB of RAM, a 500GB HDD, internal ATI Digital Cable Tuner and between 8 and 12 USB ports. Sadly, we're not tipped off on a release date, but hopefully we'll learn of that -- along with many other delicious, heart-healthy tidbits -- in just a few days.

[Flaystus @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:44AM]

VERY COOL!

Somebody loan me a grand.

[Rory @ Jan 4th 2009 10:36AM]

Would be cool if Time-Warner would actually let customers get all their channels with a CableCard instead of forcing them to lease their terrible DVR, but for now I'll watch with passing interest.

[Sea Urchin @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:07AM]

Rory, i thought that FCC made it a LAW that you can buy only a cable card from your Cable Company and a box from a third party. I think law went into effect last year.

This is why i am a big fan of Kevin Martin, FCC commissioner. He was nominated by Bush but republicans hate this guy more than they hate Jim Ayers, because he took on cable industry and force them to open the cable box to everyone. They refused to do so for decades and in process charged everyone box fees and remote fees. I can not wait until this cable box will cost $300 or so so i can buy it and flip of Cablevision.

[Zunavio @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:10AM]

I'll save 999$ and go buy a $999 Kodak photo frame . . . Remember?

[silverblackvoid @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:38AM]

yeah, with that cute dalmatian:)

[Rob @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:11AM]

Sounds nice, but it had better look nice, too. I won't be putting anything under the TV that looks like a mid desktop on it's side.

[Oli D @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:15AM]

I made something like this to replace my SKY+ box, which used a Hiper Media chassis, looks like a dvd player.

It has a Blu-Ray drive, twin digital tuners and 500Gb HDD for about the same price as this, obviously no cable link but i can live without that.

I think?

[Oli D @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:18AM]

It had Phenomx3 as well come to think of it...

[Ryan Meray @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:41AM]

HTPCs wouldn't be a niche market if the scumbags in the cable industry hadn't mandated those draconian standards for OCURs. My company would do brisk business in HTPCs if I could show my clients that it's just as easy as a TiVo with far more features, but the only way I can get them one is from an OEM, and I haven't been happy with any of the major manufacturer's implementations.

Windows Media Center was murdered by the HD revolution, and CableCard support was the one thing that could bring it back to life. Sadly, the cable conglomerates kept it in the grave.

[rock99rock @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:43AM]

Cost of hardware before cablecard tuner? $400ish

What a freakin rip. Just give me the tuner that works on ANY version of vista and ill pay for that.

[shoot the baby in the face @ Jan 4th 2009 4:43AM]

exactly! I can't wrap my head around the reason(s) why it isn't already so easy to work around these restrictions..

[dark star @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:47AM]

12 usb ports??? wow
im only using 8 now, the other 2 ports are not being used.

[palehorse @ Jan 2nd 2009 11:05AM]

As long as I'm able to update the RAM, CPU, and HDD's later -- to the 3rd party equipment of my choice -- I might be interested in a sub-$1000 Cablecard system... Are Cablecards cryptically tied to anything besides the motherboard itself?

Then again, it's still a f'n ripoff. Everyone at Cablelabs can burn in hell...

[Nate @ Jan 2nd 2009 11:43AM]

Big deal. HP runs $400 off deals all the time on their CableCARD machines. I got mine months ago for $1100 WITH blu-ray and quad core.

[Matt @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:36PM]

As much as I miss my mythtv box, I'm not likely to go back to an HTPC until HD content is running on an open standard. Don't get me wrong, Windows Media Center isn't bad, but it can't hold a candle to mythtv. Paying $1000 for an HTPC running Windows Media Center just doesn't make sense when you can get a Tivo HD for $300 with twin HD tuners, and still have the benefit of expandable storage. Any HD content that is locked down on the Tivo will be locked down on WMC as well, so why not go for the cheaper solution that eats less power to boot? It's this reasoning that leaves HTPC's dead in my books for the indefinite future.

[Bob @ Jan 11th 2009 11:21AM]

Don't forget top add the $12.95/mo service fee with TIVO. $300 is just the start of the expense.

[jumpmanjay @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:46PM]

now, if they have a 4-tuner version available for 1750, count me IN.

[Al Bundy @ Jan 2nd 2009 1:21PM]

cable card? which revision? I thought Sony Baloney was developing a newer revised version.

[shoot the baby in the face @ Jan 4th 2009 4:44AM]

lol @ sony bologna

[Steve Sanchez @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:47PM]

I'd say Ace is trying something here that nobody else has done and it is admirable. I've seen them before and they have won a bunch of awards for their MCE systems at CES and other places but they have tried to work the professional market only.

I called their place to interview them today and they basically said they still do that, but they said that they thought that there was a lot of pent-up demand for a fairly open, "almost barebone" cablecard system to come out. They actually wanted to do that but it was nixed by Microsoft who said they had to actually provide a full system.

I spoke to John Samborski, their VP of sales and he said that they would be amenable to doing custom configurations, but MIcrosoft's requirements are that the system has to be whole, not parts. The chassis is supposed to be a medium sized CE style case, not a tower, although he said it would have cut costs if they did it in a tower.

In any case, the AMD Maui platform has been found to be pretty good but for the Intel side, they're aren't slouching either, it's based on a genuine Intel G45ID motherboard with native HDMI and DVI with Dolby Home Theater certified Audio in addition to 12 USB ports, eSATA and capability for a lot more. He said their web programmer for the Ace Digital Home side of their business hadn't put the details up because they were supposed to go live on Thursday for the show but he was going to have them do the updates over the weekend so we should see more details and photos by Monday. Overall, he was very cool about it and said they're trying to judge what the demand would be for this kind of box as they have primarily produced systems for other vendors that he couldn't name but that we might know better (I have my ideas on who these might be) and that they primarily focused on the professional CEDIA market as well as being a server vendor for the Navy and for federal labs doing cluster servers and storage.

Anyways - I told him I thought it was a cool idea and wished him well - it's the first time someone's thought of the do it yourselfer in any way on these, since he said the systems basically have to come with the software loaded onto a hard drive with a minimum of 1 cablecard but he can expand these with many upgrades including a better chassis, more tuners, blu-ray, bigger HD's etc but they wanted to create a splash in the market with something and I'd say they have done it with this one. I looked it up and Ace's booth will be in South Hall 21863....seems pretty cool to me.

Steve Sanchez, KFI Radio