New CableCARD diagnostic tool for Windows Media Center makes installation slightly less frustrating

Let's be honest, getting a CableCARD to work with Windows Media Center is far, far, far from a smooth process. Thankfully, the Media Center Integrator Alliance -- this sort of the things is its bag, naturally -- are set to show off a Digital Cable Tuner Diagnostics tool at next week's Electronic House Expo. It'll provide all kinds of information on your tuner and CableCARD, including modulation type, format, frequency, carrier, PCR Lock, encoding level, and authorization -- and if all that goes way over your head, there's an option to export the data to XML and send it to someone who can help. No word on when we'll see an official release, but no matter what, it won't be soon enough.

[Jonthomasdesigns Posted Mar 7th 2009 10:54AM]

Well i have had a ATI Casblecard tv wonder since Dec 2008 without getting the cablecard installed because i fear the morna Comcast will send out and the headache .. so maybe this will help

[Jonthomasdesigns Posted Mar 7th 2009 10:55AM]

moron .. wow i am one

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2009 11:23AM]

I can't figure out if this means if I wanted a CableCard in my PC I'd still have to buy the PC from the special computer manufacturers that allow it and sell it with the compatible version of Windows?

A while ago I was trying to figure out how to get a compatible PCIe card for my pc that would allow the use of a CableCard as opposed to a set top box or something more annoying.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2009 11:26AM]

By the time they finally get Cablecard working reliably under Windows, the whole concept will be outdated, and they'll be trying to sell us Tru2way PC boxes, that also won't work.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2009 11:37AM]

Mathew, I'm in the same boat as you. Unfortunately the way the cableco's have set the deal up you need to buy a Cablecard approved PC. I can't figure out why given that almost all of the video content is being rolled out on via the web. Go figure.

ScOObyDoo Sony just released exactly what you are talking about, see video below. I'm going to hold off for now until they get the kinks worked out.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/93143?utm_source=embedded_video

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 1:47AM]

The reason you have to have an approved CableCard PC isn't because the cable operators are jerks. It is because the content providers (ABC, NBC, HBO, other 3-letter acronyms) won't allow them to send out their copyrighted shows to someone who might be able to strip the CA or recorded it digitally after descrambling. The cable operators are really at the mercy of the content providers for most of the hassles we bitch about like this. Now crappy service and ignorant techs ... well, that's their own fault.

[Quikboy Posted Mar 7th 2009 12:53PM]

Is Ross Miller by any chance related to Paul Miller? Just wondering.

And why doesn't Engadget remember my e-mail and password to login?

[realar Posted Mar 7th 2009 1:06PM]

Why doesn't Microsoft get of their arse and do a proper job for their Media Centre Software. Lazy Fuckers.

[IanKen Posted Mar 7th 2009 1:46PM]

Becuase they think you're an asshat.

As the tuner is a network device, all of this infomration is available on the device web page, something any decent installer should know.

[IanKen Posted Mar 7th 2009 1:48PM]

Oh. And cable card PC running smoohtly since Vista launch.

MSFT can't help it if the cable guys and isntallers employ newbs who don't understand their own products.

[realar Posted Mar 7th 2009 3:36PM]

@Ian

If life in the MS Media centre world was that straight forward like you say no one including consumers would complain. But then I suppose not everybody's a pro like you.

[IanKen Posted Mar 7th 2009 4:14PM]

Forgive me for expecting the techniciancs the cable operators empoly to know what they hell they are doing.

I don't expect some mom and pop user to grok activating a cable card device (PC, TiVO, TV, whatever) just as I don't expect them to know how activate a STB from the cable compnay. But I do expect the cable operators own employees to understand the technology they use.

But hey, that's just me.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2009 6:57PM]

Have had CableCARD for 6 months. Setup was stupid easy ... it's a wizard.

If your cable is horked, it's probably not easy, but nothing will be.

[Joe Geronimo Posted Mar 7th 2009 2:45PM]

i want a cable card, even though i don't want cable =/

[moldymac Posted Mar 7th 2009 7:23PM]

I have had cable cards using charter on my XPS 420 with 2 ATI tv wonders for about a year. It was a bitch to get working and would periodically claim there was no signal, and restarting the tuners (external tuners) was required. I switched to U-verse and dumped the cable cards. IMO, not worth the hassle.

[Ganjagadget Posted Mar 7th 2009 11:04PM]

email me if you want to sell me your ATI TV Wonder ( xbox360sales247 a.t. gmail dawt bomb)

[Ganjagadget Posted Mar 7th 2009 11:04PM]

email me if you want to sell me your ATI TV Wonder ( xbox360sales247 a.t. gmail dawt bomb)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2009 11:31PM]

I can't wait til some Chinese company makes a tuner that can be used with linux or other open source software/os.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 9th 2009 1:43AM]

Express card... lame