CableCARD: a primer, from Ars Technica

Ars Technica has a guide up for demystifying that wild and wacky world that is CableCARD. We can't say it will make the wait for CableCARD 2.0 and it's multichannel goodness any easier, but at least you'll know the ins and outs of what exactly you're waiting around for. They also throw down some HTPC deets, including the fact that there aren't any guarantees of Vista interoperability with CableCARD 2.0, and even if you go for plain ol' CableCARD, you might need to buy a whole new PC and a HDCP monitor if you plan to catch any of that hi-def. Or if you're way patient you could just wait around for DCAS (Downloadable Conditional Access System) that makes all this CableCARD security silliness go away with one fell software-based swoop, but you're going to look mighty silly if it's 2008 and you're still kicking back in SD.

[Via TiVoBlog.com]