Dish Network eying deal with Microsoft for HTPC TV cards

We figured they'd come around, and sure enough, it looks like Dish Network is now the one in talks with Microsoft to bring satellite programming to the media PC. After DirecTV began this same journey, finally inked a deal with Gates and Co., and actually started playing nice with Viiv-enabled PCs, Dish Network couldn't just stand around hoping that its fabulous deals on the ViP622 HD DVR would be good enough. According to a brief, albeit informative, interview that DBSTalk had with Dish, the company is reportedly "working with Microsoft" to bust out HTPC TV cards, which could steal the thunder from the uber-pricey CableCARD and give DirecTV's rendition a run for its money. Of course, there's "no set timeline" just yet, and if you already had a hunch what the holdup was, you'd likely be correct -- apparently, "DRM issues" are still lingering, and until both companies come up with a solution that "satisfy the copyright holders," we'll all be parking it on the bench waiting for this to move forward.