Maximum PC

For all of you Media Center afficionados out there (or, the ones who are holding out for that one feature), the things announced at CEDIA today will make you smile:
In Windows 7,
- end users will now be able to implement CableCard (DCT) tuners in their own (self-built) systems, provided that it passes hardware requirements.
- DCTs will get SDV Tuning Adapter support.
- DCTs with a CableCard installed will no longer flag every single recording as CopyNever.

The above features/changes/enhancements are expected to be available at or about the time of Windows 7 launch (22 Oct 09)

Straight from the horse's mouth:
http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/t/78434.aspx

With the release of Win7, several improvements have been made.
NETFLIX is back!

Overall, Media Center has improved dramatically in the UI over Vista in my opinion. Internet TV is another example. (The recent release.)

And, it's finally here:
the 1.19 firmware for ATI Digital Cable Wonder tuners (DCTs.)
It's available via Windows Update as an 'optional update.'

And, going hand-in-hand with that is the Digital Cable Advisor. That will show up within Media Center (in the Extras Gallery.)

Woot!

In case anyone was wondering when a CableCard tuner was coming out for people building their own PC's.

Good News: Ceton will be releasing one by March 31, 2010.

Bad News: It has an MSRP of $400 plus the cost to rent a CableCard.

That's covered here: Ceton CableCARD tuner
Frankly, I don't have a problem with the $400 pricetag. Given that it's a 4-stream tuner (and needs but a single CableCARD), that's not bad.
Remember: the ATI DCT (the only CableCARD tuner you can currently get) goes for $250, and is a single-tuner board.

Mebbe we should stickify (at least for a while) the HDHR-CC and Ceton threads?

Bah - I'll just post links here.

To go along with the DIY CableCard support, several manufacturers are joining ATI in the Digital Cable Tuner market.
Ceton (a new startup) is working on a 4-stream PCIe CC tuner; it's expected to be out by end of Q1 2010.
SiliconDust (makers of the HDHomerun networked digital tuner) is working on a 2-stream CableCard HDHR. Devel hardware was shown at CES 2010.
Hauppauge is also rumored to be joining the fray. Nothing concrete has materialized; they also did not say anything about this at CES 2010 (much less show any devel hardware.)

Discussions on specific hardware here:
SiliconDust CableCARD tuner
Ceton CableCARD tuner

It's long past time to update this.....

Ceton's InfiniTV 4 is in production (albeit at a limited pace) and shipping - they started shipping product in late September. They're still (as of this writing) filling backorders; but, they are available (ish.) And, it's a great little peice of kit.

SiliconDust is moving towards production of their HDHomerun Prime. This will actually be a 3-stream CableCARD tuner (still network-connected, as this is how SD does.) Current expectations are that they'll be made available for sale in late Q2 - sometime-in-Q3 2011 (best guess from several knowledgable sources, as SD is currently working on CableLabs certification.)

Hauppauge will be partnering with SD for their hardware. The current speculation is that this will be a 2-stream (possibility of 3-stream) tuner, and will (as Hauppauge often does) be a USB-connected tuner.
Availability at retail is likely to roughly coincide with SiliconDust shipping their tuners.

This thread needs a long-overdue update.

Ceton has not only made improvements to their hardware, they've also expanded their lineup, and lowered their prices.
Both the InfiniTV4, as well as its USB-connected brother (also 4-stream), carry an MSRP of $199:
http://cetoncorp.com/products/
Rumored (but not, as far as I know, actually released) is a 6-stream version of the InfiniTV4 PCIe card.

SiliconDust has thrown its hat into the ring, with the HDHomeRun Prime (HDHR3-CC), a 3-stream network-connected CableCard tuner; MSRP $249:
http://www.silicondust.com/products/hdhomerun/prime/

And, Hauppage has also released their CC tuner (a 2-stream USB device), MSRP of $149:
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/ ... r2650.html

I am tring to setup the eva8000 as a Windows Media Extender and my Windows Media Center is asking for an 8 digit key. How do I generate this on the eva8000?