Cable Card - Encrypted HD Singals Over Cable

[foodfightr]

I really want to build a home theather PC. I have comcast and I get a lot of channels in the 800 range that are HD. Mostly network stations, discovery channel, etc. However, I'm not sure which of the stations are encrypted and which are not. If I can't record in HD, I don't see the point.

I know ATI had planned to release a PCI card called OCUR that would add cable card support for decrypting these signals, but it never really happened. Apparently some machines come bundled with this card but you can't buy it individually.

I wonder if I had a system that supported HDCP and I could find an ATI OCUR card- if I would be able to make it work somehow.

The only other thing I've seen is a big ugly external thing, hardly ideal for a sleek mATX home theater PC. Ideas?

 

[Markbnj]

If you find a CableCard solution for Comcast that actually works I'll send you a six-pack . Other than that I think you're stuck with a set-top box.

 

[tw1164]

I know ATI had planned to release a PCI card called OCUR that would add cable card support for decrypting these signals, but it never really happened. Apparently some machines come bundled with this card but you can't buy it individually.

I think it was always to be an OEM only product. The whole systems need to get certified by cable labs first.

I wonder if I had a system that supported HDCP and I could find an ATI OCUR card- if I would be able to make it work somehow.

No

The only other thing I've seen is a big ugly external thing, hardly ideal for a sleek mATX home theater PC. Ideas?

There are some really nice looking options from smaller companies. You're not limited to just Dell and HP. Dell and HP are the cheapest though.

 

[tw1164]

Originally posted by: Markbnj
If you find a CableCard solution for Comcast that actually works I'll send you a six-pack . Other than that I think you're stuck with a set-top box.

What about a Tivo HD? You don't need a set-top box w/ that.

 

[foodfightr]

Originally posted by: Markbnj
If you find a CableCard solution for Comcast that actually works I'll send you a six-pack . Other than that I think you're stuck with a set-top box.

See here...
http://www.engadget.com/tag/TvWonderDigitalCableTuner/

I want to do it internally. Why wouldn't it work if I was able to get my hands on an OCUR card?

 

[foodfightr]

Ah I guess its a bios setting that enables OCUR support...

so no way to get cable card support without buying a special PC to do so?

I wonder if I could get the like 40-50 HD channels (im guessing at the number) that I receive with a regular tuner. I don't have any premium stuff like HBO or ENCORE, just "regular" channels like discovery, fox, etc...

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: foodfightr

Originally posted by: Markbnj
If you find a CableCard solution for Comcast that actually works I'll send you a six-pack . Other than that I think you're stuck with a set-top box.

See here...
http://www.engadget.com/tag/TvWonderDigitalCableTuner/

I want to do it internally. Why wouldn't it work if I was able to get my hands on an OCUR card?

Velocity Micro's Director of Product Development ... deployed CableCARDs for them:

1) You need an OEM activation BIOS with the proper OSFR ACPI table not only present, but populated with vendor specific information.

2) You need a special copy of Vista with digital cable tuner activation PID. You will not be able to purchase this unless you are a direct OEM with MS and have signed a DTOS.

3) You need to sign a conformance letter with Cable Labs and they store the information from #1 in this list on central servers, and that information is checked every 90 days to ensure compliance.

4) If at any time it is found that the information has been compromised, Cable Labs need merely to flip a switch and you will cease to receive premium cable content.

The machine must have the dual Certificate of Authenticity sticker on it - The sticker has both the Vista PID key and a Digital Cable Tuner PID key on it.

 

[foodfightr]

Looks like there is a way to do it using firewire output from the cable box?

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: foodfightr
Looks like there is a way to do it using firewire output from the cable box?

Not really any better than what you can get from clear QAM already. Firewire has 5C content protection.

Long story made short: there's no way to home build a system that can view encrypted QAM streams directly, so you're limited to clear QAM (using the HDHomeRun). There's always the STB option, but you won't be getting HD out of that.

There's a DirecTV tuner that's getting some play over at CES, and it doesn't _seem_ to require cert on the whole PC. No one is exactly sure of that, though, and it'll only work with Windows Vista Media Center when it gets released (who knows?).