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Digital Cable/Cable Card w/ your DCR tv

C

CorCentral

Banned
Except for the obvious that you don't get Pay Per View, On Demand movies, Premium Channels like HBO, etc. I have no desire for PPV stuff or the over run HBO/Cinemax crap that runs the same shi* 1000 times a mth. I buy all my dvd's mth's before they're even shown on cable anyway.

As for my cable co. (BrightHouse Networks/Orlando), my wife and I stopped in at the local office a couple days back, asking about what extra channels we'd be getting upgrading from Basic to Digital cable while also telling them we were getting a DCR/HD tv etc. We asked the lady at the desk about this and we were not surprised with her answer. She went on stating that they (BHN), did not "PROMOTE" the cable card (it was not good at all and that they've had MANY problems she stated) and we would "NOT" recieve any HD channels going this route, all the time knowing we could and she was FLAT OUT WRONG. I was just seeing how they reacted to cable card questions **LOL** I know why cable companies don't like the cable card.......... They lose money when it comes to customers not buying PPV movies and other on demand type programs. If you buy a good quality HDTV, your tv's tuner is TONS better than the damn CRAPPY cable box you rent from your cable company. If you want a better picture, go the cable card route or buy a decent converter/stb. (set top box)

Actually, anyone reading this and is interested in the cable card setup...... This artical is a good read. I have another but cannot remember the damn link!
#1

What are your experiences with this newer Cable Card setup?
I'm buying my 50" Panasonic 50PX50U Plasma VERY soon. I've read many articles on the net and have browsed many forums about the Cable Card feature, but I just want some of your opinions. No matter the input, I'm going the CC route 🙂

PS: No need for you Sony Fan Boys to ring in on my tv, Panasonic for Plasma is the best out there at the moment!
 
Cablecard is garbage and the tv manufacturers have no idea how to implement/repair them mainstream. *LOL* it's a good thing cablecards is a very small part of what's out there.
 
Originally posted by: Zee
Cablecard is garbage and the tv manufacturers have no idea how to implement/repair them mainstream. *LOL* it's a good thing cablecards is a very small part of what's out there.
Click to expand...


You've been misinformed Pilgrim, I'd double check your findings. I know that the Cable Card route is better. Ask anyone here. WAIT!!!!, better go elsewhere....... In the last year or two it's gotten bad in here with the Teenage folk BS talking in here not knowing what they're talking about. If you're one of them, get the fuq out of here!

Anyone out there that can give "serious" input........... Ring in 🙂
 
I tried the Cablecard with my Panasonic plasma for about 3 months. It was just so expensive through Charter cable. I will say that it was cheaper than thier box. It was 8.99 to rent the HDTV box and 1.50 on the card. The whole TV package was over $60 with no HBO.

Right now I'm using OTA which in my opion is the best way to go. Im also using an HTPC with an HD tuner card to record shows with and watch again later.

Check out the AVS forum if you havn't already. They have an incredible amount of info on this.
 
CorCentral, are you sure the woman at your cable company was wrong? I know of one cable company here in NJ that doesn't support HDTV using a cable card. I'm sure they aren't alone.

Do you know someone who is using a cable card and getting HDTV with that company?
 
I have the dubious honour of installing and troubleshooting cable cards. (I'm a Field Tech for Cox, doing both video, phone and internet). Cable cards are the neatest idea. Allowing the tv to decrypt the digital signal on it's own and giving the owner a cleaner picture, in some cases. Comparing a standalone HD box or HD/DVR box to the some manufacturer's built-in tuners, analog cable sometimes looks better. And, you are able to use the multi-tuner for PiP without adding an extra split to the mix. That's one good upshot to going the cable card route.

Setting up the cards is a definate b*tch. Different manufacturers have slightly different guidelines as to the exact signal strength is the "sweet spot", firmware on TVs vary wildly, some requiring an upgrade before they will even work in a given system. And they tend to be a bit more finicky than a stand-alone box.

I say definately go for it. What channels you get in your system are beyond me, and it may be a bit of a pain to get it working perfectly at first, but it should be more than worth it. Just my two cents. 😛
 
I found the article I was searching for. For all you Cherries out there, read it!
Cable Card Primer


Muadib---- I'm 100% sure I can recieve HD with just the cable card. No need for the crappy cable box that the company totes as end all be all. I say if you wanna' go the cable box route, buy a better branded box and tell the cable company that they can keep thier crap 🙂

Praetor---- When you state that "setting" up the cards is a b*tch, what is entailed in the setup? I can't just go and get the cable card from a local cable office, take the card home and slide it into the tv myself and be done? Or do they just make it so they can charge you for the installation? I just cannot see what could be done at my home when only the card is needed except for inserting it into the tv.
 
What you do is get a DVB/sat tuner-card for your PC, a 33" dish and motor and run that into the TV. Some have spdif output ( Nexus-S) and the Twinhan is capable of HDTV. The Sats are free my friend and there are many Sports feeds to be found as well as PBS HDTV ...News feeds

Interesting plugins are available also.
 
Originally posted by: ultravox
What you do is get a DVB/sat tuner-card for your PC, a 33" dish and motor and run that into the TV. Some have spdif output ( Nexus-S) and the Twinhan is capable of HDTV. The Sats are free my friend and there are many Sports feeds to be found as well as PBS HDTV ...News feeds
Interesting plugins are available also.
Click to expand...


Why are you talking Dish? This is a "CABLE CARD" Thread!
 
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