Harrypr

I was wondering if anyone has any updated info on Sony's 250GB DHG HDD200 DVR concerning its EPG, electonic program guide. Is it the TV Guide software that Comcast uses, or something completely different? The software Sony provides may have a significant impact on whether consumers like me choose this model over its competitors. Since there is still no HD Cablecard Tivo announced, I'll be turning elsewhere. I was very surprized that the new Humax Tivo's announced for later this year aren't going to include cablecard slots and HD capabilites. Besides the Direct HD Tivo unit, it seems to me that Tivo has fallen way behind its competitors in the high def market. Another recently announced cablecard model, the 160GB Mitsubishi HD6000 clearly states that it uses the TV Guide software, so as of right now, the Sony definitely has my attention. Offloading to DVD or DVHS isn't significantly important to me, as 25 hrs of high def storage will be fine for my needs. Spoiled by Tivo, The software is what will sell me the most on a new HD cablecard DVR. Thanks, Harrry

57U

I think you're confused. CableCard (a little like a PCMCIA card) will only allow you view Cable on your CableCard equiped TV. For now, the CableCard technology is even only one way, not allowing PPV, IPGs, etc. Very basic, but I'm sure it will change.

It's very doubtful that an HDDVR will be anything other than a STB though. CableCard simply is too small for a HDD and all the other stuff that goes in a HDDVR. Have you seen the size of the SA8000HD? It's huge.

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

robnix

Cablecard from what I understand is designed with STB devices in mind. It's really not much more that a plug and play security module that will allow for competition in the convertor market. Guides of course, will depend on the STB.

Good article on it here:

http://www.wirelessweek.com/article...type=stockwatch

57U

Thanks for the clarification. I actually realized after I logged off the site, that STBs could also make use of CableCard...

Other than the competition you mentioned, I don't see much advantage when compared to a stand-alone STB, especially a DVR.

I actually see a significant disadvantage - Many of these newer STBs require a significant amount of "debugging" by the Cable company to ensure it works. I can just imagine what a "mess" this could lead to when many different STBs are "allowed" by the Cable Co.

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

Harrypr

If Sony uses a more "user friendly" type software, similar to tivo or replaytv, I think that will give them a edge. I personally don't care about PayPerView, so that's not a problem for me. The Sony would record at least 25 hrs of High Def or 250 hrs of SD channels (or a mix of both), which is a huge selling point, certainly better than the 7 hrs of High Def my Comcast DCT 6208 records. I'll post when I get more specifics on the Sony models. Harry

57U

There are other models of the Motorola in the works. See the following:

6208 - one tuner, 80 GB HDD
6412 - two tuners, 120 GB HDD
6416 - two tuners, 160 GB HDD

These units also have a firewire port which will allow connection to external HDD, already announced elsewhere in this forum. The addition of external drives will provide "limitless" recording...

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

robnix

The standards themselves are open, as are the program listings, so the nice thing about these units, especially the DVR units, is that it takes QA and feature design OUT of the cable company's hands. I'd love to see features on these STB/DVR boxes like MP3 playback while watching slideshows, great screensavers, weather reports, quick news updates, etc...

bricko

The cableCard TV is one that does NOT need a STB of any kind. The CableCard is inserted in a slot on the TV and this lets the cable co. know what level of service you have paid for and you then NO LONGER need the Set Top Box at all. The descrambler is built in the TV. It can then receive standard digital channels and subscription channels such as HBO etc. if you have purchased that level of service.

Sony has just released some of their new sets with the CableCard slot and DVR built in the projection TV. So no box at all is needed for anything.

57U

Would you please provide a link for a TV that has CableCard and DVR built in. CableCard certainly doesn't and won't for a long time until we have some super-miniaturization of hard disk drives.

There are some Cable companies that will be offering "network DVR" service, but that would require two-way communication with the CableCard and that's not even available yet.

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.

smcallah

Why would you need to put the HDD on the CableCard? That makes no sense.

CableCard is simply a card that you lease from the cable company and they program to the channels you are paying for. Such as they do with the STB's they now lease.

In essence, the CableCard they lease to you will make ANY CableCard device an "STB" of your own. No, you can't do pay-per-view and other 2-way things, but you can certainly do a DVR as long as the DVR is providing a guide.

There is NO reason that the CableCard itself would ever need the HDD for a DVR built into it, that is not the point of CableCard. The point of CableCard is to allow you to own your own "STB" whether that is an HDTV with a CableCard slot or a DVR with a CableCard slot.

bricko

No the Hard Drive is not on the card. The cards are essentially the same as the cards in Direct and Dish converters. (although our new Moto 6212 STB with 120Gb HD and HD converter has a slot for a card also) dont know why since they know what the address is without the card. Maybe for future use or use when 2 way cards hit.

I think they are EPROMS that are programmed by the provider to identify you and the level of service you have paid for. It sort of your "get out of jail free" card...so to speak, once you pay that is.

Here is the link to the LG model (TU 60SZ30 ) with the Digital Ready Cable capability with a DVR built into the 60 inch RPTV....

http://www.1-877camcorder.com/tu60sz30.html

I cant find the links to the Sony's , I may have misread...sorry. Some manufacturers may be using the term Digita Ready Cable to mean cablecard ready also. If they are Digital cable ready they have to be able to descramble the digital signal internally.

57U

"Built-in DVR".

Well, I'll be damned...

http://www.globeinvestor.com/servle...06_2322_1068869

__________________
57U - Toronto, Rogers Cable, SA8300HD, 500GB HDD & Hitachi 61UWX10B HDTV, Yamaha RX-V1 A/V Receiver, Martin Logan Speakers. Photos --> 57U's HT

SA8300HD, 250GB HDD & KDL40W3000 (Upstairs)

Please don't PM me with questions that can (and should) be asked in the forum, thanks. Personal Question? Fire away.