Re: record digital TV without "digital cable ready" PC?
- From: Barb Bowman <barb@xxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:18:50 -0500
The original poster has gotten in touch with the right person at
Dell. The issue is that for some reason Dell is suddenly claiming
that they don't officially support OCUR/DCT on x64. So the two
machines shipped (including the replacement) didn't have OCUR
support enabled in the BIOS. Dell is going to help their customer
enable DCT support, but at this point, they won't "officially"
support it. I have escalated to the right person inside Microsoft as
well.
On Thu, 8 Jan 2009 07:51:00 -0800, "Curious" <mailmenot@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Karl,--
I post my post above before I saw and read your most recent post.
Barb is the expert on cable card and She will probably correct that my
following hypothesis is correct.
AFAIK systems with Vista MC TV pack can configure a cable card tuner without
the separate cable card key.
If this is true then the error you received from MC saying your system was
not cable card ready was caused by the fact that did not have a card
installed in the tuner yet and you do not have a separate clear QAM capable
tuner.
"Curious" <mailmenot@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eHqzKPacJHA.2132@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It sounds like your Vista OS includes VMC TV-Pack which includes digital
cable support which means that it supports a ClearQAM tuner and/or a cable
card tuner.
However, that does not mean that the system configuration itself includes
a cable card tuner check your actual order invoice to see what physical
components were ordered and included with the system.
<kar13@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:8f419b84-eb0d-462a-9d77-c6a657eb42f3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Dec 31 2008, 4:26 am, Barb Bowman <b...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dell's fact sheet on the 430 states
"XPS 430Intel® Core?2 Q8200 Quad-Core (4MB L2 cache,2.33GHz,1333FSB)
Specifications - XPS 430
Operating SystemGenuine Windows Vista? Home Premium w/DigitalCable
Support, 64-bit"
so it sounds like you should get what you need.
On Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:42:45 -0800 (PST), ka...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Dec 28, 11:42 am, "Curious" <mailme...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Since MC does not currently support clear QAMdigitalchannels you can
not
use your ATI tuner for anydigitalchannels without leasing a cable card
from your cable company. Most cable companies encrypt alldigital
channels(100+) not just the premium ones with the exception of the
local
ones which you can receive with an antenna and just a plain HDTV tuner
card
in your PC.<ka...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:abd3a525-7c22-45b8-a4d3-392755bd9d93@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Dec 27, 2:20 pm, "Curious" <mailme...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Did you have your cable company come out and install as cable card
in the
slot in your ATI tuner?
When you say you can get SD channels are your referring to SD analog
channels or to SDdigitalchannels or both?
Is it possible that you are trying to receive HD channel 2 by
selecting
channel 2 which would give you analog channel 2 instead of your
cable
companies channel number fordigitalchannel 2? For example with my
cable
company I have to select channel 702 to get CBSdigitalchannel 2.
"kar13" <ka...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:77A33919-7899-412E-A45D-93B3ACD8D695@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi,
I just purchased a Dell XPS 420 (with ATITVWonderDigitalCable
Tuner)
under the assumption that I could use Media Center torecordTV,
including
the HD versions of my local news. I am able to get standard def
channels,
it
appears, andrecordthem to the PC. Going through the setup, I
received
a
message in Media Center that my computer "is notdigitalcable
ready"
and
I
"will not be able to use a CableCard" with this computer.
I am very annoyed that Dell would sell me the ATI tuner and not
inform
me
that the PC selected was notdigitalcable ready. However, I only
subscribe
to Comcast standard cable... nodigitalpackages, no HD... so am I
right
to
assume that a "digitalcable ready" computer would not benefit me
anyway?
When the transition happens in Feb, will I still be able to
receive my
current channels via the ATI tuner/PC set up as I do now?
What is the benefit of a "digitalcable ready" PC, *really*?
My intent for this computer set up was to be able
torecordTVprograms
digitally, and do away with VHS recording. I'm hoping to use
certain
recordings in the classroom for educational lessons (burned on
DVD)
Dell has a 21 day return policy. My 21 days expire in 2 days
(12/29)
Should
I return this XPS unit and order one that's "digitalcable read" or
is
that
overkill given my current Comcast subscription and intended use
for the
system?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Curious,
I do not have a cable card installed. I thought the cable card was
only necessary for premium channels (HBO, etc) I do not have premium
cable through Comcast. I am simply trying to get local news, and
possibley CNN or History channel, indigital, or HD. I'm not sure
what's possible without a premiumdigitalcable subscription. Through
my ATI tuner, I am able to get channels up to around 100. That means
they are all analog, right? When I try to get channel 231, which is
WPVI-DT (digitalversion of my local station, I assume) I get this
message: "Cannot play program. Channel may not be supported...."
Perhaps I have my intentions wrong. I was thinking that if I could get
adigitalsignal, I couldrecorditems from my local channels, and
other non-premium channels, in better quality than what I get on a VHS
recording. Am I wrong in that thinking?
With nodigitalcable package from Comcast, am I not able to receive
any kind of better quality (SDdigitalor HD) signal? Is it a
limitation of Media Center? I've read posts of people using Hauppage
tuners and they get QAM (which I believe is a better picture than SD
digitalor analog, right?) I've read conflicting reports of MC not
supporting QAM. What's the truth?
Do I even need "digitalcable ready" functionality within Vista? How
are people recordingdigitaltvnow - without that functionality?
When thedigitaltransition happens in Feb, will everyone then need
"digitalcable ready" OS functionality?- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Thanks for all the responses. It was very helpful. I packed up the
XPS420 and sent it back today. Once I got routed to the correct
person, Dell was pretty nice about returning the box and ordering me a
new one. However, when I called back a day later just to triple check
that I am getting the "digitalcable ready" version this time, I
learned that the Dell tech ordered me an XPS 430 instead of the 420. I
certainly questioned the woman I had on the phone to be certain it
would be "digitalcable ready" and would work with the ATI tuner that
I have (I previously purchased the tuner with the 420, but was told to
only return the CPU)
So now I'm wondering what new problems may lay ahead for me! I told
the guy I wanted the exact same computer, butdigitalcable ready. I
went through the options list with him 3 times and never once did he
tell me he switched to the 430. I know it's the newer model (faster
RAM and bigger hard drive) so I'm not totally disappointed, but it
just makes me wonder.
I'll post another update once I receive the new system and test it
out.
Thanks again for the help. Happy New Year.
--
Barb Bowman
MS-MVPhttp://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspxhttp://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/http://digitalmediaphile.wordpress.com-
Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
Well, I received my new Dell XPS430 today.
First thing I did was look on the back of the machine for the extra
"digital cable ready" key #. Nothing. I only have the same sticker as
the old machine, listing the Microsoft Vista key. After going through
the Windows Media Center set up, I still get the same message when I
try to go through Settings > Set up TV signal: "Your computer is not
digital cable ready. You will not be able to use it with a CableCard."
I called Dell support. I explained that this is the 2md computer and I
ordered it over the phone so I could explicitly order the new system
with DCR set up. This new support guy ran through the same
troubleshooting steps (trying to reconfigure Media Center) I told him
that last time, I was told the computer needed some special BIOS key
set at the factory. He assurred me that my XPS430 computer was totally
ready and capable of working with digital cable. (When I look at my
computer properties, it lists Windows Vista Premium 64 bit. No mention
of Digital Cable Ready)
He told me to make an appointment with my cable company to get the
cable card... and that I will also need a digital cable box as well.
Is that really it?? I need a digital cable box? The error message I
receive in MC says "your computer is not digital cable ready" so to
me, that sounds like a deficiency in my computer's set up, not the
cable set up. Am I crazy? Is it an issue with having a 64-bit OS? Am I
simply lacking a digital cable box?
I have an appt with Comcast on Saturday morning. I have my fingers
crossed that this will fix the problem, but I won't hold my breath.
Any insights?
Barb Bowman
MS-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
http://digitalmediaphile.wordpress.com
.
- References:
- Re: record digital TV without "digital cable ready" PC?
- From: kar13
- Re: record digital TV without "digital cable ready" PC?
- From: Curious
- Re: record digital TV without "digital cable ready" PC?
- From: Curious
- Re: record digital TV without "digital cable ready" PC?
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