The Microsoft Word of the Day: CableCARD
This evening at the CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) trade show, Microsoft’s big announce was support for CableCARD in non-OEM Windows 7 systems. This is big news for enthusiasts as the only way to get it before was through a new purchase or a hack that wasn’t quite on the up and up.
Microsoft now supports Switched Digital Video (SDV) in Windows Media Center for Windows 7. In conjunction with a device known as a tuning adapter, supplied by a customer’s cable provider, Windows Media Center and a digital cable tuner with CableCARD will be able to tune to SDV channels. Customers can enjoy SDV broadcasts on PCs running Windows Media Center in Windows 7 and a digital cable tuner with CableCARD.
A new tool will be provided by Microsoft that assesses the a Windows 7 PC’s ability to support CableCARD. This tool will analyze the PC and enable digital cable support if the PC meets requirements, opening digital cable options to Windows Media Center customers across the country.
The other interesting thing announced was a technology preview of the new Multi-Channel Cable TV Card from Ceton Corp., which enables PCs with Windows Media Center to play or record multiple live channels of premium HDTV at once, and stream live HD channels or recordings to multiple TV sets throughout the home, all with a single CableCARD. One card recording up to 6 HD channels simultaneously. Seems like huge news to me!
Still on the hunt for extender news but none announced.