Cable card, STB, etc.

[pseudocajun]

I am having a digital media center built, but am not sure what the best solution is for receiving and viewing HD programs.

1. I called Comcast and there is a cable card available for $16.00, but they must install it into the unit. What type of module do I need for the cable card to plug into? Is this the wisest option?

2. Is a worst case scenario being the use of the STB in conjunction with the Digital Media Center? Can the digital cable out from the STB be connected to the 'in' position on the digital media center then out to the A/V receiver?

3. If the above is 'doable,' will this get around the current issue of viewing HD, On-Demand, and require the use of the Media Center Remote as well as the STB remote?

Please advise.

Many thanks in advance,

Troy

 

[MDS]

Is that $16 a one time fee or a monthly rental? If monthly, that is outrageous. Time Warner was renting cable cards for $1.48 per month and will increase it next year to $3.48 - still a LONG way from $16.

To use cablecard your tv must have a cablecard slot. The idea is that you then don't need a STB. The negative of a cable card is that they are currently one-way. You can't get video on demand or ppv and you can't get the cable company's electronic program guide (you can often get a substitute guide from TV Guide or the like). STB is still the way to go, IMO.

What kind of Digital Media Center? If your cable box has optical or coax digital outs you should be able to connect the cable box to the dmc without issue. Most of us have digital connections from our stb to our receiver. Mine has worked flawlessly for the last 5 years.

Depending on where you live, you may have trouble with Comcast. I'm originally from FL and Comcast there is pathetic! It took my sister several months to get a stb with a digital out. Where she lives they are still using the first generation Motorola box that has only composite video and analog audio for the majority of customers.