Vista Media Center Plus CableCard Equals No TV

notthatwillsmith writes "ATI's internal CableCard readers are finally available, and Maximum PC got hands-on time with a couple of Vista-powered systems built using the FCC-mandated technology. The short version? It doesn't work. From the article: 'The tech told me he'd receive training direct from Microsoft, but none of it covered internal tuners. We both agreed that the process should be the same, since the only difference is that the slots are inside the case, versus in an external box. The tech then proceeds to install the CableCards, connect the tuners to coax line, fire up the PC, and begin the software configuration. This step involves activating the TV Wonder with a product-activation code, and calling the Comcast office to exchange some information. We should have had a picture at this point, but we didn't.'"

Comments

Re:Stop the presses!

[Reality Master 101]

Wait, something in Windows ... gasp ... doesnt work!?!

I know this was intended to just be a funny dig (if you define "bash microsoft" as "hysterically funny", of course), but I have a hell of a lot more success installing binary software in Windows that "just works" than Linux, which regularly suffers from Library Hell.

M$ is the common problem.

[twitter]

That they were tested before they left the shop is why they didn't work in the field! You can't just move a CableCard from one device to another. ... It makes you wonder whether the "flakiness" reputation actually originated from people performing such testing

First they did not test enough, now someone tells me the test itself broke the card. It's this kind of run around that makes me happy I don't waste money on non free software.

I'm sure the cable people did exactly as they were instructed and the conversation points back to M$. Both M$ techs and product managers know they have problems with all of these cards. That tells me that there's a problem with the consumer side software or the implementation itself. It's unlikely everyone else screwed up. One of the cards had even been "qualified," whatever that means, by M$ themselves.