Alienware Won't Sell Consumers CableCard PCs

An anonymous reader writes "Alienware doesn't think CableCard is ready for the mass market. The Dell subsidiary is coming out with some high-end Media Center PCs but won't sell them directly to consumers because the HD-enabling CableCard 'requires the expertise of a reseller and installer.' CableCard was supposed to be the savior for Windows Media Center, which has been held back by its inability to support high-def content. Alienware made its mark selling tricked-out computers to gamers, so it's telling that the company doesn't think its traditional geeky customer can handle CableCard without professional help."

Comments

Re:Um

[the unbeliever]

two seconds on wikipedia yields this link, sir :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_card

Lrn2srch

Blurb is somewhat incorrect

[Erwos]

The blurb makes it sound like MCE is completely incapable of receiving HD content. That's not true at all.

You can actually get HD content into your MCE system already. You've got either OTA HDTV, which is officially supported, or clear QAM (which isn't, but you can do it with HDHomeRuns (via hack)). Clear QAM is going to be officially supported soon, or so goes the current hints from Microsoft.

Of course, that's not going to get you very much compared to CableCard, which is really the problem here. But saying that MCE doesn't support HD just ain't the case.

Re:Dell doesn't want support nightmare

[Kevinv]

I use 2 cable cards in my Tivo Series 3. The cards are from Time Warner. Installer came out, put them in, brought diag info via Tivo menus (or I did that part) called Time Warner, had them activated then left. My premium channels didn't work, I called support they reset the cards and everything started working.

Time Warner requires a site visit (and charges for it) but I thought it totally unnecessary, he didn't do anything difficult.

Disadvantages to cable cards: OnDemand and Pay-Per-View doesn't work (the cards can't report usage back to the cable company ). If your cable system has implemented Switched Video (the channel isn't streamed to you until you request it) cable cards don't work with that either, again because bi-directional communications aren't possible.

Re:Cable card in brief and explanations

[forty7]

It's quite clear from your list of "reasons" that either you've never actually used a CableCARD, or you're a cable company shill.

By way of refutation:

1. Installation only requires your cable company to come out because they say it does. The entire installation procedure consists of:
   1. Insert card.
   2. Call in pairing information. This consists of a couple of numbers found on a screen automatically displayed by your host device.
   Any deviation from those steps is almost certainly due to the incompetence of your cable company.
2. CableCARDs are supported everywhere by every cable company (with a few rare exceptions. The FCC mandates that cable companies (including Verizon for their FIOS service) will provide CableCARDs to any customer who asks for one.
3. Again, this has more to do with the cable company's incompetence that it does with the general bugginess of the CableCARD technology. It's true that the newer M-Cards are known for being more buggy than their older counterparts the S-Cards, but even this is somewhat overexaggerated.

I've been using CableCARDs in various host devices for the past year and a half, and I've never had any trouble with the cards themselves. I've had three separate installation experiences with two different cable companies, and while the most recent experience was an absolute horror story, that was entirely due to the company's screwed-up policies and unknowledgable install techs. The other two installations went perfectly.

Most of the purported "problems" with CableCARDs are cable company FUD, pure and simple. It's true that you lose support for VOD, PPV, and interactive program guide, but for many cable customers, these aren't a problem (especially those whose CableCARDs are installed in third-party DVRs). But it's a huge problem for cable companies, who generate tons of revenue from those features.

Re:Cablecard & professionals

[untaken_name]

Well, in my last apartment, the cable company *required* that a tech come out and install my basic cable service. They said there was no way for me to do it on my own. His ENTIRE visit consisted of plugging (my existing) coax cable into the wall. That's it. He didn't even have to flip any switches outside. Just because something is *required* doesn't mean it's necessary.