Microsoft and DirecTV

[Ilya]

At CES-2006 Microsoft has just announced a broad agreement with DIRECTV Inc. that will open up new ways for consumers to enjoy their digital media in the networked home and on portable devices. Microsoft and DIRECTV will work together to enable digital content to flow between Windows-based PCs, DIRECTV devices, PlaysForSure™-based portable media devices and Xbox 360.

See the Microsoft's Press Release for details.

 

[Brewer4]

Any idea if a cable card type device will be made for the Media Center? I've been experimenting with my Media Center and the only thing missing now is the ability to record Directv HD national channels. I get my OTA and SD stuff captured but I would sure love a direct digital capture instead of a tuner box.

 

[Ilya]

Yes, I believe it was shown yesterday at the Keynote too.

 

[Ilya]

Any idea if a cable card type device will be made for the Media Center?

Check out this PR: Niveus Media Centers to begin shipping with CableCARD in 2006

 

[rtt2]

Microsoft Announces CableCARD Support
Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Wed Nov 16, '05 05:06 PM
from the if-you-yell-loud-enough-and-long-enough dept.
Microsoft Media
Thomas Hawk writes "Microsoft and CableLabs announced today that they have reached agreement that will allow digital cable ready CableCARD supported Media Center PCs to ship by the Holiday Season next year. Lack of premium HDTV cable or satellite support was frequently cited as one of the largest weaknesses of the Media Center platform. Central to this agreement is the DRM protection scheme developed by Microsoft to protect HDTV cable programming under the OpenCable process."
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/11/16/205230&tid=109&tid=188

 

[Stargazer]

We all know what happened when Dish Network and Microsoft paired up to do the Dishplayer with Webtv and PVR service.

 

[hancox]

We all know what happened when Dish Network and Microsoft paired up to do the Dishplayer with Webtv and PVR service.

Yeah, yeah. But, MCE is a *much* more robust platform, and it's biggest drawback has been it's lack of anything that allows encrypted content. Now, with a combo of a D* tuner and cablecards coming, this could mean freedom from a provider, which would be a welcome change for most of us.