CableCard vs. Cable Box

[drfsupercenter]

Hi,

I've been doing some research regarding digital cable options, and am having trouble deciding which method to use.

WideOpenWest offers the basic digital with CableCard for only a few dollars more than we're paying for analog cable - and it comes with all the HD channels they offer for free. No more pesky cable boxes to worry about, all the channels are changed through the TV. Sounds great, right?

Until I was reading some details about them. Apparently they're like PCMIA cards... and there's no way to connect it to my settop DVD recorder. Which means I'd be stuck with the analog channels and local HD (which they now transmit over analog, but it's a digital signal). I'd have to pay a freakin' ton of money to get a TV tuner for my PC that supports CableCard as well.

Cable boxes would be more flexible for recording, as I could just plug it in the computer and use freeware to dump .ts streams, and I think my settop DVD recorder can interface directly with the cable box for scheduling and stuff. The negatives, though, are that you have to use the cable box remote to change channels and they have this incredibly annoying OSD that says the name of the show (you might be able to turn it off, I'm not sure)... and if you have the box set on a certain channel and program the settop to record it later, and someone goes and changes the channel, you're screwed.

What would you guys suggest? To get a cable box costs like $15 more a month, and my parents would probably be less likely to pay for digital basic (oppose to digital value, which is just the standard 100 channels and local HD), but would let me record shows easier... I like the CableCard idea but if I'm gonna be stuck recording only standard definition shows, I'm not so sure.

[doctorhardware]

What cable boxes is your cable company using.

[drfsupercenter]

I don't know.

It's WideOpenWest, a local place. We have one cable box on a TV that has no tuner (old 20 year old Sony one we'll be getting rid of when we get the HDTV)... since it comes with one cable box for free. I can look what brand that is, but chances are it's not the same kind used for HD.

Are some brands of cable boxes better than others?

[doctorhardware]

When I had Comcast, the cable boxes that were used, were Motorola cable boxes. Had the component out, and also had HDMI outputs also.

[drfsupercenter]

I'm sure the ones WOW uses have HDMI... but are some brands better than others? Like, can you turn the on-screen display off so it's not noticeable? I wish HDTVs could interact with cable boxes so even though it's plugged in with HDMI, you'd use the TV's channel tuner... you know what I mean?

[doctorhardware]

But, unfortunately that is not the case. Yes that would be a good feature. Maybe in the next generation of digital boxes that feature will be integrated.

[drfsupercenter]

Well apparently the only reason CableCards exist is because the FCC is trying to stop people from pirating TV. Cable boxes can easily be hacked to the point where if you find one in the garbage you can get free digital cable. CableCards, on the other hand, are specifically programmed with your info and if you give it to someone else it won't work. It's a sort of DRM - but not the kind that sucks, since the point is to watch cable on a TV and it lets you do just that.

So chances are cable boxes won't ever interface with TVs, as the FCC will be pushing CableCards and discouraging people from even using boxes. Honestly, I hate cable boxes. I'd much rather get a CableCard, but WOW will only allow one or the other - either I'd have to use only CableCards or only boxes... I couldn't get a card for my TV and a box for my computer. The CableCard lets you use your TV tuner and is much easier to use... I hate that stupid OSD on cable boxes and the fact that you have a different remote and the TV's tuner would thus be useless.

[copyless]

How about a nice remote like the Harmony 890 or the One? Then you could have only one remote, and also have a system that anyone can use. I know it sure made my life easier, no more calls from my wife all day long asking me how to change the TV to watch this or that.

[drfsupercenter]

I don't really like universal remotes... too many bad experiences with them. They always have buttons that either don't do anything on your TV or buttons from the TV remote that aren't on the universal. And it just causes problems.

As it is there's just two remotes I use normally - TV remote and DVD player remote. Unless you count Wii remote
When we get a PS3 we'll get the remote so it'll replace the DVD player one.

So yeah... I don't really like universal remotes.

[copyless]

I understand, but the remotes I am speaking of can be programmed for activities, so whatever ever you are doing at the time, watching TV, DVD, Sat, the remote will control everything from the screen you are on. My 890 even sends all 51 of the PS2 commands, which are the same commands that the PS3 uses, only in BT. Since my remote only sends IR or RF, I use the IR2BT, which changes the IR signal to BT and I can control my PS3 also.

Like when watching a movie, I use my AV receiver to control the volume, the remote knows this so it changes the volume buttons on it to control the receiver, but I also have two buttons mapped to my TV volume, so on the same page I can control the volume of my TV and receiver.

[doctorhardware]

I believe that the remotes that copyless is talking about is the logitech remotes. The remotes are programmable via a computer. I got to play with one when I worked at best buy. When I save up some extra cash, I want to get one. The remote are completely versatile.

[copyless]

Doc, Yes they are made by Logitech, I have had mine for about 2yrs, and love it. I have several lights throughout my house programmed to it, so when I choose an activity, it will turn on or off whichever lights I prefer at that time. I even have some 92mm fans on my DVR (since it runs pretty hot) that are connected to a controller that the remote turns on when I hit Watch My TV.

The way it works is you set up an activity, Watch TV, Watch DVD, Play Game, etc. Then the remote will send all the commands to all the devices in that activity, to turn on everything needed, even lights. If you choose a different activity it will turn off everything not needed, and on the things that are needed. It remembers the last state of everything that it did. It only maps the buttons to the device that is being used for that activity. For instance, when I watch TV, it turns on my Sat, TV, and the light beside my chair. The channel buttons now operate the Sat, but the volume buttons operate the TV, because this is how I change volume. If I change to Watch DVD, it will change the input on my TV to the correct one, turn off my Sat, and turn on my AV Receiver, and DVD player (it already knows the TV is on), Turn off the light next to my chair, and turn on the light I use to watch movies. On this activity, it maps most of the buttons to the DVD, but the volume buttons are mapped to the AV Receiver, then I have a Volume Up and Down on the screen mapped to the TV, so I can control both volumes.

They are expensive, but I have never regretted buying, not even once since I have owned it. And it has come down in price about $150 dollars or so since I bought mine. But like I mentioned before, it has stopped the 4 or 5 calls a day, I would receive from my wife, mad because she could not figure out how to get the TV on. In case you change something without the remote knowing, it has a help button, when you push it, it will ask a series of yes or no questions, that will put everything in the correct state when answered.

I love electronics and my wife hates everything in the house, because she says I keep everything too complicated for her, but since the Harmony 890, I haven't had to hear a peep from her. Heck, knowing what I know now, and the troubles I went through with her calling everyday, I would pay $1000 for the remote if I had to. That's plain crazy.

[drfsupercenter]

Well, I actually prefer using the original remotes - they're not too complicated for me!

But for my parents who don't know a thing about electronics, it might not be a bad idea.