STB vs CableCards

[bitsybee]

Comcast is recommending I use their HD digital receiver box rather than CableCards with my Tivo Series3. From reading three hours worth of postings in various forums I realize that is I use CableCards I will lose pay per view and OnDemand capability. My questions:

1. What is the difference between using cablecards vs. a Comcast HD digital receiver?

2. Will I need 2 Comcast boxes since the Tivo Series3 is a dual receiver?

[JoN8282]

i dont have comcast, but from what i understand the comcast hd dvr is dual tuner, the same as tivo.

also, on cablevision, the picture quality on the tivo is much higher for sd channels, and slightly better for hd channels.

i'd go with the series 3 - comcast recommending their own box is a very one sided recommendation, the only benefit is theirs - it makes your bill go higher, you can order extras such as PPV and On Demand - and it makes their support for your account easier.

[btl-a4]

Series 3 will not work with an exteranl cable box. You can use either:

1.) Regular Anttenae in (no cablecard needed)

2.) Analog Cable (no cablecard needed)

3.) Digital Cable (cablecard required for encrypted channels)

Remember an chimpanzee throwing darts at the dictionary is more likely to give you a correct, coherent answer than an comcast representative.

[ionblue]

Just an FYI, according to a BHN rep here in Florida, 2-way cable cards will be out the first half of the year. Who knows what other problems this may cause, but at least it's something to look forward to. Hopefully Comcast will be using them as well.

[maharg18]

Just an FYI, according to a BHN rep here in Florida, 2-way cable cards will be out the first half of the year. Who knows what other problems this may cause, but at least it's something to look forward to. Hopefully Comcast will be using them as well.

2-way cards will NOT be compatible with the series 3, though.

[aaronwt]

I got one of the Comcast HD boxes to use with my main TV just so I would have the option of using HD On demand. I don't think they are charging me a rental fee(at least there isn't a charge on my first bill) so the box was basically free. It's nice to have just in case I want to watch something from On demand but I'm sure I'll rarely use it. Most of my viewing will be from my three S3 boxes.

[ionblue]

2-way cards will NOT be compatible with the series 3, though.

Well that figures.....

[DeathRider]

2-way cards will NOT be compatible with the series 3, though.

So, I won't be able to save my PPV or VOD???

Oh wait...I don't do PPV or VOD :rolleyes:

[QZ1]

Just an FYI, according to a BHN rep here in Florida, 2-way cable cards will be out the first half of the year. Who knows what other problems this may cause, but at least it's something to look forward to. Hopefully Comcast will be using them as well.
And, are any TVs and/or DVRs going to be released that take these CC v.2 CableCards?
Possibly at CES we will hear something?

[Krenath]

[QUOTE=bitsybee]
1. What is the difference between using cablecards vs. a Comcast HD digital receiver?[QUOTE]

Something like the difference between using a nailgun to build a house versus just hitting yourself in the head with a hammer.

Well, maybe my analogy is a little...no...yeah, that's about right.

When I finally got the S3, even though one tuner was refusing to do anything analog at first, I went into one of Comcast's retail locations, plunked their Motorola box on the counter and said "I need two cablecards and for you ro burn this thing and salt the ground where it lay."

They tried to tell me that the plan I had was a grandfathered plan and the box was on the plan and giving the box back now would mean having to get a new plan that might cost more.

I said "I'd gladly pay you $5 a month just to keep this thing away from me."


The Motorola cable box that Comcast provided me is the most miserable excuse for an appliance since electric nosehair trimmers. Its user interface is clumsy and slow and infiuriating to work with because it'll ignore your remote control for minutes on end and then suddenly play back every button press at once, usually accomplishing deleting whatever you're trying to record or fastforwarding to the end of a program just because you wanted to skip a commercial. It's missing most every nice feature that makes the Tivo livable, such as 'record first run only'. You want a 'season pass' to a show, you're getting the whole thing, like it or not.

My only regret concerning the Motorola box is that I didn't decide to purchase it so that they'd permit me to run over it with my car a few times before setting fire to it and dancing naked around it chanting TV themesongs until the flames died down. I think that would really have made me feel somewhat vindicated.

[cramer]

Well that figures.....The Series 3, just like every other "Digital Cable Ready" device on the market, is unidirectional. It's the receiver that has to have transmitter logic in it. All cableCARD(tm)s are bidirectional. (and they always have been.)

I know it's sadly disappointing. But keep in mind the S3 hardware design is about 2 years old. Remember, it takes time to design these things and even longer to get it certified by CableLabs. (It's actually older than the S2-DT, which is why it has features the S3 doesn't -- like spilt tuner operation.)

[cramer]

...Its user interface is clumsy and slow and infiuriating to work with because it'll ignore your remote control for minutes on end and then suddenly play back every button press at once...Hah. Funny, my S1 DTivo's do that. Sometimes it gets busy and doesn't give the UI any CPU time.

And, btw, comcast is (reportedly) putting tivo software on those moto boxes later this year.

[btl-a4]

KrenathI said "I'd gladly pay you $5 a month just to keep this thing away from me."

ROFL