Microsoft Teams with CableLabs to Get HDTV onto the PC for Holiday 2006

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2005-11-16T181155Z_01_FLE665498_RTRUKOC_0_US-MICROSOFT-TELEVISION.xml' target='_blank'>http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2005-11-16T181155Z_01_FLE665498_RTRUKOC_0_US-MICROSOFT-TELEVISION.xml</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Microsoft Corp. said on Wednesday it is teaming up with cable companies to make it easy for consumers to watch high-definition cable television programs through their PCs, Xbox 360 video-game consoles and other computer devices. Microsoft, the world's largest software developer, on Wednesday said it is working on plug-and-play technology with CableLabs, an industry research group that sets standards for cable TV, data and phone services. Microsoft and CableLabs will develop PCs that can easily accept digital cable cards -- devices that perform the same functions as set-top boxes, but are small enough to plug into slots built in TVs, computers and other home electronics devices."</i><br /><br />Well here's some good news for once! We've been screaming for HDTV on Windows Media Center Edition PCs since they first came out, and this is the first concrete announcement with a release date that I've seen. Holiday 2006 seems like a long time to wait, but I'm not surprised because support for all of the DRM likely also requires Vista, and a few hardware technologies. It's a bit depressing though to know that neither of my less-than-a-year-old TVs will unlikely be able to take advantage of it. The number of people willing to go out and buy new LCD monitors or TVs just to get HDTV on their PC is going to be small. Let's hope I'm wrong and Microsoft hasn't badly miscalculated.

[Felix Torres]

It's a bit depressing though to know that neither of my less-than-a-year-old TVs will unlikely be able to take advantage of it. The number of people willing to go out and buy new LCD monitors or TVs just to get HDTV on their PC is going to be small. Let's hope I'm wrong and Microsoft hasn't badly miscalculated.

Huh? What is the concern?
HDCP?

That is hardly a problem...
Worst case scenario, you'd need a splitter box...

And, in this case, the DRM to be used is Microsoft's so the restrictions will likely be the same that exist today under MS-PVR. Annoying but not deal-breakers.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,123567,00.asp

[Jason Dunn]

Huh? What is the concern? HDCP? That is hardly a problem...Worst case scenario, you'd need a splitter box...And, in this case, the DRM to be used is Microsoft's so the restrictions will likely be the same that exist today under MS-PVR. Annoying but not deal-breakers.

Yeah, I was concerned that they'd be requiring the display connected to the MCE to have a protected path. Since that doesn't seem to be the case based on what you're saying, that's good news. :D

[Felix Torres]

Huh? What is the concern? HDCP? That is hardly a problem...Worst case scenario, you'd need a splitter box...And, in this case, the DRM to be used is Microsoft's so the restrictions will likely be the same that exist today under MS-PVR. Annoying but not deal-breakers.

Yeah, I was concerned that they'd be requiring the display connected to the MCE to have a protected path. Since that doesn't seem to be the case based on what you're saying, that's good news. :D

Well, I don't *know* that they won't do protected path.
But nobody has yet said they will, either.
All they've said is that CableLabs has signed off on the *existing* DRM regime, no?

I just think its too early to start worrying until the new HD Media Centers are out and explicitly insist on HDCP-capable displays. ;-)