As described in my last post about getting HDTV to my Media Center, it’s a definite inconvenience for homebrew projects to get anywhere with HDTV. DirecTV and it’s HDPC-20 tuner seemed like the best solution, but since I’ve heard that the project keeps getting pushed back, and we probably won’t see anything from them until 2009 or 2010–a long time from now.

The other kicker about the DirecTV/satellite-based option is I have finally accepted the fact that I’m just not facing the right way for satellite. Satellite requires you to have a clear view of the southern/south-western sky, and I’m the exact opposite of that. So even if/when DirecTV decides to become the coolest company ever by releasing their Media Center tuner (not OEM, *cough* *cough*), I’ll still be facing the wrong way to even get a signal.

Right now I’m still rolling with good old OTA. It’s classic, it’s digital, but it sucks pretty bad. Granted I am using just a wire for an antenna, there’s rarely anything I ever want to watch on TV. South Park on Comedy Central? Nope. Bill Nye’s new show on Planet Green? Nadda. Local on the 8’s on The Weather Channel? Sadly, nothing.

Now I’m starting to reconsider my options once again, and take a look at the Media Center-ready options that are out there. Since satellite is out of the picture, I won’t be looking at that this time.

OTA

Yes, OTA works with Media Center. I have it, I use it. It ain’t pretty, but it’s there. Too bad Microsoft decided to release the last Media Center update to OEM’s only (give it time–you’ll see a rant on that soon), so I can’t use both my analog (while it’s around) and digital tuners at the same time. I guess I’ll go a little easy on OTA at this point, since it has let me watch the Olympics (but I could use the Media Center app for that anyway).

AT&T U-Verse

If I went the U-Verse route, I’d be demanding some kickback from AT&T on this one. I’ve already got them for internet and cell. I know it’s not their usual 3-in-1 packaged deal, but still..

U-Verse is basically AT&T’s rendition of IPTV. It’s TV over your DSL connection. This option would be a plus, as I’d get a DSL upgrade to a faster speed in the process. Based on the technology, it seems technically viable that a software tuner could be created to support an incoming U-Verse stream (seeing that the hardware boxes are just multicast clients that stream whatever the client requests). Heck, even AT&T’s U-Verse tuners are based on Microsoft’s MediaRoom technology (granted they’re based out of a different division, but it’s still from the same company).

If you had a Media Center, and you had the option to get U-Verse, and the setup basically consisted of plugging your Media Center into your network and away you went, would you use it?

I sure as hell would, and you’d be crazy not to! Unfortunately, it seems that they disagree, and this is not an option. U-Verse on the Media Center is only available via the FrankenCable(TM) setup, where the signal would go to the STB, then to the Media Center, then to the TV. With HDTV, this really isn’t an option, as you’ll run into quality loss and likely some DRM restrictions.

Which is too bad, as this would be a great option.

Cable (again)

I only bring up cable again because this time I have a slight fighting chance for it this time. Recently I purchased a new Dell computer for home use. With this machine I had the option (but didn’t get) the ATi TV tuner. With this tuner, my computer would be ready for a CableCARD. I’d have the option of either using the tuner on my homebrew machine (if it worked), or I’d be upgrading my Media Center with a Dell machine and I’d take the other machine. Even better is the news we’re hearing that CableCARD is wising up and has announced that only content flagged for protection has to be DRM’d (compared to the current policy, where CableCARD DRM’s everything it sees, eats, and breathes).

The catch here–since I didn’t purchase the tuner when I bought the computer, I haven’t seen any place where I can buy it now. It seems like I had my chance, and now I apparently missed it.

If I did a way to get that reader, then cable would definitely be an option. Except I’m not the hugest fan of cable, since they have a bad habit of raising prices at nonspecific intervals. Not a fan enough that I’d go a different route, even if it meant using the FrankenCable(TM) system? Possibly.

In conclusion, it’s a good thing for Microsoft that they have such an enthusiastic fan-base for their Media Center product that people are willing to put up with it’s technical downfalls. Yes, Media Center has made a great addition to my home theater setup, but it’s HDTV setup just isn’t there. Any HDTV setup that is there now (that’s you, CableCARD) is almost prohibitively expensive and so locked down that it’s damn-near impossible to go that route either.

Considering my options, I’ll probably go with the U-Verse option, as IPTV is a cool concept to me. I’ll also probably have to go with the FrankenCable(TM) setup as well, but perhaps I’ll be happily surprised when I do more research about it. But hear this, AT&T, I’ll take my time researching this, and I won’t be able to recommend you with confidence to my other Media Center friends until we see something that’s a bit more unified. I know in the ’90s it was “hip and cool” to have all of those STB’s around your entertainment center. But now it’s 2008. We’re all about thinking green, and the fewer STB’s I have, the better.

~Jaker