Microsoft has officially released a Windows Update for ATI DCT that allows for Media Center recordings with relaxed DRM. The new firmware update also now supports switched digital video (SDV).

You will now be able to record all Copy Freely-tagged without the hassles of DRM, so it can be moved between PCs, converted to other formats, etc.

Also, with the previous release of the Digital Cable Advisor Tool, your 7MC-equipped HTPC can use the OEM-supplied ATI DCTs with this updated firmware without any of the older complicated hacks that were once required.

So, if you just can’t wait for the Ceton CableCards to make it to the shelves next year, this may be a good time to grab an inexpensive ATI DCT from eBay before this drives the prices higher!

I didn’t see anything when I got home from work, but when my wife came in, I heard her yell, “You have a package!”, and I knew what it was.

I only opened the box it came in and took a quick snapshot of it, but hopefully I’ll get a chance to install TV Pack and get it hooked up for a run this weekend.

As I posted last week, I’ll be testing this out with the new software from DVBLogic called DVBLink for HDPVR.  This software allows VMC and 7MC to use the Hauppauge HD-VPR 1212 as a tuner.

Stay tuned!

The Media Center news front may not be slow right now, but I’d never know as I’ve been too busy over the holidays to notice.  I did come across one tidbit over at Chris Lanier’s Blog that really got me excited, however.  There is a little evidence to support that Dish Network is flirting with the possibility of filling in where DirecTV failed and provide us with a tuner card.  I do not have my hopes riding on this, but it would truly be awesome if it happens.  Chris has all I could find on his blog, so I’ll just ping it.  Read the article here.

Also,  I’ve really slacked on my promises of video plugins.  I plan on resuming that very soon, so be sure to check back!

DirecTV’s CTO Romulo Pontual has confirmed that the much anticipated DirecTV HDPC-20 tuner for Media Center usage (primarily tested with Windows 7) is not to be.  In an email to Ed Bott of ZDNet, Pontual squashed all hope by saying,

“DIRECTV has suspended the development of the HDPC-20 tuner project that was designed to integrate DIRECTV service into Windows Media Center after assessing the impact of missing the August 2008 release of Windows Media Center update and considering timing of the next release.

Both DIRECTV and Microsoft understand the desirability of offering consumers an all encompassing DIRECTV programming solution via Windows-based PCs. We are continuing to explore ways to integrate DIRECTV service with Windows-based PCs in the future.

The HDPC-20 tuner that appears on the driver list of a pre-Beta build of Windows 7 is an artifact that was listed prior to the decision to suspend the tuner project. As our plans progress toward a Windows Media Center-compatible product, we will make an announcement at the appropriate time.”

This doesn’t suck for me since I have DishNetwork, but I have a feeling that everyone will feel the impact of this at some point or another.  It just appears that no one outside the hardcore (albeit relatively small) HTPC community really cares about what should be considered very standard operation.  Even Microsoft included drivers and playback support for this device and they have been notorious in dragging their feet when it comes to Media Center compatibility.

I realize that Pontual says that development is being suspended, but we’re not idiots.  This project is deader than dinosaurs.  Whether you’re a DirecTV user or not, what do you think about this move and how do you think it will affect Media Center down the road?

It’s just really quiet on the HTPC front…for me anyway.  I’m sure there’s plenty going on, but it either doesn’t interest me or I’m too lazy/busy to get involved with it.  I haven’t completely wasted my time though – I did upgrade to Wordpress 2.5.1 today…finally.

I’ve been unable to compile any of the source on the OML site since initially getting it to work, so that’s been a dead issue for me as of late.  I continue to try out Movie Collector MCE (from Collectorz.com) since they put an update, but it still didn’t fix the linking of files for me.  I’m giving up on it so there will be no more news on that front.  I don’t like the fact that you can’t share databases between separate systems anyway.

My old media server had a failed hard drive a couple days ago.  It’s currently still rebuilding and I’m not quite sure what I want to do with it at this point.  I’d really like to use that drive space in my unRAID server, so I might actually decommission them until I can afford a port multipler capable 2-port SATA card a 5-bay PM external enclosure.  I don’t necessarily have to go with all 1TB drives…I can upgrade the 500GB drives later if I want anyway.  I think I’ll just do that.  The NetCell card is slow as hell anyway.

I also found out a week or two ago that the addition of Disney, TLC, A&E, AMC and the Science HD channels were all short-lived as they all disappeared from my HDHomeRun.  That really sucks.  They all worked for a week or so, but I guess they were just testing something and they became unencrypted.  Oh well and so it goes…

Finally, Vista4Cast and Extended4Cast are both back in action after some usage rights issues with Weather.com were resolved.  If you need a weather application for Vista Media Center, then those are what you want.  Registration with their forum is required for download.