Today Microsoft made public their intensions to support
Switched Digital Video (SDV) within Windows Media Center. While details are limited, Charlie Nilsson,
Program Manager for the NetOps TV Team at Microsoft posted on The Green
Button about the issue.
Charlie says “We [Microsoft] are working to enable support
for the CableLabs SDV Tuning Adaptor for Windows Media Center Digital Cable
Tuners, ensuring that Windows Media Center users will be able to access
switched content.”
As I’ve said many times the current
Tuning Adaptor specs offers no way for Microsoft to cleanly support SDV
without new CableCARD tuners that offer the correct USB port configuration. Some (mainly Ben at EngadgetHD) have argued that
Microsoft can just use a USB port on the PC to accomplish this, however without
CableLabs changing the specs it cannot happen.
Given Microsoft’s plans for Tuning Adaptor support are still
in their infancy, I wouldn’t expect much else to come for several months. This issue will require a few changes
including a software update for Media Center, a specification rewrite from
CableLabs, and possibly new CableCARD Tuners if CableLabs isn’t redoing the
specs for such a solution.
Maybe, just maybe I'll be wrong about this and everyone can have working SDV within Media Center! Being wrong isn't so bad when good comes out of it.
Cross Posted from Chris Lanier's Blog at
http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/