HDTV CableCard
Look thorough the specifications list of many of the current
crop of HDTVs and you will see the term CableCard listed on many
of them, but what is HDTV CableCard?
Quite simply, it's a very elegant method of receiving HDTV from
a cable provider. Instead of supplying you with a set-top box to
receive and decode its HDTV transmission, the cable supplier
gives you an HDTV CableCard which simply slots into your TV. The
card decodes the channels that your subscription allows your
receiver or integrated HDTV does the rest.
The advantage is that an HDTV CableCard takes up much less room
than a set-top box, doesn't need its own power supply, and
reduces the number of cables you need for cable HDTV. Another
advantage is that if you move house and have to switch
providers, you don't need to learn how to use a brand new
set-top box. You just relinquish your existing card and get a
new one from your new provider, everything else stays the same.
Perhaps the biggest advantage of HDTV CableCard is in the
picture quality. Cable companies are not known for the high
quality of the components they put into set-top boxes. Most
consumers can't tell the difference between a decent picture and
a very good one. So cable companies tend to go for features
rather than quality. With CableCard your equipment - the HDTV
tuner or integrated HDTV does the scaling and display, so you
choose how good the image quality is. If it matters to you, you
can buy a good tuner or integrated TV and benefit from better
scaling and display.
The disadvantage of HDTv CableCard is that it is currently
one-way, so cable services which require interaction, such as
pay-per-view, on-demand services, sports season tickets and
program guides don't work. For those you'll still need a set-top
box.
A two-way version of CableCard is currently in development.