Anyone Still using the ATI Digital Cable Tuners?

[sonofsmog]

I have two HTPC's one running two ATI DCT's and another running one.

I had held off buying the most recent two after it was announced a few years back that Verizon was going to be going to upgrading to simulcrupt in some of it's makets and the tuners would no longer work.

Well this never came to be in my market, and when I saw a ebay listing for 15+ brand new tuners at 12 bucks a piece SHIPPED I just had to jump on it.

$24 bucks later I had the two tuners up and working fine with $4 buck a month cable cards.

By my calculations even with the price drops it would still take 16 months of paying 12 bucks of month for four cable cards + the $48 bucks for the 4 ATI DCT's to reach the cost of a four tuner InfiniTV with no card.

I haven't ever had a problem with the tuners. Anyone else still going this route?

[richard1980]

If the CableCARDs are $4 per month, it takes 12.58 months to break even.

$199 - $48 = $151
$151 / ($16 - $4) = 12.58

Personally I wouldn't recommend the 4 DCT suggestion to anyone for two reasons:

1. It's not the cost effective choice.
2. 4 DCTs require 4 TAs. 1 InfiniTV requires 1 TA.

However, if a person only wants one tuner, that's a heck of a deal.

[Tracer]

Sounds like a great deal for someone still on the fence to move a Digital Cable Tuner and not ready or don't have a need for a 4 tuner DVR.

[Scallica]

Keep in mind if Verizon does implement simulcrypt in your area, your ATI tuners will become paper weights.

[sonofsmog]

If the CableCARDs are $4 per month, it takes 12.58 months to break even.

$199 - $48 = $151
$151 / ($16 - $4) = 12.58

Personally I wouldn't recommend the 4 DCT suggestion to anyone for two reasons:

1. It's not the cost effective choice.
2. 4 DCTs require 4 TAs. 1 InfiniTV requires 1 TA.

However, if a person only wants one tuner, that's a heck of a deal.

Well for me I already HAD two ATI DCT's. So I really only spent $24 bucks more. I am not sure what TA stands for (Terminal Adapter?) but the cabling was trivial. After 12 months I will probably switch to something else anyhow, but probably hang on to the DCT's for backup since I have REALLY never had any problem with them what so ever.

[sonofsmog]

Keep in mind if Verizon does implement simulcrypt in your area, your ATI tuners will become paper weights.

I wasted a year of multi-tuner goodness waiting for that shoe to drop. If it does I will just turn around and sell them to someone not on Verizon.

[richard1980]

TA = Tuning Adapter. It's used for Switched Digital Video (SDV) markets....which as I understand, FiOS doesn't use, so it doesn't apply to FiOS customers.

[mattiedread]

I have two Digital TV Wonders running on Vista 32 Box. I have no Tuning Adaptor on those lines, however iO (CableVision) only has a handful of SDV channels. The tuners work fine.

I also just put an infiniTV IV on a new Win7 box with a TA. I literally just hooked it up two days ago and haven't had a chance to perform too many tests, although I can simultaneously tune 4HD channels. I am also experiencing that 'dark line' problem I've seen discussed somewhere on this board... I have never had that problem with the ATI tuners.

Does anyone know if there is a fix coming for that problem? I recall reading that erkotz had replicated the problem. I haven't really tested at all (re-wind and see if it is consistent). It is annoying and I'd love to find a solution. I'm getting it on any HD channel (not just premiums as I've seen reported, it occurred on TNT). Again, I haven't had much time to test.

[rjairam]

I have two ATI DCTs on two PCs. They're used for two reasons - backup for my InfiniTV and the ability to watch live TV on those PCs.

Plus I have two single stream CableCARDs that I bought in 2007 for use with my Series 3 TiVo which I don't have anymore. Since I bought them I can't return them to the cable company and they're essentially "rent free" I thought I'd put them to use.