HDHomeRun Prime Preorders - Finally 1

Posted by JD 05/14/2011 at 19:45

Below is the email that we just received concerning the long promised Silicon Dust HD HomeRun Prime Networked QAM cable recorder with CableCARD decryption. It supports Multistream-CableCARDs (m-cards).

It appears this device will only with with Windows7 Media Center due to DRM requirements for CableCARD compatibility. That could be an issue for many Linux users.

HDHomeRun® PRIME™ News…

You signed up to receive HDHomeRun PRIME news on our website and thought we had forgotten about you? Not at all…
Today’s big news – the HDHomeRun PRIME just became available for pre-order!

HDHomeRun PRIME:

  • Premium digital cable TV for your PCs
  • Triple tuner – watch/record three channels at once from one or multiple computers
  • CableCARD – all the digital cable channels you subscribe to, including HD and premium channels in 100% digital quality
  • Windows 7 Windows Media Center – full featured DVR
  • XBOX 360 – extend Windows 7 Windows Media Center to your big screen through your XBOX 360
  • More information: HDHomeRun PRIME and HDHR3-CC
  • Pre-ordering through NewEgg: HDHomeRun PRIME

HDHomeRun PRIME 6CC:

  • Home-theater form factor – add 6 premium cable TV tuners to your home theater system
  • More information: HDHomeRun PRIME and HDHR3-6CC
  • Pre-ordering for the 6CC will be online in the coming week

Pre-ordering notes:
Orders will be fulfilled by NewEgg in the order in which they are received for each model. Your credit card will not be charged until near the ship date.
Both models are expected to begin shipping in volume in July, with the 6-tuner model expected to ship a little ahead of the 3-tuner model.

Ted H – CEO
Silicondust Inc. USA

Questions

There are a few questions that this email doesn’t answer:

  1. Will the CableCARD decryption work with MythTV, GB-PVR, BeyondTV, SnapStream and other non-MS-Windows Media Center solutions?
  2. Linux systems supported?
  3. Can recordings be archived for playback by non-DRM devices?

Network Upgrade May Be Needed

The tuner does have GigE networking (1000 base-tx), which is needed to stream 3 full HD programs. If you get this device, you’ll need a GigE switch and may need a GigE router to avoid dropped packets on your network. The good news is that GigE switches are $20 and work just fine. Many WiFi routers that support 802.11n include GigE switches, but you’ll want to check yours, since 50% are still only 100base-t. Older wifi routers with 802.11g are are almost always 100base-t. If you don’t know networking, just get a GigE router and it will be easier. No switch needed.

Pricing

3 Tuner Model

I just looked at Newegg and the HDHR3-CC (3 tuner model) is $250 + $7 shipping. It also lists only Windows7 as the supported OS. No others.

6 Tuner Model

NewEgg doesn’t have a page for the 6-tuner model mentioned in the email above.