[orbitzboy]

Has anyone seen this in action?

http://www.twinhan.com/visiontv-1_4.htm


Hard to tell, but it seems to decode QAM. Anything special required to decode HD QAM?

 

[JDLIVE]

Looks interesting, but no US distributors listed.

 

[miimura]

From the bottom of the linked page...


A/V Format

Video format: MPEG-II Main Profile& Main Level

Audio format: MPEG-II Audio layer I & II


It would need "Main Profile @ High Level" to do HDTV. It should do SD digital cable though. Who knows what it would do with access control / encryption though.


- Mike

 

[orbitzboy]

The specs state it has a "decrypter", and the picture sure looks like it takes a smartcard.....


I'd blow two hundred bucks on this if I could just find a distributor.....

 

[DFA]

Yep. Sooner or later what we need will be built. All the pieces are there, just not enough market; AVS forum members don't quite make up enough me thinks.


But notice the forward position "box". This looks like a compact flash / smart media flash memory reader. You can barely make out the slot in the back plate. This would be a necessity for the cable operators so that they can maintain encryption and collect their money for premium channels. But they also need to get on board with new things like this. After all, they are the ones that have to supply or program the memory card with the things you've paid for. And it seems the memory card needs some sort of standard that will work in anyones QAM card. Perhaps it's simpler than all that, I'm not sure. EDIT: On the relook, the box looks big enough to PCMCIA / Cardbus.


I hope it will be possible to use a memory card reader in another spot besides directly on the card. I already have a reader accessable from the front of my machine.


Also note that there is not much in the way of chips on the board. I see what appears to be the venerable Conexant 878. A lot of the work must be being done in software.


DFA

 

[miimura]

Also from the linked page...


Demultiplexing

-Max No. Section filtering: 32PIDs

-Engine: software
-Descrambler: DVB descrambler

-Stream capture: PES & TS

-Syntax error: CRC or Parity


I would bet they focused on DVB satellite more than QAM on this card. I'm sure the smartcard slot is for DVC. Although, it would be nice if someone would get one of these and see if you could capture a non-encryped HD stream and play the TS with another application / filter setup.


- Mike

 

[orbitzboy]

Miimura,


I don't think so. They have a whole other line of cards specifically for DVB satellite use - this one is in their "cable tv" lineup.


Ok, I'll bite and send some email. I own a company with a tax id # I can use to get a sample.

 

[miimura]

I just read another thread - something like "HiPix & Comcast HDTV" and this card was mentioned. Somebody did some research and found that DVB-C is the european standard for digital cable. Instead of using PSK modulation like they do on sat, they use QAM for cable. I think the stream is standard DVB, just QAM modulated and put on the cable. They also use 8MHz channel spacing instead of the USA standard 6MHz.


- Mike