[JasG]

This IS the device I have been looking for - a CableCard box that I don't have to rent, small and it does Netflix, Amazon etc.


It is the perfect device for that TV in the kitchen or guest room where I don't want (or want to pay for) a large, clunky cable box or full DVR. It is small, about an inch thick and its footprint is smaller than an iPad.


Even though I have not yet been able to try this with a CableCard, I am impressed. It scanned and recognized all the Clear QAM channels and eliminated all the encrypted ones. Tuning is fast. Although it offers a setup option for 'Antenna' or 'Digital Cable System', it does not tune ATSC OTA signals (although I am suspicious that it might in the future).


I am not familiar with the Samsung SmartTV platform, but it seems to have the same functionality as their Blu-ray players.


You can see the manual and setup guide here:

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/GX-SM530CF/XAA

 

[bdfox18doe]

Thanks for the info... I just picked up one to play with.

 

[jjeff]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bdfox18doe  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23933151


Thanks for the info... I just picked up one to play with.

Where did you find it for sale? Amazon lists it for $148 but Temporarily out of stock, something they do before they actually get it in stock. This thing seems to be very new? Very unique that it has a CC, which is basically a prerequisite for cable folks now days as clear QAM is going the way of the dodo bird.

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-GX-SM530CF-Streaming-Player-Built-In/dp/B00EYO241Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384127671&sr=8-1&keywords=Samsung+GX-SM530CF

 

[bdfox18doe]

FleaBay..

 

[JasG]

I picked up mine at Walmart - $138

 

[tylerSC]

Does this box have an ATSC tuner for OTA antenna? The OP indicates there is a choice in the set up menu, but it does not work. Would be nice if it did.

 

[tylerSC]

Also, will this box work with Charter cable cards? And can you connect the tuning adapter for switched digital video or is it built in?

 

[JasG]



Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerSC  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23934957


Does this box have an ATSC tuner for OTA antenna? The OP indicates there is a choice in the set up menu, but it does not work. Would be nice if it did.

The "Auto Program" setup page shows drop downs for "Antenna" and "Digital CAble". Oddly, the "Antenna" choice only lists "Cable" as an option. One could speculate that a firmware update could add an ATSC option in the future...


The manual at the link I posted ahows how to connect a Tuning Adaptor.

 

[holl_ands]

Samsung makes standard CableCARD (aka M-CARD) Cable Boxes running the OCAP Operating System.....this (appears) to be one that is FINALLY available via retail sales, as the FCC has required for many years now. So it SHOULD operate just like any other cable box...however, CNET Review sez that Samsung is working with TWC to get the OnDemand feature working...sounds like early "cutting teeth" issues remain to be ironed out...but since it can automatically download new software via the Internet connection, updates should be fairly easy in the future...


Charter likes to do their own thing and not all systems are the same:
http://stopthecap.com/2013/04/18/charter-cable-to-fcc-lets-deal-new-tv-encryption-in-return-for-100mbps-broadband/

If I'm reading this right, they proposed to DROP the ability to support CableCARD devices....impact on Samsung device is UNKNOWN....and so far it appears to only be a PROPOSAL....not approved....and the cut-off of CableCARD support may NEVER be approved because the whole idea was to be able to BUY an STB (e.g. Samsung), DVR (e.g. TiVo, HDHomeRun), i-PC (CETON, ATI TV Wonder, Hauppauge WinTV-DCR, et.al.) or CableCARD HDTV and be able to MOVE it to ANY other cable system in the country...but if TiVo & Samsung already have the internal encryption prerequisites (e.g. AES128 and/or AES256) on their internal chips so that they can ALSO implement downloadable Encryption, the CableCARD may finally go away (please....)....


Check with your local cable company on whether they will accept it as a CERTIFIED, VERIFIED, KNOWN BUG-FREE device that is approved by their Engineering Team as being fully ready to be attached to THEIR system....and their Techs have be TRAINED to recognize it and install/activate THEIR CableCARD in the device...if they know that there are unresolved "issues", they may wait for them to be resolved.....cuz THEY are in no hurry.....


There are a few systems that use their own encryption system....but if their webpage says that they ALSO work with a TiVo equipped with a CableCARD, then it's likely that they can also provision the Samsung....eventually....when customers pester them enough to pay attention to getting it approved by Engineering:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CableCARD


Samsung website info & User Manual D/L....NO DVR Capability, but maybe a later version will have it.....or in the "Cloud":
http://www.samsung.com/us/video/blu-ray-dvd/GX-SM530CF/XAA


Page 23 described the need to use a CableCARD and a Tuning Adapter for SDV....which tells me that they are NOT using the standard OCAP OpSys....so there are bound to be some bugs that will have to be worked out.....

[TiVo demanded the external Tuning Adapter so that they could use their own internal OpSys and wouldn't have to host the OCAP OpSys.]


Specs only list QAM for Cable and NOT ATSC for OTA. Their terminology is a bit misleading: "Broadcasting" in the menu leads to what is clearly labeled as a CABLE set-up page...and they use "DTV" as a very generic term.


Some early Reviews:
http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-media-receivers/samsung-gx-sm530cf/4505-6739_7-35830635.html
http://avproductreviews.com/samsung-smart-media-player-gx-sm530cf/

 

[JasG]

Just picked up and installed a CableCard - painless. A few minutes on the phone with Frontier FiOS tech support and the card is working perfectly.


I unplugged power to the unit (had already scanned for Clear QAM), inserted the CableCard and powered it back up. A "Call your provider screen was displayed.


After FiOS support added the card to my account that screen cleared. I went into setup and went through again. It seemed to recognize that I had a card inserted since it only asked about a Tuning Adaptor (no for me), prompted for a ZIP code and asked me to pick from a list of providers. Once that was done, the guide data loaded very quickly.


The guide is pretty standard looking, speedy enough and does support an 'Info' button for more details. You can scroll line by line with up/down arrows or a page at a time with Channel up/down.


Netflix and Amazon work fine. I don't have a media server so I have not tried any local streaming, I'll leave that for someone else here to try.


So far, this is a keeper!

 

[BDRanger]

Wednesday, November 13, 2013


After reading about the availability of the Samsung at Walmart, picked one up on Monday, November 11, 2013.


Later that day, picked up a CableCARD at our local Comcast office.


Did not get around to hooking it up until Tuesday morning.


Could not get through on the Comcast CableCARD activation line for over an hour. Very frustrating.


Had a chat session with Comcast while away from home and they were going to activate it in my absence.


When I finally got back home later on Tuesday it was working flawlessly.


Other than dealing with the activation part, there were no problems.


Going out to Walmart shortly to pick up another Samsung GX-SM530CF.


I would prefer the TV to have the CableCARD slot, but this is currently the next best thing.


BDR

Wynnedale, IN

 

[JasG]

Here is a photo to show the size of the box.

http://imgur.com/F0iDHTF.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

 

[bdfox18doe]

Am I the only one that sees the irony of your using a $2 bill for comparison here ?

 

[domino92024]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BDRanger  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23942617


Wednesday, November 13, 2013


After reading about the availability of the Samsung at Walmart, picked one up on Monday, November 11, 2013.


Later that day, picked up a CableCARD at our local Comcast office.


Did not get around to hooking it up until Tuesday morning.


Could not get through on the Comcast CableCARD activation line for over an hour. Very frustrating.


Had a chat session with Comcast while away from home and they were going to activate it in my absence.


When I finally got back home later on Tuesday it was working flawlessly.


Other than dealing with the activation part, there were no problems.


Going out to Walmart shortly to pick up another Samsung GX-SM530CF.


I would prefer the TV to have the CableCARD slot, but this is currently the next best thing.


BDR

Wynnedale, IN

Not seeing specifications anywhere, I'm assuming this "box" is HD, and is 1GHz/MPEG4 (H.264) capable. Correct?

 

[BDRanger]

Yes it is definitely HD (1920 x 1080) and


according to page 07 of the User Manual


the video decoder supports up to H.264 Level 4.1. (Does not support FMO/ASO/RS)


according to page 08 of the User Manual


the following video codecs


MPEG4 SP/ASP


H.264 BP/MP/HP


Microsoft MPEG-4 v3


Could not find anything regarding 1GHz/MPEG4 (H.264) capable.


Let me know if there is anything else you want.

 

[tylerSC]

Well if you use this box in place of your cable box, I don't really think it will save you any money. Because they will just turn around and charge you for the cable card instead, and if you need a tuning adapter. So it depends if the menu and user interface is nicer than your cable box I suppose. And it would have been nice if they had included an ATSC tuner so you could connect your OTA antenna as well.

 

[JasG]



Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerSC  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23947103


Well if you use this box in place of your cable box, I don't really think it will save you any money. Because they will just turn around and charge you for the cable card instead, and if you need a tuning adapter. So it depends if the menu and user interface is nicer than your cable box I suppose. And it would have been nice if they had included an ATSC tuner so you could connect your OTA antenna as well.

This will depend on your cable system. I am saving the difference between a cable card ($3) and a box ($10). No other charges but I hear that Comcast will sometimes charge an additional "Digital Outlet" fee.


Since this eliminates the need for a Roku 3/AppleTV for only $40 more, it pays for itself in six months - but the real feature for me is the compact size allows it to be used where I don't want a full size cable box.

 

[Ratman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerSC  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23947103


Well if you use this box in place of your cable box, I don't really think it will save you any money. Because they will just turn around and charge you for the cable card instead,

It may save some money. Compare:

~$12 for STB from provider

~$2 for cablecard (some providers may offer the 1st cablecard for free)

Quote:
So it depends if the menu and user interface is nicer than your cable box I suppose.

To save $10 per month, menu/interface may not be a dealbreaker.

Quote:
And it would have been nice if they had included an ATSC tuner so you could connect your OTA antenna as well.

Not a big issue since:

1) most TV's have a built in ATSC tuner.

2) most tuners select either ATSC or QAM. They typically cannot seamlessly integrate both formats and require a rescan/channel search every time you switch.

 

[domino92024]



Quote:
Originally Posted by tylerSC  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23947103


Well if you use this box in place of your cable box, I don't really think it will save you any money. Because they will just turn around and charge you for the cable card instead, and if you need a tuning adapter. So it depends if the menu and user interface is nicer than your cable box I suppose. And it would have been nice if they had included an ATSC tuner so you could connect your OTA antenna as well.

HD cable box - $8.50 per month

CableCARD - $2.00 per month

SDV tuning adaptor - no charge.


So, a $6.50 per month savings. That's $78 per year. In two years, the GX-SM530CF is paid for.

 

[JasG]



Quote:
Originally Posted by domino92024  /t/1498949/samsung-gx-sm530cf-cablecard-tuner-and-media-streamer#post_23948591


HD cable box - $8.50 per month

CableCARD - $2.00 per month

SDV tuning adaptor - no charge.


So, a $6.50 per month savings. That's $78 per year. In two years, the GX-SM530CF is paid for.

...and the Mfrs warranty is 36 months parts and labor - 39 if you register it online.