One day you’ll be able to record cable TV shows on your Media Center, but that’s not going to happen until you can somehow plug a CableCard into it, a PC Card that lets you receive encrypted digital cable programming without the need for a set-top box.
There’s one catch, though, behind-the-scenes rumblings tell us that you will only be able to buy a PC that will work with CableCards and Windows Vista that have a “protective path” that’s certified to be made up of “trusted PC components.” In short, it means that someone or something will have control over what you record on your PC.
Getting CableCard compatibility is no big deal if you’re going to buy your Windows Vista-equipped PC from one of the big manufacturers, but if you’re a do-it-yourself enthusiast and you want to convert your current PC to work with Vista and these CableCards, or if you want to buy a specialty box, it could be a problem.
It would seem that Digital Rights Management is destined to become an international sport.
