I origanaly had the HP cable card pc...but if was faulty from the get go. After getting HP to return my money I ordered the Dell XPS 420.

It just arived today along with 2 ATI cable card tuners.

After Time Warner refusing me cable cards because they were going into a pc, I finally got hold of some big wig and the head office who new exactly what I wanted to do. He set up an install appointment for the day after christmas, and actually gave me a discount cable rate for the troubles.

So as of the 26th I should have working cable cards....Not being an optimist I expect to have issues after reading all the horror stories here.

Just some research, did you get a Remote with it?

I should have mentioned that. There was no remote or ehome reciever. I thought that was odd.

I intend to use this Cable Card PC as a server to the extenders, when ever they arrive, so no remote or ehome reciever was fine, but still odd that a pc capable of MCE did not include that.

I didnt get one with mine...and it pisses me off.  Luckily I have an extra MC remote from my old 2005 box.

I really wish I had waited for these.  For the less than I paid for my VM systems I could have added the following upgrades:

VM Grand Theater         XPS420

C2D 2.13GHz               C2Q 2.4GHz

2GB DDR2                    4GB DDR2

2 x 250GB                     2 x 500GB

DVDRW                        BR Burner

MS wireless KB              Logitech DiNovo

With all other parts being equal except the case.  Considering the problems I've had and the level of service I have received from VM, I can't see Dell being any worse and maybe even a step up.  I really need to learn to NOT be an early adopter...

Chris - Moderator:

Just some research, did you get a Remote with it?

This has to be some kind of mistake that Dell isn't shipping these with remotes.  Just when they are taking a step in the right direction they throw a small (very important) detail out the window.

Chris,  I would get in touch with your Dell contact to figure out what the deal is.

Working on it already.

Hi DanITman,

The DCT from Dell is supposed to be part of a bundle that includes an MCE Remote w/ IR receiver/blaster. Did you order the dual-tuner bundle, or a single tuner?

If you contact Dell with your XPS ExpressService code and simply advise them that the shipment arrived without remote, then they should supply a replacement.

 

I'm going back and forth on if I should jump on a deal I found:

XPS 420
Intel® Core™2 Q6600 Quad-Core (8MB L2 cache,2.4GHz,1066FSB),
3GB Memory
HD2600 256MB Video card
Dual Tuners
320GB Drive
4 Year In Home Warranty
$50 Gift Card

After all discounts, including a 3% DPA discount, it's $1221 shipped, with taxes....


Hmmm

WScottCross:

..... I really need to learn to NOT be an early adopter...

Exactly why I'm planning to rent a comcast box for several months. Let someone else pay extra to work out the bugs.

My parents just ordered a XPS 420 with dual digital tuners. They shipped him a single one. After hours (literally) on the phone with Dell he finally convinced them that his tuner was not "dual", and that dual meant two single tuners and they shipped him another. Nobody he's talked to seems to know what the hell a digital cable tuner is.

By the way, he didn't receive a remote and receiver as advertised. Still fighting with them over this.

Here is another odd one.

Even though the 420 has a nice spot for an aditional drive with the rails included...there is no internal sata spot to plug it into. The second sata connection on the board is taken by the dvd drive.

There are thre others but they are for raid.

So either order it with a big drive or get an external sata drive for recorded tv.

gstone,

That's not quite the way it works...any of the SATA ports may be used and freely mixed among RAID and non-raid. The XPS420 has four internal SATA, plus an E-SATA port.

Noting that the others in this thread did not receive their Remote Control and IR receiver, should I go ahead and send an email asking to ensure they add these to my order?

Also, which is the better card the Nvidia 8800GS 320MB, or the ATI 2600 Pro 256MB?  Will the 8800GS be supportable powerwise in the XPS 420, would it even fit?

Also,  first steps to take when setting this system up:

1.) Update firmware from ATI for the OCUR's

2.) Connect coax via QAM and ensure I can get clear QAM channels

3.) Check Signal strength <if QAM is strong enough going directly to the TV it shouldn't be an issue, right?

4.) Call Verizon FIOS TV and ask for 2 Cablecards.

 

Part of me is still nervous and wanting to cancel the order, I just don't want a huge friggin hassle trying to set this up.  It's bad enough I cannot view the recordings on other VMC machines. 

-D

I also did not get a remote with my xps 420.  It clearly states on the website that the ati tv wonder card comes with a remote.  I have called tech support but they don't seem to have a clue as to what a remote is or why I did not get one.

Darren