As early as [url=http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060105-5913.html]Jan 2006[/url] Microsoft and DirecTV announced a partnership to allow Windows MCE and Vista act as a DVR and media portal for DirecTV. A year later, [url=http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=75717]Tom Robertson from DBSTalk[/url] asked the question again and got a lukewarm response (in progress, no eta). With all the DRM built-in to Vista it should be simple for Directv to stream in a Vista ultimate system running as a HTPC. Microsoft has pitched both Vista Ultimate and the Xbox360 as home media hubs. Unfortunately neither has lived up to the hype.
Since the original announcement, the Cable industry has leapfrogged DBS with CableCards providing similiar functionality. Even struggling Tivo has jumped on board with their HD Series 3.
