Ceton Brings 6 Tuners to a Single Slot with the InfiniTV 6 PCIe

HTPC firm Ceton turned heads earlier this year with the release of the first consumer-targeted, network-based, 6-tuner CableCARD device, the InfiniTV 6 ETH. In our review, we noted that the InfiniTV 6 ETH offered great flexibility, allowing whole households to simultaneously watch live and recorded television without reasonable fear of running into tuner limits.

Now the company is out with an update to its PCI Express-based line, the InfiniTV 6 PCIe. This new model provides users with the same 6-tuner capabilities from a single CableCARD that the InfiniTV 6 ETH offers, but via an internal PCI Express package. Users can still share live and recorded streams around the house via Media Center extenders such as the Xbox 360 and Ceton’s own Echo device, and the experience on the local HTPC where the card is installed should be free from the slight delays when starting a stream that are inherent to the network-based products.

The InfiniTV 6 PCIe currently carries the same price as its network-based sibling, so potential buyers’ decisions should be based on their intended use and needs. If you want to share the tuner signal between multiple PCs, the InfiniTV 6 ETH is the way to go, but if you plan to primarily use all 6 tuners on a single HTPC, the InfiniTV 6 PCIe will likely give you the best experience.

The InfiniTV 6 PCIe is available now from Amazon and Newegg for $299. Those interested will need to contact their cable TV provider to obtain a CableCARD and, in many areas, a tuning adapter in order to watch premium content and most HD channels. Ceton offers guides and contact numbers for major cable providers to help you get started.