Two questions...cable card and plasma/LCD Lift..

[MCF]

1st question is how does a cable card work? I have one set that is downstairs plugged directly into a Time Warner HD DVR Box. I want to put a second set upstairs. I do have cable outlet upstairs, but not necessarily where I want to put the tv....how does a cable card work and can you get HD using it? Do you need a 2nd box or do you just need the card from your cable company and a tv that will accept it?? Does anyone know if Time Warner in Houston, Tx offers cable cards?

Secondly, has anyone purchased one of those 'boxes' that you can put at the end of a bed that will store you plasma/LCD tv and remotely lift and lower it??? If so, any recommendations?

[Mr Peabody]

A cable card is a little credit card size board that slides into your TV some where and will allow you to get all your cable channels using the TV tuner and no box. You can get HDTV but you cannot do any of the interactive stuff your cable company may offer. It will also depend on your TV and cable as to how well your guide works. My Sony tube TV, the guide is useless. On my Sharp the guide is pretty good. Both of these I have a cable card for. Our local company charges about $1.50 a month for the use of the card which they will provide.

I have no idea on your second question.

[MCF]

A cable card is a little credit card size board that slides into your TV some where and will allow you to get all your cable channels using the TV tuner and no box. You can get HDTV but you cannot do any of the interactive stuff your cable company may offer. It will also depend on your TV and cable as to how well your guide works. My Sony tube TV, the guide is useless. On my Sharp the guide is pretty good. Both of these I have a cable card for. Our local company charges about $1.50 a month for the use of the card which they will provide.

I have no idea on your second question.

So the cable card is basically wireless?

[Mr Peabody]

No, your cable still goes into the TV's cable input. The card decodes the digital signal and must somehow work in conjunction with the TV but I'm not sure how.

[markw]

The (internal) cable card in your set replaces the (external) set-top cable box, but you may lose some of the interactive features such as a cable guide or "on demand" features. Check with your local cable company (and pray you get someone who knows what they're talking about) to see what's the real deal in your neighborhood.

[gjpham]

1st question is how does a cable card work? I have one set that is downstairs plugged directly into a Time Warner HD DVR Box. I want to put a second set upstairs. I do have cable outlet upstairs, but not necessarily where I want to put the tv....how does a cable card work and can you get HD using it? Do you need a 2nd box or do you just need the card from your cable company and a tv that will accept it?? Does anyone know if Time Warner in Houston, Tx offers cable cards?

Secondly, has anyone purchased one of those 'boxes' that you can put at the end of a bed that will store you plasma/LCD tv and remotely lift and lower it??? If so, any recommendations?

From what I see, looks like your TV doesn't have cable card slot built in. Anyways, I can answer your Q's one by one:
1/ I'm from Houston, TX and yes, TimeWarner do offer cable card in our home town. It works great with my current (latest) Mitsubishi TV. If in the back of your TV has a slot for it then you can give it a try to see it works or not. T.W won't charge you until it properly activated. The cable card cost me $5/month extra on top of my monthly pment, and, yes, you can view HD channel ONLY if you have digital package, which is an additional $20 more on top of the basic package.
2/ The cable card is a 2x3 inch (look like a credit card but thicker) which can only be inserted direct into the back of your TV, not to the T.W cable box that you have down stairs as you discribed.
3/ How does it work? it is the latest technology for cable TV world that basically works just like the cable box, which is big and heavy, with wirings and wireless remote control, but much simple to use. Meaning you will operate just like a regular TV (same TV remote control)
4/ No, you don't need a second cable box to get a cable card. One cable card for one TV, $5/ea.
5/ The box that you describe to put the TV at the end of the bed is called LIFTED system that www.cantoni.com on Westhimer and BW8 has many of them. Also, many funiture stores on Fondren may have them. "Inspiration" is an example. Here's a link just for our referfence. http://www.cabinet-tronix.com/main2.html and http://www.nexus21.com/