Dell has quietly slipped in the option for a CableCard tuner into its XPS 420 desktop. The addition gives the option of single or dual ATI TV Wonder adapters that will tune HD cable broadcasts without requiring a provider's set-top box for its copy protection features. Either option can record shows, with the premium dual option allowing users to watch one program while recording another at the same time, Dell notes.

The basic ATI card costs $180 as an extra for any given system, while the dual option exactly doubles the price for $360. Both can tune analog singles, come with a remote, and are currently available only in the US due to a lack of support for the still-new CableCard format outside of the country.