[mythtv-users] Comcast & Firewire STB's without 5C/Firewire equipment

[Brad Fuller]

On Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 5:14 PM, Mark Knecht <markknecht at gmail.com> wrote:
>> --
>> Brad Fuller
>
> Hi Brad,
>
> OK, I took a ride over to the Comcast store here in Los Gatos after
> the market closed and this is what they told me:
>
> 1) None of their non-HD STBs have ANY digital I/O or controls at all.
> It seems that the only way to control these boxes would be going down
> the IR Blaster route and then (I suppose) fixing my PVR to be
> permanently locked to channel 3, etc.
>
> 2) As for digital interfaces the HD STBs have 1394, USB, HDMI and
> Ethernet ports on them so depending on what those allow for input
> *possibly* the STB could be tuned by any of them. No one there knows
> and we're left to figure it out on our own. No one knows what comes
> out on any of the digital ports except HDMI which works by default.
>
> 3) The HD STB also has S-Video and component video outputs so
> *possibly* I could record using the S-Video inputs on the PVR but I've
> never used them. This requires the STB to output what's tuned and
> likely doesn't work for HD which would have to be down converted.
>
> 4) IMPORTANT - Renting the STB costs $7.99. That cost allows you to
> drive ONE digital device. If you want to drive a second device (I.e. -
> 1394) then you have to pay Comcast an additional $6.99.
>
> 5) As for Firewire, the people at the counter called elsewhere to
> determine that the 1394 interface is not supposed to be enabled by
> default and can be disabled remotely if they find you are using it but
> not paying for it. To get it enabled you have to pay the additional
> $6.99 to allow the STB to drive a second digital device. She didn't
> know anything about FCC laws so possibly this is true or not true.
>
> 6) They do rent the inexpensive converter boxes for $1/month if you
> need more than two. That could be tuned with an IR Blaster also.
> (Although I have both a Blaster and a box but haven't even tried to
> make it work.)
>
> 7) Oh, yes, everything above channel 34 will be digital very, very soon.
>
> Based on what I saw I was left with the idea that for digital:
>
> a) Rent additional non-HD STB's and control them with IR Blasters.
>
> b) For digital it would be best to find some HDMI-input enabled
> recording device that goes in the PC, if one exists, and use the HDMI
> output on the STB. This works for the minimum monthly cost of $7.99.
>
> c) At $6.99/month for the second device cost it would be far more cost
> effective to use some sort of IR Blaster for tuning if you're going to
> run this for more than 4-6 months.
>
> I think that's everything I know. Not much but hopefully it helps someone.


That's quite a lot of info, Mark, Thanks! What I might do is call
their number and tell them that I need 5 boxes, cause I've have 5TVs
hooked up to their cable. And, I want them free -- why should I pay
more -- unless they are going to lower the monthly cost -- which is
perfectly fine with me!

And then get some sort of IR blaster and start experimenting.
Quality-wise, I won't be worse then I am right now with a cable going
to a PVR-250 and to a HDHR (the other HDHR tuner is OTA.)

-- 
Brad Fuller