[mythtv-users] Comcast CableCard Info

Ronald Frazier ron at ronfrazier.net
Fri Jul 22 02:23:25 UTC 2011


A lot of questions there I don't know the answer to, but here's what I
can help with:


>Does the system need to be booted in Windows or will they do it with Linux?

Well, as far as I know, it is supposed to be able to be activated in
linux. That said, I couldn't actually get it to do so, and it wasn't
until I put it in the windows box that it activated (though even then
we had some trouble). However, I should mention that I did change the
IP address on the card so that I could get network bridging working.
The card still had a fully functional network connection, so that
shouldn't have caused any problems, but perhaps the activation
routines are somehow hard coded to only work on the default IP
address. I'm sort of grasping at straws with that explanation, but
it's the best I have. So it's not really an answer...just a heads up
in case you too have issues.

> Can I set up the Ceton in a different windows computer and move it to my Linux Myth box or does it need to stay in the same PC after it gets authorized?

The only thing that has to stay the same is that particular cablecard
with that particular ceton card. Everything else (the PC, the OS, etc)
can all be changed at will. After my card was finally activated in
windows, I moved it to linux (completely different PC), back to
windows again, and back to linux one more time, and it remained
authorized at every step.


> Anything else I'm not thinking to ask!?  Thanks!!

Be sure to read my post from earlier today in the Ceton thread where I
dicussed using SSH tunneling and configuring network bridging. This
will allow you to access the card's website from other computers than
just your linux box.

Also, to get your pairing info, click on the Cable Card tab, then
click on the link for Cisco CableCARD/Host ID Screen. Also handy is
the Cisco CableCARD Diag Screen link. Here you can get the SL. No
(serial number?) of the card. This will be handy if your tech has to
call the NOC for help and they want to verify the card you've been
assigned. That why you don't have to pull the card out of the ceton to
check it.

Also, it might be a good idea to at least attempt to upgrade the
firmware (assuming you don't have the latest). While the ceton's web
server has a mechanism for you to upload new firmware, the problem is
that Ceton doesn't seem to publish any firmware on their website
(except for the beta firmware, and you DO NOT want to install that).
So the only way I can see to do it is to install it in windows and let
the diagnostic utility do the upgrade for you. Kind of a
disappointment. I wish they'd post the firmware on their website. And
for the matter, they need to give links to their linux drivers too.
The only way you can currently access those is through a google
search.

-- 
Ron Frazier


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