[mythtv-users] New HDHR Prime/Cable Card issue

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 1:02 PM, Bob Sully <rcs at malibyte.net> wrote:
....
> This is what's in the HDHR Prime's log.
>
> 19700101-00:00:00 System: reset reason = power on
> 19700101-00:00:01 CableCARD: M-CARD inserted
> 19700101-00:00:03 System: network link 1000f
> 19700101-00:00:06 System: ip address obtained: 192.168.1.59 / 255.255.255.0
> 19700101-00:00:06 CableCARD: Motorola card (0000:0265)
> 19700101-00:00:06 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication in
> progress
> 19700101-00:00:20 CableCARD: CableCARD: card id changed from 0 to 1602cdc9
> 19700101-00:00:30 CableCARD: authentication status: authentication
> success, activation needed
....

This indicates you still need to activate the card.

>
> Channels that are marked "unspecified" or "subscribed" can be recorded -
> no  problem.
> Those that are marked "not-subscribed" cannot.
> Obviously, I do subscribe to them, as I can tune them with the cable box
> and can record them with the HD-PVR.

You will find with the HDHR-Prime that you will (after activation)
show additional channels as subscribed, but when you tune channels
such as FX-HD that they will be copy protected by TWC (and
un-recordable via MythTV).  Subscribed does not equal no
protection.

The HD-PVR takes advantage of what is called the "analog hole"
that allows one to get high quality (but not highest quality digital)
signal from the STB.  The HDHR (prime) is a digital device, and
only those systems that implement DRM can record copy once/never
digital content.  And TWC (per corporate policy) marks everything
other than the OTAs (and a few others) as copy once.

So, if your expectation is that the HDHR-Prime can record the
OTAs (and a few others), pretty much as a replacement for
your HDHR, it can work with MythTV.  If you want to record
FX-HD, it most likely will not work with MythTV (in the general
case; TWC has different policies in different franchises, and
perhaps FX-HD has a special exception in your location).
The rules are different with Windows, which implements the
DRM required to record copy-once content.  But if you wanted
to use Windows, you would be discussing this on other forums.

Gary