[mythtv-users] So confused. Firewire to STB - channel change script - mythchanger

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Mon, Mar 24, 2014 at 6:53 PM, Philip Isaacs <showcasefloyd at gmail.com> wrote:
> Wait. If I'm using Firewire to record (which was sort of my plan at this
> point) then I don't need an external channel changing script?

*It depends*.

Firewire recording/channel changing either (a) Works well,
(b) Never works, (c) Works just enough to cause one to
pull what might remain of ones hair out for lack of predictability,
or (d) Changes from working to non-working (or vice-versa) due
to provider changes to the STB firmware.

Comcast has decided to change their naming scheme
to "hide" the underlying hardware details from the
customer, so that the RNG150N name is used for
boxes from (at least) three manufactures (Motorola,
Pace, and Cisco).  [RNG = Residential Network Gateway,
the N means it has MoCA capability for AnyRoom DVR
support].  It is highly likely that there are some subtleties
in the different models, and since Comcast tolerates,
but does not embrace, firewire support on their STBs,
one may find that not all STBs work well (or at all) in
MythTV (or, really, any Linux app).

So, channel changing, and recording might (or might not)
"just work" out of the box.

If this is a learning experience regarding options, the
more power to you, but if you want this to "just work",
since you have previously stated you are using Comcast
as your provider, I would strongly recommend you simply
purchase an OCUR CableCARD recorder.  They just work,
and MythTV has good support for them.  You would get
the same content (non-copy protected content) via an
OCUR recorder as you will get from a firewire device, and
up to six concurrent recordings at once (depending on
chosen tuner).

Gary