[mythtv-users] Time Warner encrypting everything. HDHR Prime with CableCard unable to record anything. (Another Sillyname)

[Bob Sully]

Hi all - have been extremely busy and, most recently, getting over the 
"flu".  Better now, but not quite 100%.

In any case, thanks for the many replies.

>Frankly it is crap like this that turns people to the "alternatives
>which shall not be named".

Isn't THAT the truth?  Why can't the clowns running these companies 
realize that all we want is to be able to record what we pay for?  I'm 
certainly NOT putting any recordings I make up on the Dark Web for 
downloading...!


>Add a second HD-PVR?

I could do that...however, that requires another STB as well, and I'm 
already paying these guys $160 a month for cable service...


>I saw in another thread ("Comcast and Cablecard CGMS copy-once 
> problem")
>where the DRM protection has finally been fixed for some cases. Maybe
>this will be good for you or maybe it does not apply here...

Not sure whether it does or not...yet.  Maybe it will if the two 
800-pound gorillas are in fact, allowed to mate.


>By any chance is your market using Cisco CableCARDs?
>You might try the new beta firmware for the Prime (out
>last evening) to see if you can get your locals back, but
>regardless, the locals are all you even have a hope to get
>in a TWC franchise.

No, they use Motorola CableCards.  I'm running the June '14 firmware on 
the HDHR Prime.  Any reason NOT to upgrade to the new one?


>Clear QAM is different than using a CableCARD to decode
>encrypted streams. A CableCARD is not used to receive
>Clear QAM channels. Were you using the Prime for Clear QAM
>channels, or using the Prime with a CableCARD to decode
>those encrypted channels that were marked without copy
>protection (i.e. only the locals). As TWC has encrypted
>everything, they removed all the Clear QAM channels.

Honestly, I don't think the CableCard *ever* worked for anything under 
Myth.  Previously, I was able to record the clears over it but nothing 
else (even non-premium but non-QAM channels).   I tested it out on a WMC 
box and it worked OK, so the Prime and the CC are functioning - just not 
as I'd like (with Myth).


>And, perhaps, hope that (a) the merger happens, followed
>by (b) parent corporate policy to not protect (except for
>premiums) is extended to all franchises, and lastly (c) the
>content protection policy does not change at some point
>in the future.

My guess is that if the merger happens, things will only get worse.  
The combined company will have even less reason to be responsive to 
consumer requests/demands.  I've only seen a flying pig once (during 
"The Wall" show by Roger Waters) - I don't think I'll be seeing another 
one soon...


>My parents, with TWC in Los Angeles, have two HD-PVR's and recently
>switched their HDHR to use an OTA antenna instead of QAM. Once signal
>strength issues were worked out to the best they could, it's been
>working great for them. Plus they get a bunch more channels with the
>antenna than QAM had, though most of them are of minimal interest to
>them.

I would be all over this if I weren't in such a fringe area.  It can be 
done here but requires a pretty large antenna and even then, isn't 
great.  I'm separated from the broadcast towers by *two* mountain ranges 
and valleys.


>Sounds like a class-action lawsuit is in order.

Count me in!


>I'm in LA, on TWC, and just added a PRIME to my myth because of the 
> local channel encryption (which I think is BS), but all locals are fine 
> (no DRM) as frankly it should be.

How did you pick them up?  I tried re-adding the locals to the video 
source (and grabbing the data from Schedules Direct) - still with 
zero-byte recordings.


>Confirming, 20150113 does not apply content protection to anything 
> that
>20140604 didn't.

Thanks, will look for it soon and try it out.


Thanks again for all the responses...please post up if any new info is 
available - thanks!
Bob

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Bob Sully