[mythtv-users] comcast digital box and mythTV

[Dewey Smolka]

> Here in Chicago, Comcast requires a box for basic cable. Its a small
> motorola device which decodes the encrypted channels and provides a
> channel guide. Without the box you only get the broadcast channels.  I'm
> at work so I cant give the model number,

Hey Mike,

I was in the same boat after moving to Chicago about six weeks ago.
Was mad as hell at Comcast about it as well, since they sold me an
'analog' package that was 90 percent digital.

It doesn't much matter what Motorola box you have as they all work
pretty much the same way. As another poster noted, you should figure
on controlling the box via an infrared transmitter.

You may or may not have on the cable box a serial port, which may or
may not be active. I had at least four Comcast techs swear up and down
to me that there are no serial-enabled boxes in the Chicago area,
although I've found a few people on this list who have them. Go
figure. Just don't count on getting one.

The first of your two basic IR options are a low-level LIRC device
that you build yourself or buy from http://www.irblaster.info/ for
around $15.

I tried to get one of these running and had a lot of trouble. At first
I couldn't get it running at all, then I confirmed it was running and
I could control it, but couldn't make it control my box -- Motorola
DCT 6200.

I call this a low-level device because it uses the serial port to send
a 5V signal to an IR LED; lirc controls the timing of the pulse, and
thus the signals emitted.

The second option is a higher-level device such as the MyBlaster from
http://www.mytvstore.com/product_id_004.html that runs around $55 w/
shipping.

This one 'just works' as it were, and MythTV controls it via a perl
script that you download from mytvstore.com. I got mine up and running
in around 20 minutes after it got here today (YAY!).

A few caveats -- make sure you get the serial, not USB version. If you
have no serial port, get the serial Blaster and a serial->USB adapter.
You'll also need the Perl-TimeHiRes module (this is in the
documentation). I couldn't get this installed with package managers
and had to download the source. But the source tarball has a
Makefile.pl script. Chmod it 755, run it, then make; make install.

For your capture card, unless you want headaches, get a Hauppage PVR
x50 card. The 150 is probably your best bet. If you run coax from the
decoder into the 150 you'll get audio and video together. If you use
composite (the yellow RCA) or S-Vid, you'll also need to run an audio
patch from the cable box into the PVR card. S-vid is the best quality,
followed by composite, followed by coax.

Good luck,