[mythtv-users] Comcast HD & firewire

[Jerry Rubinow]

On 11/2/06, Dewey Smolka <dsmolka at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Unfortunately you will probably NOT be able to record any cable HD
> channels over firewire as for the most part they're encrypted. There's
> a chance you'll be lucky but I wouldn't get my hopes up. You will be
> able to get the OTA HD stations through the cable box, as cable
> carriers are required to send those stations in the clear.
>
> If you've already got HD working for the OTA stations, then getting a
> new box from Comcast won't give you anything you don't already have.
> The box itself will cost you an extra $5 per month or so. That will
> give you the OTA HD channels you already have but not the cable HD
> channels, which are another $5 per month or so.
>
> Right now there's just no way to get the cable HD channels into Myth
> while preserving HD if the company has set encryption on them.


Not only that, but you may not even be able to get the non-HD channels over
firewire.  Here in the Philly suburbs, Comcast encrypts all but a handful of
stations going over firewire.  Over firewire, in the clear, I get the OTA
stations (both HD and digitized analog), plus some of the shopping channels,
a religious channel, and a few others.  But all the other analog stations
(USA, TNT, etc) and non-HD digital stations are encrypted.  Note that these
are all stations I subscribe to and have no problem viewing over
non-firewire inputs.

Of course, this is going to vary by cable company/location, so it may not be
true for where you are.  I'm just saying you may want to find out before you
buy any expensive non-returnable hardware.

-Jerry
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