[mythtv-users] Comcast & Firewire STB's without 5C/Firewire equipment

[Mark Knecht]

On Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 5:22 PM, Brad Fuller <bradallenfuller at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 5:14 PM, Mark Knecht <markknecht at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> --
>>> Brad Fuller
>>
>> Hi Brad,
>>
>> OK, I took a ride over to the Comcast store here in Los Gatos after
>> the market closed and this is what they told me:
>>
>> 1) None of their non-HD STBs have ANY digital I/O or controls at all.
>> It seems that the only way to control these boxes would be going down
>> the IR Blaster route and then (I suppose) fixing my PVR to be
>> permanently locked to channel 3, etc.
>>
>> 2) As for digital interfaces the HD STBs have 1394, USB, HDMI and
>> Ethernet ports on them so depending on what those allow for input
>> *possibly* the STB could be tuned by any of them. No one there knows
>> and we're left to figure it out on our own. No one knows what comes
>> out on any of the digital ports except HDMI which works by default.
>>
>> 3) The HD STB also has S-Video and component video outputs so
>> *possibly* I could record using the S-Video inputs on the PVR but I've
>> never used them. This requires the STB to output what's tuned and
>> likely doesn't work for HD which would have to be down converted.
>>
>> 4) IMPORTANT - Renting the STB costs $7.99. That cost allows you to
>> drive ONE digital device. If you want to drive a second device (I.e. -
>> 1394) then you have to pay Comcast an additional $6.99.
>>
>> 5) As for Firewire, the people at the counter called elsewhere to
>> determine that the 1394 interface is not supposed to be enabled by
>> default and can be disabled remotely if they find you are using it but
>> not paying for it. To get it enabled you have to pay the additional
>> $6.99 to allow the STB to drive a second digital device. She didn't
>> know anything about FCC laws so possibly this is true or not true.
>>
>> 6) They do rent the inexpensive converter boxes for $1/month if you
>> need more than two. That could be tuned with an IR Blaster also.
>> (Although I have both a Blaster and a box but haven't even tried to
>> make it work.)
>>
>> 7) Oh, yes, everything above channel 34 will be digital very, very soon.
>>
>> Based on what I saw I was left with the idea that for digital:
>>
>> a) Rent additional non-HD STB's and control them with IR Blasters.
>>
>> b) For digital it would be best to find some HDMI-input enabled
>> recording device that goes in the PC, if one exists, and use the HDMI
>> output on the STB. This works for the minimum monthly cost of $7.99.
>>
>> c) At $6.99/month for the second device cost it would be far more cost
>> effective to use some sort of IR Blaster for tuning if you're going to
>> run this for more than 4-6 months.
>>
>> I think that's everything I know. Not much but hopefully it helps someone.
>
>
> That's quite a lot of info, Mark, Thanks! What I might do is call
> their number and tell them that I need 5 boxes, cause I've have 5TVs
> hooked up to their cable. And, I want them free -- why should I pay
> more -- unless they are going to lower the monthly cost -- which is
> perfectly fine with me!
>
> And then get some sort of IR blaster and start experimenting.
> Quality-wise, I won't be worse then I am right now with a cable going
> to a PVR-250 and to a HDHR (the other HDHR tuner is OTA.)
>
> --
> Brad Fuller

We should probably meet up and do the work together! :-) (Schedules
permitting!) ;-)