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

Robert McNamara robert.mcnamara at gmail.com
Sat Apr 4 00:43:11 UTC 2009


On Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 5:38 PM, Mark Knecht <markknecht at gmail.com> wrote:
> If the design of the box simply takes tuned video, converts it to each
> and every format in parallel and then spits it out of every port then
> that's good. Having worked on 1394 for years before I quit silicon
> Valley I can tell you that if they want to find out you are using 1394
> they can. They can read the registers in the Phy layer of the STB and
> see that a device is connected. If they want to they can then shut
> their Phy off. It's one bit in the Phy's register set. Probably they
> don't have much cause to do these things, but if they want to
> everything is there, at least in a standard 1394 Phy layer interface.
>

It's *technically* possible, but it is *not* a function of the
firmware or management interface.  There's simply no facility by which
they can do so outside of farming out firmware work to build such a
thing, paying someone to do it, and rolling it out to all the boxes.
There are so few people even *trying* to use firewire that there's no
point.

> I guess the issue then, assuming they don't shut off the 1394
> interface, is whether the STB accepts tuning commands via 1394 or even
> USB as someone suggested earlier. Then I wouldn't need the Blaster. I
> do have a Blaster here to play with. I've just been scared of the task
> of getting it running. I don't find the instructions on MythTV.org
> very clear in this regard, but I fear that's just me.

No tuning commands via USB.  It's for DVR expansion, picture viewing
(with certain firmwares), firmware upgrades, and service only.  You
*will* be able to tune channels or capture video or both via firewire.
 If you are not (and it has happened) then they are in violation of
teh FCC regulation requiring a functional port.  See the firewire wiki
page for the chapter and verse to quote in a complaint.  Start with
Comcast's management, but also cotnact your local utility franchise
board.

As a consolation, I'll remind you again that most of us in the bay
area do *quite* well with firewire on Comcast.  A San Francisco
resident took them to court some years ago and they've mostly played
nice since then.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Robert


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