Cox digital cable - Recording HD

[subachad]

So I'm thinking about going back to digital cable. Currently I have epanded basic and it's not much more to get digital, plus I get 10 HD channels.

Now, whats the most reliable way of recording HD to my HTPC? I am ok with some setup, I'm thinking about the HDHomerun and connecting VIA crossover cable.

Is this going to work for me? Will it be easy for the wife to use? I don't have an IR blaster since I have had my setup for quite sometime.

Has anyone recorded HD from the Firewire port on the Digital Cable tuner? If so, can Snapstream play it back?

[sdsalsero]

I suspect you will only be able to record the unencrypted local/broadcast channels -- which you are legally allowed to access even without paying for Cox's digital line-up! Of course, they do everything possible to make it difficult on you...

Hopefully someone else more knowledgeable than I can give you a better idea?

[queonda]

Originally Posted by subachad

So I'm thinking about going back to digital cable. Currently I have epanded basic and it's not much more to get digital, plus I get 10 HD channels.

Now, whats the most reliable way of recording HD to my HTPC? I am ok with some setup, I'm thinking about the HDHomerun and connecting VIA crossover cable.

Is this going to work for me? Will it be easy for the wife to use? I don't have an IR blaster since I have had my setup for quite sometime.

Has anyone recorded HD from the Firewire port on the Digital Cable tuner? If so, can Snapstream play it back?

I'm using HDHR. Just remember, you can only view unenctrypted QAM. You need at least the 4.6.1 to use HDHR. Look at the forums or blog for how-to's.

If you look at fonceur's program: BTV-Externinator - Alpha release
you might be able to firewire record.

[mikemcd]

I have Cox in northern Virginia. I was able to record from the firewire port on my 3250HD until March. It worked great - all the HD channels. Around March, Cox updated their STB's in this area, and disabled the firewire ports. I've been fighting with them ever since, but no resolution so far.

[subachad]

Thanks for the responses. I plugged the cable into my TV and did a digital channel scan and didn't really get much. In fact, I got more with an OTA antenna. After reading up on the firewire recording I think I'm going to try that first and if it doesn't work out plan on purchasing a HDHomerun in the future.

I have a friend locally who also built a Snapstream HTPC after seeing mine, he has COX and digital cable so he is going to test the firewire recording out as well.

We live in Las Vegas, I'll be sure to post up if it works.

Almost forgot, I am on 4.6.1. Just updated from 3.X when I purchased the TV about 7 weeks ago.

[jimz06]

Anyone with Seattle Comcast know if the firewire on the DCT5100 boxes is active?

[Rich A]

I have Cox here in CT. I have a nice OTA system here as well but because of distance and reception problems have never been able to receive any of the two PBS stations OTA.

So I invested in an HDHR JUST to be able to get a PBS station that was digital. And I'm loving it.

Being in the flat lands you are sure to be able to pick up more local digital stations than your cable provider has. The "free QAM" cable stations are determined by the service areas that the FCC has worked out with the OTA stations. The thing is that you will only be able to get those local digital stations via free QAM on cable that are actually listed as local stations to your area.

For example, OTA I get an ABC station to the North in the next state. Because this is not in my "officially deemed local list" my cox cable free QAM doesn't have it. I'm guessing that in your case you are going to be able to receive several such stations OTA that are not really in the list of "must be free QAM" stations you will have from COX.

I found a few (very few) other stations that are actually cable stations that are being broadcast in free QAM. There are a couple kids' shows, and some others. My free QAM PBS station that I DO get via Cox is not the actual OTA local PBS station. I'm still trying to figure that one out. What I AM getting is the PBS HD only broadcast. The channel is 100 percent HD all the time and the listings don't match any of the "local" OTA stations. Of course I'm pretty pleased to get the digital HD station. But am still trying to get the show lineup figured out.

I get a total of around 12 digital stations. Note they are "digital" QAM stations. Too many people wrongly use the term HD when they should be using "digital". The digital QAM you will be getting will be in what ever form the originating station is transmitting. (IF that station has an OTA digital transmitter) So you will get 480 720 and even 1080. From standard resolution all the way up to HD in full 1080. I find even the lowest resolution standard def. "digital" free QAM stations are far and away better than the standard def. analog channels.

I've kept my OTA setup but am on the fence as to whether or not to just get rid of it. The OTA stations WILL be a tad better by the way. The cable companies don't have the bandwidth an OTA station has, and sometimes they compress them further for cable. Visually it's hard to see the difference. But if you analyse the two transport streams with some kind of editor, you will see the difference. Mostly if they do reduce the bit rate enough, you might see some artifacts (blocks) in high motion scenes. The OTA stations have a total bandwidth of 6 Mhz just for their own station. The cable companies have to cram dozens of channels into that same space.

Don't rely on anything Cox has to say about clear QAM. Here in CT they just don't have a clue about it. In fact although I have been enjoying clear QAM for a few months now, the highest tier of Cox tech. support is still telling me it's NOT available and won't be until 2009. Sigh ... Better to just work with the knowledgeable people here than try to get ANY answers from the cable company.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by mikemcd

I have Cox in northern Virginia. I was able to record from the firewire port on my 3250HD until March. It worked great - all the HD channels. Around March, Cox updated their STB's in this area, and disabled the firewire ports. I've been fighting with them ever since, but no resolution so far.

That is against FCC regulations. The box has to have the 1394 port activated.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by jimz06

Anyone with Seattle Comcast know if the firewire on the DCT5100 boxes is active?

I have Comcast in Livermore CA. The only chanels I can't get of FireWire are the Movie channels like HBO, SHO and some sports channels like ESPN, and ESPN 2.

Also all of these are duplicated for ClearQAM. Everything that you can see though FireWire is sent via ClearQAM.

[queonda]

@greg, Are you able to get INHD, TNT (i think) and Discovery?

[CharlesLinquist]

Greg, I live in Campbell, and have Comcast. Can you give me some idea how you connected your cable box to your BTV server?

I have a firewire card in the server, but I don't think BTV recognizes video coming in from that port.

[queonda]

BTV won't recognize and don't support firewire. Look at Fonceur's plugin to trick btv: BTV-Externinator - Alpha release

[subachad]

Got my box last night.

I'm picking up a firewire cable today and will be trying to get it working. Will post up the details. I also plan on plugging in my cable to my tv which has a digital scanner and see what digital stations I'm able to get. If I can get some HD channels, then perhaps an HD Homerun or HVR-1600 is in my future. Most likely the HVR-1600 so it can be contained in the HTPC.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by queonda

@greg, Are you able to get INHD, TNT (i think) and Discovery?

I haven't gotten that far in my scan yet.

Everything comes up as QAM-blabla 2-3-4-5-6. So i have to manually change the channel numbers and compare it to what is being displayed on my TV next to me.

I have way to many channels it is taking me forever.

When i get to it ill let you know my exact lineup off of the clearQAM.

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by CharlesLinquist

Greg, I live in Campbell, and have Comcast. Can you give me some idea how you connected your cable box to your BTV server?

I have a firewire card in the server, but I don't think BTV recognizes video coming in from that port.

First you have to find somewhere on AVS forms to get the Firewire drivers for the Motorola cable box. Then after you install it it comes up as a Tuner of some sort. From there you need to use the Exterminator plugin to tune to the channels, and you can preview what channels you get by using software called VLC media player. And just change the channel box and if you don't get any picture then you know it is encrypted.