HD video capture from STB

[ram4x4nut]

Cox here uses the Moto boxes. I'm told by them that the only enabled outputs are the component and dvi. All others are disabled.

So I guess until someone makes a component or dvi input video capture card we're completely screwed out of recording encrypted channels like Discovery, ESPN, etc.

[carpeVideo]

Cox here uses the Moto boxes. I'm told by them that the only enabled outputs are the component and dvi. All others are disabled

I would try the other outputs first - it doesn't make much sense to disable them since only HDTV's have those inputs and I have found with my cable companies that the line personnel generally have no clue what they are talking about. One tech tried to tell me that all channels were digital and they had no analog, then I hooked my TV straight to the antenna and showed him that wasn't the case.

Finally you could just get a standard def STB and use s-video or firewire capture as well since the s-video would have been standard def anyways. Only the QAM and Firewire wouldv'e been true HiDef.

CV

[zed]

I agree...I'd get a box and see. Cox techs often are...err...mistaken about what they tell customers. Around here (Phoenix area), Cox has stores where you can exchange boxes, etc. so it'd be easy to go back to an SD box if it didn't work.

[ram4x4nut]

I would try the other outputs first - it doesn't make much sense to disable them since only HDTV's have those inputs and I have found with my cable companies that the line personnel generally have no clue what they are talking about. One tech tried to tell me that all channels were digital and they had no analog, then I hooked my TV straight to the antenna and showed him that wasn't the case.

Finally you could just get a standard def STB and use s-video or firewire capture as well since the s-video would have been standard def anyways. Only the QAM and Firewire wouldv'e been true HiDef.

CV

That's all fine and dandy except for the whole point is that I want to record HD content, not SD. I have no reason to get an STB other than getting HD content I can't already get on ATSC.

[carpeVideo]

That's all fine and dandy except for the whole point is that I want to record HD content, not SD. I have no reason to get an STB other than getting HD content I can't already get on ATSC.

That is a valid point - but without checking you'll never know how liberal or draconian their encryption is. I am lucky in that I have a small provider that has most of the basic channels un-enencrypted along along with all the locals. And even though I am two miles from the CBS antenna their signal is so weak I can't get it digitally without cable. Also, many cable companies are pushing the majority of their channels to digital to recover bandwidth and extract revenue so their may be channels you want you can't get without digital.

[bigbus01]

CarpeVideo,

Interesting thing, I got firewire capture (STB) to work with your Graphedit plugin (I was having problems and I wrote to you in a different thread--it is working now). I can record from any channel on my cable box including all HD (even HBO HD, National Geographic HD, etc.).

I can't view the files in any program (including GBPVR, Media Player, VLC) but if I convert them from .ts to .mpg using VideoRedo Plus, I can watch any of the files. I can also preview any of the channels without conversion. I guess that means that they are all set as watch once but not copy? I am on Comcast.

Bigbus

[bogyver]

I think to watch .ts files you need hdtvpump, its a codec or decoder mux type thing

[ram4x4nut]

CarpeVideo,

Interesting thing, I got firewire capture (STB) to work with your Graphedit plugin (I was having problems and I wrote to you in a different thread--it is working now). I can record from any channel on my cable box including all HD (even HBO HD, National Geographic HD, etc.).

Bigbus

What card are you using on your PC, just a firewire port add on card? I'm interested in this because I am fairly sure that enough searching will turn up a hack to enable stuff on the STB's, just like I had to do on my wireless.

And you are using gbpvr with graphedit to record?

Tell me more!!! LOL

[bigbus01]

bogyver,

I installed HDTVpump but it doesn't show as a codec I can use. I got it to work to mpg with cyberlink mux so I don't have to worry about .ts anymore.

Ram4x4nut,

I am using the motherboard firewire connection directly to the stb. The box is a Pace box from Comcast. It has some problems with it, every once in a while I get a mosaic and then it stops recording on some channels (even the locals). It might be because of the encryption. Some of the locals drop out when I do a scan on my QAM card so I think they are changing the encryption settings.

I am using carpevideo's graphedit plugin to record with GBPVR. I can post the graph if you are interested (this evening).

bigbus

[carpeVideo]

BigBus

Make sure you have a quality firewire cable - I had one without much shielding and that did cause occasional issues.

I actually used devcon when the machine woke to reset the connection which helped - but the better cable (doesn't mean expensive) seems to have cleared it all up.