Comcast just scrambled my signal

[sub]

Am I reading you correctly that you're saying the signal coming out of the DTA is analog? How can that be in this day and age? Don't all "modern" HDTV's have digital inputs/tuners?

Yes, unfortunately you're hearing me correctly. These DTA's are just a cheap freebie set top box, mainly aimed at people not willing to rent one of their full feature set top boxes.

As BrettB mentioned, there are some DTA's that have an HDMI output, to give you HD, but these are really designed to be connected directly to a TV, so not easily integrated into home-brew PVR type solution.

And I'd only be able to record one show at a time, correct? If this, and everything else you mentioned, is the case, then I think it's definitely time to cut the cord with Comcast.

Yes, this is correct - you'd need one of these DTA devices per channel you were wanting to record simultaneously.

The best option on Comcast is a HDHomeRun Prime.

[JavaWiz]

HDHomeRun Prime has 3 tuners with 1 cablecard. Does this mean I'll be able to record up to 3 shows at once? (I also got encrypted by Comcast) Right now, I am limited to 1 recording due to STB input.

[sub]

HDHomeRun Prime has 3 tuners with 1 cablecard. Does this mean I'll be able to record up to 3 shows at once?

Yes, you'd be able to record up to 3 shows at once.

The CableCard devices are actually very cool, and generally give you access to a lot more channels than you've been getting through ClearQAM.

[whurlston]

Yes, you'd be able to record up to 3 shows at once.

The CableCard devices are actually very cool, and generally give you access to a lot more channels than you've been getting through ClearQAM.

Unfortunately for me, anything that is not ClearQAM on my provider has a copy once flag so for NextPVR purposes, I gain nothing with CableCard but lose the ability to do multi-record. Now if we could only figure out a way to fund a PlayReady license for you...

[sub]

Unfortunately for me, anything that is not ClearQAM on my provider has a copy once flag so for NextPVR purposes, I gain nothing with CableCard but lose the ability to do multi-record.

Which cable company are you with? I remember there is one really bad one, AT&T? From what I've read, CableVision, Comcast and Verizon are all generally pretty good.

Now if we could only figure out a way to fund a PlayReady license for you...

Yeah, the locked down copy-once/copy-never channels are annoying. Even if I licensed PlayReady or DTCP, it'd be so limiting that people would be disappointed...ie, I'd have to DRM the recordings, disallow streaming of these channels to XBMC, Touch, VLC and other unprotected clients, the wouldn't be able to run utilities like comskip etc.

The sad thing is that I know enough secrets to get fully unencrypted copy-once/copy-never channels working in NextPVR if I wanted, but I'd be on the wrong side of the law if I did this, and the whole thing would be shut down pretty damn quickly.

[whurlston]

Which cable company are you with? I remember there is one really bad one, AT&T? From what I've read, CableVision, Comcast and Verizon are all generally pretty good.

Time Warner but they used to be Insight Communications and all Basic/Classic channels (TNT, USA, etc) were ClearQAM SD before Time Warner bought them. The HD versions (except for the locals) are encrypted/copy-once however. I got lucky.

Yeah, the locked down copy-once/copy-never channels are annoying. Even if I licensed PlayReady or DTCP, it'd be so limiting that people would be disappointed...ie, I'd have to DRM the recordings, disallow streaming of these channels to XBMC, Touch, VLC and other unprotected clients, the wouldn't be able to run utilities like comskip etc.

The sad thing is that I know enough secrets to get fully unencrypted copy-once/copy-never channels working in NextPVR if I wanted, but I'd be on the wrong side of the law if I did this, and the whole thing would be shut down pretty damn quickly.

Yup, nothing is ever easy.

[sub]

Ah, yeah - that was bad one...Time Warner. Sorry to hear that.

[Reddwarf]

There is this HDMI capturecard from China that doesn't care about copy restrictions, would that do the trick?

[sub]

There is this HDMI capturecard from China that doesn't care about copy restrictions, would that do the trick?

That wouldn't help you, because I'm pretty sure that HDMI capture device wouldn't work with NextPVR.

You can do exactly the same with devices like the Hauppauge Colossus or Hauppauge HD-PVR2 though, by using the right HDMI splitter though - lots of them strip the HDCP protection.

This type of setup is definitely not as nice as using a CableCard directly for those that can though, and requires a set top box per channel.

[Reddwarf]

That wouldn't help you, because I'm pretty sure that HDMI capture device wouldn't work with NextPVR.

Why don't you think it won't work with npvr? It has bda-drivers.