New cableco hardware, how much adjustment necessary?

[Joram]

We were forced off our CableCARD systems this week when Verizon deactivated them without any prior notice that we can find.

Both the technical support guy and the CS rep we spoke to at VZ sounded sincerely apologetic over this. After a pair of long conversations, we opted for their "premium" multi-room service which is said to include two VMS4100 DVRs and one IPC4100 STB; we are told this will give us 2TB of storage to be shared among the three boxes.

Naturally, we're looking to enhance the storage with NextPVR systems, in our case on Windows PCs.

My question to the Forum is: I've been trialing (with success) NextPVR on a system where the video source is an older Arris IPC1100 P2. When I swap out this box for one of the new boxes, how much (if any) reinstallation of software and/or tweaking of NPVR settings can I expect to need to carry out? Hoping it's a matter of disconnecting the 1100 from the Hauppauge HDPVR2, and then simply connecting it to the 4100. The idea is that the HDPVR2 won't notice a difference because it's the same kind of source (HDMI), and that NPVR won't notice a difference since it's communicating with the HDPVR2 which is still there. Something tells me, though, that this scenario may be too optimistic.

Then there is the IR blaster to be placed next to the new STB. This will need to be reprogrammed, won't it?

Apologies if this topic has been discussed already and my search didn't turn it up.

Thanks in advance for any insights, tips, or experience shared.

[mvallevand]

NextPVR doesn't know what your blaster is controlling or what the hdpvr is capturing so I don't understand the question.

Martin

[Joram]

Martin, this is a very welcome reply, thank you sincerely. The switchover process could turn out to be as simple as I'd envisioned.

In your experience, might the IR blaster need to be reprogrammed for (paired with?) the new STB, or are the commands fairly standard from one model to the next such that the new box will accept the same signals for the same commands (change channels, record channel X, etc.)?

(I'm no technologist, so these things aren't self-evident to me.)

[ElihuRozen]

Martin, this is a very welcome reply, thank you sincerely. The switchover process could turn out to be as simple as I'd envisioned.

In your experience, might the IR blaster need to be reprogrammed for (paired with?) the new STB, or are the commands fairly standard from one model to the next such that the new box will accept the same signals for the same commands (change channels, record channel X, etc.)?

(I'm no technologist, so these things aren't self-evident to me.)

Generally, if the remote control for the old STB can control the new STB, you do not need to reprogram the IR Blaster.  If all the keys on the old remote do not function the same for the new STB, you do need to reprogram.

[Joram]

Generally, if the remote control for the old STB can control the new STB, you do not need to reprogram the IR Blaster.  If all the keys on the old remote do not function the same for the new STB, you do need to reprogram.

Thanks for this. I'll know by tonight if the old remote works on the new STB.

[Joram]

UPDATE: It took a while to complete the many steps in the process, from disconnecting equipment to setting up the new router and three cable boxes, plus re-connecting all the Internet devices.

The only glitch came as I tested watching TV through NextPVR, when I kept getting the error message, "Unable to find available capture device." A quick search through the NPVR forum turned up this thread, where@sub suggested rebooting. Even though the specific issue there didn't seem to be related to mine (AFAIK), I decided to give it a try, and voilà -- it worked!

We are in business. The last step will be to set up the new NPVR system in the family room alongside the WMC machine. With any luck, I'll complete that final phase before wife fills up the 2TB of DVR storage.  

P.S. Not only do the old remotes work (for the most part) on the new boxes, but the IR blaster controls the new STB exactly as before.