copy-once flag set

[ceandra]

Hello again:

I recently upgraded to NPVR, and HD Homerun Prime, so I could continue recording HD when Comcast encrypted basic limited. Well, today they did so, and I no longer get HD on my HD Homerun Prime. Channels are authorized, but they seem to come across with CCI set to "protected - copyonce".

Does this mean NPVR is out?

Also, I am running on XP MCE. Are there options, or is my only choice for HD going to be getting a new Win7 or Win8 computer with WMC?

I plan to take this up with Comcast, but I do not expect positive results.

Ughh.

SD channels still come across as unprotected.

Chuck

[sub]

If they're marked as copy-once, there isn't much you can do other than ring them and complain. Comcast are usually not thrifty with the copy-freely channels, and have been known to change how some channels are marked too restrictive.

If they wont change it, then Windows Media Center is your only option.

[ceandra]

Hmm. That is what I was afraid of. Much prefer your system.

Does it only work with WMC under Win 7 and Win 8? I have Win XP MCE, so there is a WMC on my machine that I have never used. Tried it briefly last night, locked up trying to connect to the homerun, but I really did not explore it greatly (it was late).

I am going to work with Comcast over the next few days, see if they can fix the copy protect flags. Do you know if that is typically an individual user issue, or would the whole local affiliate be impacted? Might help if others are affected (of course, anyone happy to use Comcast equipment is probably fine). What else does it affect (TiVo?)

Thanks
Chuck

[johnsonx42]

TiVo can handle copy-once content just fine. This problem only affects PC-based PVR's; only Microsoft has paid for a CableLabs PlayReady license.

I've read that Comcast is better about removing Copy Once flags on their basic channels than some other big cable companies. Conversely I've read Time Warner is the worst. Good luck.

[ceandra]

Thanks for the insights and encouragement!

Do you have any idea if this is a per-customer flag, or if it is affiliate-wide?

I did discover it also prevents using DLNA to get the signal from HD Homerun Prime to the LG TV directly (no PC involved). Probably because DLNA does not carry forward the copy protect? Worse yet, it locks up the TV, to the point I have to unplug to reset and recover! Not a NPVR problem, but might provide more impetus to have the flag changed.

Thanks
Chuck

[sub]

Thanks for the insights and encouragement!

Do you have any idea if this is a per-customer flag, or if it is affiliate-wide?

They'll be copy-once for all Comcast users in your area.

[JavaWiz]

Are you sure all the channels are copy-once? Did you get a cable card from Comcast to handle the decryption they just instituted?

Just went thru this awhile back with Comcast here as well. I was recording clear QAM for most of the channels, and feeding another line via the STB for encrypted channels. Comcast then encrypted all the basic channels, so all the QAM ones became unusable. The feed from the STB still worked, so I lived with 1 recording at a time for awhile, back to back recordings were a problem and I couldn't watch while recording.

I then bought a HDHomeRun ($100 @ newegg) and got a CableCard from Comcast ($1/mo) which is much cheaper than renting another cable box. With the HDHomeRun and CableCard, I now have 3 HDHR tuners that get all regular channels (SD and HD) via the cable card which decyrpts Comcasts scrambled signal. The only ones that do not work are the truly copy-once channels which are premium like HBO, Starz, Showtime, etc... Channels like TBS, FX, AMC,... and the locals all come in fine.

Be aware, the CableCard needs to be registered correctly before the encrypted channels work, it took me a few tries to get it working...

[ceandra]

Yeh, that was the first step. Got HD Homerun Prime and cablecard because encryption was coming. Took 6 hours on phone to get cablecard paired. It worked prior to encryption. After encryption, the SD channels work, but the Basic Limited HD programs indicate (in Homerun TV Viewer) that they are encrypted. IN addition, if you start one like this and get teh warning, then go to the cablecard display on the homerun web page, it will show that CCI is set to "copy-once"

CHuck

[ceandra]

I tested with my Win7 office machine, and the protected channels work in WMC under Win7, so its definitely just a copy protect issue. I sent a request to Comcast, I'll hope for the best.

Chuck