I just finished installing my new Onkyo 803 receiver, and during setup was getting no video over the Comcast HD-DVR Motorola box. I contacted Comcast tech support, thinking that when I had unplugged the cable box for a while it reset the DVI output setting. To my shock and dismay I was informed that this box does not support HDMI switching or HDCP, and essentially the extra money I spent for this feature is down the drain. Just a heads up for anyone out there looking to switch this box. It ain't gonna work :(:(

Same here. there is some other thread that says potentially in 2 mos there may be f/w upgrade.. meanwhile , you might have to use something like Yamaha 5990 and connect component to 5990 that at least upconverts to HDMI

Hi! I'm sorry, I don't understand. Does this mean that the Comcast/Motorola HD-DVR will not produce HD pictures when connected to your receiver/processor via an HDMI cable? Is this the Motorola 6412? My parents are currently using Comcast Cable and I was planning to upgrade their service to digital cable with the Motorola HD-DVR so they can receive and record HDTV. I was going to connect the DVR directly to their TV via an HDMI cable, but was also considering the possibility of an intermediate connection instead to their processor (Emotiva LMC-1) via an HDMI switcher. Please advise... thanks!

I believe the Emotiva LMC-1 external box should work fine as it is not a 'repeater', nor does it do any sort of processing.

It is simply a relay-based switcher.

box does not support HDMI switching or HDCP
A "universal" problem with most all cable-boxes.

Go through some of the threads, like the Yamaha RX-V1600/RX-V2600 topic.

Also, look through the "HDTV Reception Hardware" threads in regards to the various cable boxes.

Yes, the Comcast HD/DVR is not smart enough to deal with a "repeater" between it and the display when it attempts to perform the HDCP (copy protection) handshake as it initializes the connection. If there is a repeater in the path, the source device (the HD/DVR in this case) needs to know to look BEYOND the repeater to establish the copy protected link all the way to the display on the other side. The Comcast box won't do that. Motorola strikes again!

There is at least one HDMI switching pre-pro, the Anthem Statement D2, which anticipated this problem and has an option to present itself as NOT being a repeater when connected to such a brain-dead source device. The D2 works over HDMI with the Comcast/Motorola 3412 HD/DVR -- I'm using one now. The D2 is pretty new, and has other bugs related to HDMI re-handshaking on power up and such, and Anthem is beta testing user-downloadable software fixes for those right now, but except for these nuisance issues it DOES work with the 3412 over HDMI for both video and audio.

However the D2 is pretty spendy, so you may want to try some other kludge boxes between your Comcast box and your current receiver to trick the Comcast into establishing the connection with your receiver. I don't have any recommendations to suggest, however.
--Bob

Ok, I think I understand now. So if I just connect the Comcast/Motorola 6412 HD/DVR directly to the HP-S5053 via an HDMI (and forget about connecting it thru a receiver/processer), then I shouldn't have any problems with HDCP, right?

I guess then I'll have to connect a separate optical cable from the DVR to the receiver/processor to get audio.

Ok, I think I understand now. So if I just connect the Comcast/Motorola 6412 HD/DVR directly to the HP-S5053 via an HDMI (and forget about connecting it thru a receiver/processer), then I shouldn't have any problems with HDCP, right?

I guess then I'll have to connect a separate optical cable from the DVR to the receiver/processor to get audio.

As I stated earler, the LMC-1 HDMI switcher should NOT cause the problem being mentioned here - as it is simply a relay-based switching device.

The issue being mentioned here is not with HDMI switchers, but with devices that can do processing on the signal and therefor are flaging the HDCP as a 'repeater'.

Keep in mind that the receiver is NOT the problem. These cable boxes have shoddy and/or paranoid HDMI software implementations. The cable companies didn't want (or anticipate) a device sitting between the box and the TV and won't allow the signal to pass through the receiver.

Light a fire under the a$$ of your cable company to get them to fix the problem or send you a new box.

This problem may explain why I am having problems with my comcast DCT 6200 (no DVR) and how it has effected my set-up.

My original set up was with a Denon 4800, and Samsung DLP. The STB is plugged into the Denon, as are the DVD player. No problems with regular or HD programming. Video on Demand is relatively new here. My problem is that I get audio drop outs on the Denon. When the audio drops out for a second, the red 'channel' lights on the Denon blink off. Note that this problem happens only on VOD.

Here is another problem with the box: I changed by Denon out to an Emotiva LMC-1 and a LPA-1. Again the STB was plugged into the LPA-1. With this equipment, I lost video (kept audio). If I moved the video output on the LMC from CABLE to AUX, the unit worked fine. I could get the video to return for a short time by using the 'cable' button the remote to re-initialize the processor in the LMC-1. The problem with the LMC-1 was on all programming, not just VOD. Also note that I kept the audio, just lost video. I tried 2 LMC units, both with the same problem.

while this is WAY over my head, perhaps the way the incoming signal is processed by the Motorola box is the fault, in my case too. :(

Jeff,

Did you ever try this using short-run cable? I seem to remember you stating it was a long component cable?

Yes, I did go to a short 2 meter cable, and it didn't make any difference and used the STB plugged into the LMC and used a shorter, 2 meter, cable directly into the display, thereby by-passing my in-wall RG-6 cabling. Tonite, I did another test:

I have only 1 DCT6200 box and a DCT2244. I set up a VOD on the first box and instantly it started the audio drop outs. I went upstairs and started the same VOD on the 2244 box and had no problems.

After all the time I spent with Sean trying to figure out if there was a problem with the LMC, I am becoming more convinced that it is the STB. :mad:

I have a Comcast 8300HD Box and a Panasonic HDTV, I have HDMI cable connected at both ends. I have no Reception... can anyone help me out please?

Thank You
Harp