Comcast HD STB as tuner for DVDR

Comcast in my area is dropping almost all analog channels. I have been accustomed to recording TCM, MSNBC, PBS, CNN, and Comedy Central directly from the RF input to my Pio 640. Soon, this will not be possible. Obviously, a lot of people are in the same boat, so I thought my experiences might be of some help to others.

First, which STB to get? It must be programmable. Talking to a supposedly tech/analog transfer trained CSR, I was told that this wasn't possible with any Comcast Motorola boxes. With the help of some on the AVS Forum, I determined that HD boxes DCT6200, DCT3200, and DCH3200 are programmable. I believe that the new DCX3200 is as well, but I have not been able to confirm that. It is a much smaller, black box. The free digital adapters are NOT programmable.

I got the DCH3200. It took about one hour on the phone, me reading off six sets of numbers from the back of the box, and then a 24 hour wait, to get the box activated.

My Pio DVDR can be set to turn on and off, when it detects a signal, potentially meaning I would only have to program the STB, and not the Pio. But, does the STB shut off at the end of a programmed "recording?" Based on the function of my Moto 6412 DVR, and other DVRs, I suspected it would turn off, if it had to turn on at the start of the program, and no commands were sent before the program ended. Unfortunately, this is not so. It stays turned on, tuned to the programmed channel. I confirmed this with several trials.

Programming the STB is very similar to programming a Moto DVR. You can set it to start early, and end late, by the normal increments. One problem is that when a program starts, and ends, there is a graphic that covers the screen, saying the "VCR Program" is beginning. So, you must pad the beginning and ending a bit more than usual, to avoid having those graphics on your program.

If you have back-to-back programs on the same channel, if possible, it is better to extend the length of the first program to cover the second program, avoiding graphics in the middle. This will not allow you to go just a minute or two past the end of the second program, but will end on time.

The STB will inform you of programming conflicts. If you program an overlapping program, it will bring up a graphic which includes "Go to your recordings list." I have found NO other way to access that list. One would expect it to be in the menu, but I can't find it anywhere. If anyone knows how to access it without deliberately programming a conflicting recording, please post!

I know I'm not the only one here who likes to record a lot from TCM. A case in point for me is coming up on Dec. 26th. There will be a Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes marathon. For times when you wish to record several programs from one channel, like TCM, and there is nothing programmed on other channels in that time period, just set the channel manually. Then, program each movie separately on your DVDR, with the proper bit rate to fill out a disc, when you burn them to disc. This will avoid all of those pesky graphics.

With a Moto DVR, you can program by time period, without using the program guide. I haven't been able to figure out a way to do that on the DCH3200, so I guess it is impossible.

It is possible that with different firmware, things may be different for you. I forgot to write down my current firmware, but I'll post it tomorrow.

I'd very much like to hear the experiences of others using a STB for a tuner for their DVDR, so please post any info you can provide!

Addendum: I am ordering a component>S-Video converter, so I can make anamorphic DVDs! That means I'll be wanting to rerecord a lot of things in my collection, but much less than half, as many things are from TCM and before 1953, or from Sundance Channel, or the IFC. I do have IFC HD now, but almost all is just stretched SD...

I ordered one from www.dealextreme.com, that was posted in this forum, sometime back. It is $56.40, with free shipping. I believe it is exactly the same unit that is priced from $69 - $89 in links posted elsewhere in this forum.

I needed a few cables, so I decided to check out Tartan Cable. It is run by Bluejeans Cable. Tartan seeks out the best, most reliable, but cheaper ready-made cables, or so they say. They do look a lot better than the Monoprice stuff, and cost only slightly more.

I like Bluejeans Cable's broadcast quality stuff a lot, and I would love to replace my collection of Monster, AR, IXOS, Sony, Signet, etc., etc., with all Bluejeans stuff, but I can't afford it, even though they are reasonably priced for what you get. Probably be a week or so before I can get things delivered, hooked up, and checked out. But, I'll report back on the converter, cables, and anamorphic DVD results, as soon as I can.

I tried programming a conflicting recording, and the button for the recording list didn't come up, it just gave a graphic about a conflicting recording. I think the one time I did see the link to the recording list, it said I had programmed too many recordings. So, I'll have to try programming lots of recordings, and see if it pops up again. I didn't try to edit from the list, but from the look of it, I think it was editable.



I leave mine on all the time too, just like my Moto DVR. The reason it took so long to activate mine is that they had no info on the box, other than that I had it, in their system. That's why I had to give them all the barcode numbers, and it took them 24 hours to input them into their system.



I haven't had any odd artifacts, but I am only watching S-Vid, from the STB, to the DVDR, to my 56" 720p DLP set. But, I have watched HD channels that way, with no problems. I want the component>S-Vid conversion, to get the squeezed picture for anamorphic DVDS. If your picture problems are because of HDMi, or HD, I may never see them.





Yep, Lenkeng is the one. I believe a person from their factory in China replied to a discussion about it in one place. I hope it produces a good picture!

I have ordered a converter, and cables. The converter is due, airmail from Hong Kong, 7-10 days after Nov. 5th.

I already received some nice looking cables from Tartan Cable, a division of Bluejeans Cable. The cables look more like audiophile quality stuff than the trusty Monoprice stuff does, but cost about the same. Very solid, gold plated, screw on connectors. Nice solid solder jobs on those I inspected. Now, I just need the converter to try them out!

I got my Lenkeng component>S-Video converter today.
Ordered: 11/1
Shipped: 11/5, presumably from somewhere in mainland China
Left Hong Kong, via airmail: 11/11
Arrived Michigan, via USPS, receipt required: 11/17

So, if you are in a hurry, you might want to pay more to some US supplier who stocks them.

It is compact, about the size of a pack of cigarettes. (don't smoke, but I've seen the things.)

Build quality looks good. Came with a full compliment of cables, but I bought better ones separately.

I will probably plug the power supply into the outlet on back of the STB. To provide clearance, I will have to use a three prong grounding adapter, and clip the extra wide part off of the one prong, to get everything to fit. Fortunately, the power supply has a non-polarized plug.

I will hook this up later today, and report back about my first anamorphic recordings, probably from TCM HD, and MGM HD Movies, on Saturday.

So far, using a Comcast Moto DCH 3200 as a tuner for my DVDR works well. I haven't forgotten to leave it on the right channel, when I want to do that. The only real problem is with back-to-back recordings. The warning graphics come on one minute before a recording starts, and is on for about 15 seconds when one ends. So, with btb recordings, you will lose a bit.


Addendum: Judging by the instruction sheet, this thing is meant to connect video games, and other things with component output, to TVs that don't have component ins, but do have S-Vid, and line video. I wonder if there is any chance it will strip off a copy protection signal. I guess I should hook it up to a DVD player, and see...

I've been using my new toy...

I haven't tried it with my DVD player yet, to see if it strips copy protection, but I would love to make a NTSC copy of my PAL R2 DVD of Bliss (1986) for a friend, so I'll try it sooner or later.

Hookup was fairly easy. It's inputs are close together. My Tartan Cable component cables have fairly big connectors, and barely fit. They are tight together. I have seen bigger connectors on some high end cables, so those wouldn't work.

My Tartan aren't as flexible as I would like, so the unit won't sit flat. No big deal. I did have to use a trimmed grounding adapter, as described above, to attach the power unit to the DCH 3200. I had a momentary start when I first tried it. Audio, no picture... I wiggled a S-Video connection, and picture came in.

Doing A/B comparisons, and side-by-side comparisons, using my PIP, which will produce two equal sized pictures, I compared CNN HD via the converter, to CNN SD, via my Moto DVR. I did likewise with a local PBS HD and SD channel. The PQ through the converter was almost identical to the SD PQ from the DVR. The colors were still true. The converter picture was just a little bit darker. I should be able to adjust to correct that, because my Pio 640 has input PQ adjustments. I'll do it as soon as I can get a color bar test pattern, with pluge, from the cable.

I was hoping for a bit sharper picture from the converter (when from a HD source,) than from SD from the DVR. I didn't really get that, but that might be unrealistic. For the record, my first anamorphic DVD was Killer Klowns From Outer Space, recorded from OnDemand. It looks pretty good.

Advantages of anamorphic:
No zooming to fill the screen...
This means that if you have a DVD player with a good upscaler, you can use it, and fill the screen.
When you record 4x3 films from a HD source, they will now have black borders on the sides, not the tops too.
You can record on your DVDR's HDD from the HD version of various channels, and not have the sides clipped off, like their SD channels sometimes do. I'm thinking PBS and CNN, for two.

Sounds like you're talking about a filter, and there are those. I think maybe you're thinking of the Apple unit, for much more $. I don't need pass-through, since this is dedicated to my DVDR, as a tuner. I have a separate cable DVR, which I use for viewing HD. If I used the output from that to record, I couldn't watch anything else at the same time.

The difference I am seeing is very slight. As soon as I can get a test signal, I'll make the adjustment. Also, I want to find out if it strips copy protection. I'll probably be able to do it over the holiday weekend, and I'll report back, hopefully on Sunday.

PS The converter has a PAL/NTSC switch, so it might adjust for black level, or maybe their market is mostly US. Of course Japan is NTSC too.

It has a full complement of adjustments, black level, white level, color level, hue, sharpness, etc. It also remembers several sets of settings you can program, and select for different pieces of equipment. But, since I am trying to adjust what I get from the STB, through the converter, I must get a color bar w/pluge test pattern on a HD channel. Sometimes they put them on when they are "off air." I'll have to search the schedule for one, over the weekend.

I couldn't find any test patterns. There was only one "Off Air" listed, and it was a PPV channel.

Using my side-by-side PIP setup, I tweaked the black and white levels on the Pio inputs to make the picture look the same as one coming from my DVR, set on the same channel. That will do for now. Still haven't checked to see if the converter strips off CPRM. I am enjoying the anamorphic SD!

Well, i discovered that the guide search function doesn't really turn up the "OFF-AIR" times! I know that it used to turn them up, but not now. I have found that the Encore channels will be having "OFF AIR," and hopefully test signals, at 4am, on 12/9. I will be able to accurately adjust my DVDR's input PQ settings then.

I made an odd discovery about how the STB's "Record to VCR" function works. Even though you use the program guide to set it, it goes by time, not by program. So, if you set it for a specific program, and the time changes later in the guide, it will still record at the original time you programmed!

Also, one of my programs, for The Daily Show, was dropped, deleted, whatever you want to call it. Not sure when it happened, since the show was on hiatus for a while. All my other programmed channel changes remained. I did get a repeat, so I missed nothing...

For Scott_111, and others, I guess I never specifically stated where the button is to program for a recording, since I thought it was obvious enough. When you find a program in the guide you want to set the STB to tune in, hit the "INFO" button on the remote. In that string of symbols along the bottom of the screen, you will see an R. That stands for record.

artwire, I said all that, earlier in the thread. I use a combo, setting the box to the first channel it will record during the day, then let it do the rest of the changes. Or, if I want to record a bunch of movies from TCM, I just switch the STB to TCM. One trick I don't think I mentioned is that you can program the STB to tune to an earlier program, on the channel you want to record, and it will stay there, so when your recording starts, no graphic message over the program. Back-to-back programs are the real problem, with that message.

Just realized I'll still be at work when that runs. I work until 5am, but I thought it fell on a day off. Guess I'll have to keep looking for a test signal.

A few other notes germane to this thread...

I made a cardboard cover that I move from one STB to the other, usually left on the one I use to feed the DVDR, so I don't operate both boxes at once. There are a couple of alternatives.

I understand that the new DCX 3400 boxes come with a remote that operates them, but not older boxes, even though the DCX boxes can be operated with the old silver peanut remote. If so, you could leave the DCH 3200 uncovered, and just cover the DCX when signaling the DCH.

Another possibility is a directional remote. I think it was Wajo and I who doped out how to do that. If he finds a link, and wants to post it here, that would be nice... The idea is that if your boxes aren't one on top of the other, you can make your remote directional, and only operate one at a time. To do this, you attach the empty tube of a ball point pen over the IR emitter on the remote. Seems we had a couple of clever ideas on how to do that, which I'm not sure I recall, at the moment.