Need some assistance adding DVR functionality

you have two main options

1) use a "capture device". In this case, you will still have a cable box provided by comcast. you will take component from the cable box to the capture device.
-Benefits: no DRM on anything. You can freely copy and modify your recordings. You will also retain your ability to watch on demand programming and will have a "backup" device if your PC were to go down.
-Downsides: WMC was not designed with capture devices in mind so it requires some tweaking to make it work. Also, you will need to use IR blasters so your htpc is able to change the channels on the cable box.

2) use a cablecard tuner. the coax would go right from the wall into your pc. the computer then acts as the cable box.
-Benefits: no box rental fees. likely no HD technology fee. no chance of IR blasters getting confused about what channel is actually on.
-Downsides: DRM. comcast isn't very bad in this regard, but your premium movie channels will be locked down. You will still be able to watch and record them, but not to manipulate the recording to say, convert it into a mobile friendly mp4 file. PC based tuners seem to be more sensitive to signal quality than the box you would rent from comcast.

I use a cablecard tuner and am very happy with its performance.

Ceton InfinTV 4
Hauppauge 2650
Silicondust HDHomerun Prime

My local Comcast office (Fort Lauderdale, FL) has recently started marking anything not from the basic local channels as copy once for me. So they seem to be going that route.

Also to add an additional point, if you intend to archive shows on premium channels you will lose the ability to watch them if you upgrade your PC due to the DRM tying the recording to the box that made it.

Yeah, it's pretty muscle locked down. I'm suprised somebody hasn't added this to MakeMKV or Clown by now.

HDMI connections are tied up in DRM too. If the channel has copy protection on it, I am pretty sure it will require HDCP (the HDMI DRM). The Colossus will not work like that and you will have to use component cables.

Cable companies by law have to let you self install cable cards now.

If you intend to share with other computers you could very likely have problems. Ghost Lobster is a user that has a good set up like that, using a Hauppauge capture device.

That's why the Colossus uses component video and optical. Get excellent 1080i and DD5.1 which is all you can get from your cable or satellite box anyhow, without DRM hassles.

But that's a totally different device than a cablecard tuner. While a lot of people use the IR Blaster to change channels, it's not really a tuner. Think of it more the way you used to use your VCR to record shows. But as a capture device it's outstanding. The quality of captures is visually equal to the original cable or satellite signal, in my view.

As mentioned the colossus is a no go through HDMI to protected channels, though the component quality is just fine.

I actually use a hybrid setup with a ceton tuner for all non-protected channels and two colossi (with dvblink for colossus) for protected content.

Colossus set up in general is fairly technical so i would avoid it if you are not great with computers. Additionally using more reliable channel changing methods (i.e. firestb) takes additional technical understanding and ties you to 32bit OS as a 64bit driver is not available.

Setting up a mixed solution with ceton and colossus is even more of a pain (i.e. you have to manually edit the guides of both so that you don't have your channel line up repeated twice in your guide).

Both options are feasible but the capture approach is more expensive/kludgy at the benefit of having complete control of the files.

Tell that to Charter, wouldya! They call it a truck roll to remove the trap from the line on a new install but it is only $10. If you have CATV already, then yes they have to let you self-install.

All cablecard tuners have to behave the same way. The DRM is set by the cable company and they have to abide by it.

There is no consistent standard on it.

Many cable companies DRM everything that isn't a local channel.

Fios doesn't DRM anything.

Comcast changes from market to market. In Pittsburgh where I am it seems to only be movie channels.

I think fios does the premiums too (only), no?

I don't think it's difficult if you're not trying to set it up to control the change of channels. If you are just using it to record using Showbiz, I've found it to be pretty straightforward.

Personally I use it to record from a DirecTV DVR.

If you are looking only to archive, as it sounds like Zon2020 is doing, and what it sounds like you are indicating, then the colossus would be fine even though it would have to be component (there is no real HDMI capture-everything card unless you have a HDCP stripper). If you are looking to replace your dvr then something like that Ceton would be more along the lines of what you want.

Then if you really want full access no matter what above all other tv viewing aspects the regular Hauppauge HD-PVR 1212 usb or the Hauppauge colossus are your best bets.

You would probably want at least 2 of them and you would have to use the dvblink software.

If you dont want to get into legal aspects use component rather than HDMI.

Note that you will still need 2 normal set top boxes with this configuration.

edit: do you want to archive only, or also watch live tv through the device.

Infrequent archiving is quite different from dropping cable co dvr and going HTPC.....

Then the above post will work for you.