streaming comcast on htpc

The first thing I would do is try it with a local channel. If it works okay, but none of the other channels do, then I would say that they have it encrypted. You would need a firewire device capable of recording it.

In the past, about 3 years ago, I could do the same and capture any of the HD channels I was subscribing to, on my local hard drive. Here lately, it will only allow me to get the local channels, because they have them copy protected, and you will need a firewire device to "handshake" with it. None of the firewire cards can do it, just the DVHS and the AVHDD units.

Try the VLC player. It can also view the live output of the 6412 as a stream.

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

What you are experiencing is the (becoming famous) 0x02 copy-once flag. I haven't seen anybody explain whether this is being done by the stations or comcast. But it seems to have started with the recent firmware comcast pushed out.

You can see the settings on the same screen that shows 5C. Look near the bottom for CCI=0x00 or 0x02.

A related question to this. (Sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread). Once you get the streaming working (atleast for non HD version), can the stream use any post processing like ffdshow etc??

Is there any workaround to this or are people just SOL?

I had recently got a comcast DVR in order to capture some shows to my PC but it seems as the majority of the shows I wanted are 0x02 copy-once flag.

Welcome to the world of DRM. Maybe this classic quote from 1963 is not so amusing as it once was:

"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We can reduce the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits."

Gary

Rupert,
Could you elaborate on the setup you are using? I went to your posted link and there is no details regarding using VLC player with the 6412.

Thanks!

Jerry

Here's the thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hlight=capdvhs


Basically, once you install the firewire CAPDVHS drivers, VLC will see the 6412 as a video capture device and allow streaming.

Completely SOL. They (maybe) have already cracked HD-DVD discs, but no one AFAIK has even attempted to defeat 5C encryption. I guess I can understand them protecting HD content, but protecting the SD content really pisses me off.

Remember that the cable companies once encrypted everything including the clear broadcast channels they carried, until the FCC made them stop. Thereafter you could view the basic channels on a "cable ready" TV, without having to rent a cable box. The CableCARD was an attempt to avoid being reset again by the FCC over clear HD channels. They can still charge you for a CableCARD of course, but at least it integrates into your TV set. But apparently never into your custom HTPC.

Gary