Re: [PLUG] Comcast going all digital for me

[Rich Freeman <r-plug@thefreemanclan.net>]

On Sat, Aug 6, 2011 at 1:40 AM, JP Vossen <jp@jpsdomain.org> wrote:
> So I'm pretty sure the $130 HDHR3-US that is now down to $108 [1], will Just
> Work for what I want (basic networks and PBS).  True?  Anything going to
> bite me?  (Besides disk space?)

I have no experience with either Comcast or that specific card.
However, in general any QAM-capable tuner card with linux drivers
should allow you to capture the basic networks including PBS.  If it
doesn't yell at your cable company (they occasionally get it wrong and
encrypt a local channel).  I'm recording locals off of QAM on FIOS
without issue now (and I also use a tuner box as well with serial
control).

>
> I'm guessing the HDHR3-US price dropped because the $250 HDHR3-CC (CableCARD
> ready, but with limited support in MythTV starting with 0.24 [2]) is
> almost--but not quite--on sale.  Hummm, does CableCARD even do anything for
> me if I have "limited basic" service?

Cablecard should only be needed to provide access to the extended
content - like feature channels, and maybe PPV/etc (if the CC even
supports that - I think the newer spec does and the older one doesn't,
but I could be wrong on that).

And Cablecard will most likely not work with MythTV.  The people who
designed it had DRM in mind and I think your software needs to have a
trusted key to get it to do anything (perhaps just for anything beyond
the basic local channels).  The intent was to treat the software like
DVD-playing software - you can only get a CSS key if your software is
certified (requiring obfuscation and no ability to output unencrypted
digital video).  I'm sure it would be cracked by now if you couldn't
get your digital video from any of 47 other sources in the clear.

So, I'd probably avoid the CC tuner card.

Rich
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