comcast 6412 DVR hard drive

[lazylazyjoe]

Since the current box (6412) does not have an active data port to transfer to the computer, merely video/audio, I was curious if anyone has managed to remove the hard drive on their box (customer owned box, ofcourse) and transfer the unexcrypted .ts streams to a computer. I'm just too impatient to sit there and play each program one at a time for the recordings. I have no idea what file system (ntfs, linux, propritary, etc) the box uses, which would be necessary to read and transfer the files. But, if it's a common file system, it seems that it would be possible to remove the drive, connect to a computer and transfer to another drive then return the drive to the box. I am currently renting a box, but would definately buy one if someone has had success doing this. I would try myself, but Comcast would probably be upset if I returned a mangled box to them. :)
-joe

[edDV]

waste of time.
the data is encrypted on all these cable DVR boxes.

[TBoneit]

I'm sure they wouldn't be upset if you returned a mangled box to them, They would just bill for a brand new box, at full MSRP price and then repair your mangled box and rent it to someone else. As well as charging you all kinds of misc fees.

You may sense I'm not a cable fan? DirecTV for years and Dishnetwork for more years. When Dish came out with the first intgerated receiver with a hard drive (DVR) I jumped on it and haven't had anything else for years. I've been commercial free for many years.

Anyway DirecTivos for DirecTV and the Dishnetwork DVRs have both had groups and software to extract video from their hard drives for a long time. Supposedly the new dish boxes can now have the video extracted but early days for that. OTOH the Dishplayer 7100/7200 and the 501/508/510 models ae easy.

[Frobozz]

I don't know how you would be able to mount and extract data from the drive even if you pulled it from the box. Exporting via Firewire is the only way to capture the ts streams from this box, and that only works for those channels the cable company is allowing for Firewire export. For my Comcast service that is the network HD channels and the analog channels.

[DVWannaB]

lazyjoe,

you are making this operation really too hard. There is an app called CapDVHS that can capture your *.ts files, as long as they are not protcted with 5c encryption. Just connect via firewire and go for it. You must be running Win XP SP2 to use it. There is a long but informative thread on the AVSforum HDTV record section.

[lazylazyjoe]

I know you can capture the unencrypted ts streams via firwire. I've been doing that for a while. Most of what i want is even on nonencrypted channels. It's just annoying because it only transfers in real time. I just want to be able to copy the tdata (ts, mpeg2 files or raw dv, however it is stored on the drive; I'm not worried about the format) from the HD directly to another hard drive. I was hoping you could just cut the top open, pull the drive out and then connect it to a motherboard and transfer. However, edDV says all the data is encrypted. Just for a second opinion (no offense edDV), has anyone else tried to access the HD directly and found the files to be encrypted(even files that aren't transmitted encrypted like below channel 100 or network stations)?

[edDV]

...However, edDV says all the data is encrypted. Just for a second opinion (no offense edDV), has anyone else tried to access the HD directly and found the files to be encrypted(even files that aren't transmitted encrypted like below channel 100 or network stations)?

www.avs.com has experts in each box.