How to get Comcast Digital Cable on my PC?

[Chip]

Are there tuner cards that can tune in digital cable in the U.S.A (Comcast)? I'm really a noob to this arena and all I've seen is a Windows XP Media Edition PC that has the IR emitter that you tape to the digital cable box so that the PC can tune the digital cable box and the analog tuner card stays on channel 3 or 4 like a VCR would.

I'm looking for a tuner that can PVR record digital cable without my intervention of changing the channel on a digital cable box.

[HBOKid]

ok, guys best i can see so far is http://www.dvico.com makes a QAM TV card that should work with un-encrypted digital cable. My cable box indicates reg. digital cable is 64 qam and local HDTV carried on cable from Comcast, here in Pittsburgh, PA is 256 qam. I don't know if the HDTV is encrypted but, surely the std. digital cable is, so, it will not work with that because it doesn't have a CableCard decryption card slot. This product is sold for ~$169 thru

https://www.digitalconnection.com/store/Product_Details.asp?ProductCode=DFUSION3QAM

and

http://www.copperbox.com/lite/popinfo.php?lc_code=Fusion-HDTV3-QAM&uneek=146998437

I'm curious to see if Comcast encrypts the local HDTV carried on cable, if it doesn't this would work for that, i believe. I plan on phoning them but, i haven't yet. I have found some products on te web for sale with the cable card decryption slot but, they are only available to cable co's so far.

HBO Kid

[Chip]

Thank you so much. What your suggesting is probably the most "elegant" solution. You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about this stuff, so let me ask this...

Do you know of any analog tuner cards with an exteral IR emitter that can change change set top cable boxes? (Like a WinXP Media Edition computer). I saw Hauppauge's Media Center Edition addon card, but the remote doesn't work under Windows XP Pro and I can't tell if the scheduler will change channels on the set top box.

[HBOKid]

Has anyone, or, if anyone trys any of these with Comcast or other cable co. please post results. I phoned comcast and found out they don't support CableCard yet for authorizing premum services. But, couldn't get out of them if the over the air HDTv is broadcast in the clear (un-encrypted). if its not none of these will work.

https://www.videohelp.com/capturecards.php?CaptureCard=&Submit=Search&dvbc=1&searchconn...&Search=Search

[HBOKid]

Chip, in regard to:

"Do you know of any analog tuner cards with an exteral IR emitter that can change change set top cable boxes? (Like a WinXP Media Edition computer). I saw Hauppauge's Media Center Edition addon card, but the remote doesn't work under Windows XP Pro and I can't tell if the scheduler will change channels on the set top box."

i don't know and i wouldn't think so.

[HBOKid]

ok, a guy from Haupagge reply'd to me and said

"... the WinTV-DVB-c card won't work. There is no DVB cable service in North America." so they obviously have no compatible product.

I thought they used DVB-c in USA ???

[Chip]

It looks like I'll be going with a SageTV setup with the "blackbird" Hauppage bundle. I'll throw in an IR blaster to control a Comcast cable set top box. I think it's about as close to a Media Center Edition addon as you'll find.

[slicemaster101]

ok, a guy from Haupagge reply'd to me and said

"... the WinTV-DVB-c card won't work. There is no DVB cable service in North America." so they obviously have no compatible product.

I thought they used DVB-c in USA ???

In the US cable companies use either OpenCable or DVB-C! The guy with Hauppauge is full of it. However, I do believe that OpenCable is more popular in the US but that doesn’t mean the DVB-C compatible cable companies are not around in the US.

Signed,
Slice

[DJRumpy]

I have Comcast digital cable, and hook the cable directly into my ATI 9800 without issue. I also know that the 9600 works, as I have to media capable pc's that I regularly record from.

[Chip]

I have Comcast digital cable, and hook the cable directly into my ATI 9800 without issue

Keep in mind you're viewing the analog side of cable and not digital with that setup. Analog cable in my section of Dallas (far north) is horrible. You don't get the TV guide from Comcast or a lot of the channels.

[slicemaster102]

I have Comcast digital cable, and hook the cable directly into my ATI 9800 without issue

Keep in mind you're viewing the analog side of cable and not digital with that setup. Analog cable in my section of Dallas (far north) is horrible. You don't get the TV guide from Comcast or a lot of the channels.

Your best bet is to ask Comcast if the use DVB-C or OpenCable. If they use OpenCable, then basically you’re screwed as far as interfacing your digital cable with your PC directly. However, if they use DVB-C then your basically golden, all you need to do is get yourself a DVB-C tuner card. If they encrypt their DVB-C transmissions, then it becomes a little more complicated, requiring the aid of a CAM and your subscription card (smartcard). This however is not that common and you should be good with just the tuner card.

Slice

[DJRumpy]

Actually that's not true. In April, the FFC passed a law requiring all new cable boxes to have a firewire output. Mine does, since I picked it up after April. You should be able to exchange yours for a newer version. You simply plug the fireware into the cable box, and your PC, and follow a few guides on the internet to enable it, and you can then copy the packeted stream directly to your PC. I'll see if I can find the link. No capture card is necessary here.

[DJRumpy]

Found it..this is all you need.

Cheers!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=403695

[slicemaster102]

Actually that's not true. In April, the FFC passed a law requiring all new cable boxes to have a firewire output. Mine does, since I picked it up after April. You should be able to exchange yours for a newer version. You simply plug the fireware into the cable box, and your PC, and follow a few guides on the internet to enable it, and you can then copy the packeted stream directly to your PC. I'll see if I can find the link. No capture card is necessary here.

I was referring to the DVB-C tuner card as being the only “standalone” device that is able to receive your digital cable if it is transmitted in DVB-C. Yes, your solution will work but it is not as efficient as a PCI based capture card when it comes to recording options if your cable service supports DVB-C.

Slice

P.S. DJRumpy you seem to know a bit about ComCast. Do they use DVB-C or OpenCable?

[DJRumpy]

Don't quote me on this, but it was my understanding that DVB-C was more of a European standard, and OpenCable was used here in the states. I believe Comcast uses the OpenCable standard.

In regards to the fireware, I should point out that it's a great solution for the digital side of the content. You should probably avoid it for the analog broadcasts. You can typically get better results with filtered captures, than from the analog bitstream. They tend to look noisier when they are not pre-processed. ATI's noise technology does a decent job at this. When it comes to digital though, you can't beat just grabbing the raw MPEG stream. You can end up full 1920x1080 digital captures. Just be aware that all premium content is encrypted, and cannot be captured this way. Many local companies are also encrypting stations that they shouldn't. Your results may vary

[MrCairo]

Hello Guys,

This in fact has been a question of mine for years now. (should of posted) But correct me if I'm wrong here....I have Comcast Cable here as my Cable and Internet, now if I purchased a standalnoe 3rd party Cable box(or rented another box from Comcast) and used a splitter off my main cable line...run that directly to an ATI All in Wonder card (don't have one)
wouldn't that allow me to access the encrypted higher channels?

I always thought it would. But as lots of times in my life I could be wrong lol! : )

Thank you 4 a GREAT original post and all of your replys guys!

Best Regards,

MC : )

[DJRumpy]

As long as the split is after the cable box out, and not before, then yes, you would be able to pull the encrypted channels, but not via firewire. That port is still encrypted. If you pulled them via the coax cable, then you'd still be capturing the ananlog signal, and not the digital.

[seekninfo]

As long as the split is after the cable box out, and not before, then yes, you would be able to pull the encrypted channels, but not via firewire. That port is still encrypted. If you pulled them via the coax cable, then you'd still be capturing the ananlog signal, and not the digital.

Does this mean that if I connect the S-Video out from the set-top box to the S-Video in on my capture device I would be able to capture whatever channel the set-top box is tuned to? and in this way get digital cable on my PC? If the capture device has a TV tuner then connecting the coax cable directly to the capture device would give only analogue.

Am I right ?

Any information would be appreciated.

[DJRumpy]

Yes, connecting SVideo or coax to your PC, from the OUT port on your cable box would capture whatever channel your cable box was tuned to (analog). You would have digital cable to your pc, assuming your capture card has an S-Video in, or a Coax input, but again, it would be an analog signal because your using S-Video or Coax. The only way to capture the pure digital signal is via the fireware or usb ports

[seekninfo]

Yes, connecting SVideo or coax to your PC, from the OUT port on your cable box would capture whatever channel your cable box was tuned to (analog). You would have digital cable to your pc, assuming your capture card has an S-Video in, or a Coax input, but again, it would be an analog signal because your using S-Video or Coax. The only way to capture the pure digital signal is via the fireware or usb ports

Thanks for the reply. It is much appreciated.

[seekninfo]

JRumpy wrote,

Yes, connecting SVideo or coax to your PC, from the OUT port on your cable box would capture whatever channel your cable box was tuned to (analog). You would have digital cable to your pc, assuming your capture card has an S-Video in, or a Coax input, but again, it would be an analog signal because your using S-Video or Coax. The only way to capture the pure digital signal is via the fireware or usb ports

My Comcast STB has a firewire and a USB ports at the back. If I capture using either of these ports what format will it be? AVI or Mpeg? or that will depend on the capture card.

[nrmf]

Stop

if you are looking for a card then i suggest you look at the new MYHD130 it will handle what you need it to do and will kick the dvico in the butt, you will not regret it.

[DJRumpy]

If you capture the digital stream, it will be MPEG. it's not strictly MPEG-2 as in the DVD spec but similar. It's called a Transport Stream (.TS), which can easily be converted to MPEG in a minute or two using a freeware converter. Just be aware that the resolutions are often not standard. i've seen anything from 500x480, to 1600x1280.

No capture card is required if you capture a digital stream directly from your cable box.

[jdizzy40]

Check out Beyond TV before you settle on Sage TV.

[edDV]

...
It's called a Transport Stream (.TS), which can easily be converted to MPEG in a minute or two using a freeware converter. Just be aware that the resolutions are often not standard. i've seen anything from 500x480, to 1600x1280.
...

Did you say you were on Comcast? Is it true that for the TS stream they just pass the HDTV DTV signals direct from the DTV station or do they convert everything to a standard 1080i ? For example do you get ABC or FOX in 720P? Are all the HDTV channels the same resolution or different?

I know that the tuner box converts the Y, Pb, Pr and DVI/HDMI outputs to 1080i but what about the TS stream coming from the IEEE-1394 connector?

I'll be getting one of these boxes, probably the Motorola DCT 6208, as soon as Comcast finishes the local upgrade.

[DJRumpy]

They pass it on directly. You get all sorts of resolutions, except for the "analog" channels. Those are all 720x480. The HD channels are broadcast with various signals, most being either 720p, or 1080i. The MPEG stream from those broadcasts tend to also be either 720p or 1080i, but I've run into some weird mpeg resolutions too, like 500x480.

You forget that the signal comming out of the usb and/or firewire connections is not a broadcast signal, or even a monitor signal. Things like 1080i don't apply. There is no frequency. It's just a raw MPEG stream. Think of it as transferring a file off of your "hard drive" cable box, to your media pc.

[seekninfo]

No capture card is required if you capture a digital stream directly from your cable box.

At the risk of sounding not so bright.....how does one capture directly without using a capture card?....please forgive me if it sounds ...stupid

[edDV]

No capture card is required if you capture a digital stream directly from your cable box.

At the risk of sounding not so bright.....how does one capture directly without using a capture card?....please forgive me if it sounds ...stupid

Certain newer HDTV cable boxes are passing the raw Mpeg transit streams (SDTV and HDTV) from the ATSC Digital TV stations through the IEEE-1394 port in a data format defined by the JVC D-VHS recorder. This is in no way related to DV or HDV formats. A PC or Mac needs to emulate a JVC D-VHS recorder to intercept the stream over the IEEE-1394 port. Currently some channels are unencrypted but this could change. Software to do this is a bit "advanced" at the moment.

Did that answer your question?

[anches]

As far as I have been able to determine, NO company currently offers a PC TV tuner card that will accept CableCard descramblers for use with OpenCable systems. Comcast (the largest US cable operator) uses the OpenCable system (as opposed to DVB-C) in most of its US markets.

I know for a fact that Adelphia Southern California (my cable provider) uses OpenCable format. Additionally, I currently have a CableCard in my HDTV. It is a Motorola MediaCipher, and according to Motorola, it is compatible only with OpenCable and not with DVB-C.

As stated in the posts above, TwinHan offers a PC TV Tuner card that accepts a CAM (Controlled-Acess Module), but I do not know if this is the same as CableCard. It is irrelevant anyway, as the TwinHan card is compatible ONLY with DVB-C cable systems. If your cable provider uses the DVB-C system, then the TwinHan should work for you. But it will NOT work with the OpenCable system that is the norm in most US markets.

All we can do is wait, and wait, and . . .

Thanks to all for the wealth of information posted on this forum!

[Nelson37]

There is currently only one way to cap encrypted premium channels off of cable. Use the S-Video or Composite out on the cable box to a capture card.

By using Coax direct to the card, you are seriously degrading the quality obtainable, in two ways. First, you are using the worst possible cable type, and second you are running signal thru the tuner on the card, which often degrades the signal. If the convenience of using one remote outweighs the loss of picture quality, then go that route.

Myself, I schedule the appropriate channel on the cable box, and then schedule the capture for the correct time on the PC. Takes maybe a few seconds longer to set up, but the quality from bypassing the onboard tuner and using S-Video is significantly better.

The firewire approach seems to be the next frontier to investigate, though additional software will soon be needed. And faster hardware, bigger hard drives, new satellite box, and someone to explain to my Domestic Financial Advisor why I really have to have all this stuff.