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She's a Real Firewire

MarvellousMMarvellousM United StatesRegistered User regular
edited April 2009 in Moe's Stupid Technology Tavern
I'm building an HTPC setup which will run MythBuntu. The mobo I'm going to use has a Firewire port on the back and my Comcast HD cable box also has firewire on it. Any idea if I can just plug the box into my PC via firewire and I'll be able to start recording? Surely it can't be that easy.

MarvellousM on

Posts

  • DjeetDjeet Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    A quick googling of the terms indicates whether or not you can get unencrypted cable programming via firewire on Comcast boxes varies by locality. The forum posts I saw (anywhere from 1 to 4 years old) were indicating that firmware updates by Comcast was encumbering peoples' access to unencrypted cable content (broadcast bit was set: video was viewable via firewire, but not recordable). Don't think I can link the forum posts as they include methods to break/bypass copy-protection. Can't hurt to try but you may have some hacking ahead of you.

    Djeet on
  • MarvellousMMarvellousM United StatesRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Djeet wrote: »
    A quick googling of the terms indicates whether or not you can get unencrypted cable programming via firewire on Comcast boxes varies by locality. The forum posts I saw (anywhere from 1 to 4 years old) were indicating that firmware updates by Comcast was encumbering peoples' access to unencrypted cable content (broadcast bit was set: video was viewable via firewire, but not recordable). Don't think I can link the forum posts as they include methods to break/bypass copy-protection. Can't hurt to try but you may have some hacking ahead of you.
    Looks like you had more luck on finding info on this than I did. Thanks for the response, looks like it will be more trouble than its worth unless my Tivo suddenly dies.

    MarvellousM on
  • ElPresPufferfishElPresPufferfish Registered User regular
    edited April 2009
    I'm currently recording cable from Comcast using firewire and mythtv, and it is definitely not worth your time. Buy a cheap TV tuner when your TiVo dies.

    ElPresPufferfish on
  • MarvellousMMarvellousM United StatesRegistered User regular
    edited April 2009
    Thank you.

    MarvellousM on
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