extending Motorola DCT6400 HD DVR?
Caloonese
fine except that I found 15 hours of HD recording not enough for me.
It is enough for time shifted viewing, but not enough when I start to
keep one or two HD recordings for a few weeks.
I like to know if anyone have experience extending the recording
capacity of the machine by off-loading its contents elsewhere. For
example, is it possible to add a 400G harddrive to the DVR's IEEE 1394
port? Is it possible to connect the DVR to a PC to extract its content
for archiving? The owner manual talks about playing back the content
to a VHS recorder via its composite video out. But I guess everyone
knows that is not a viable solution for HDTV.
I don't know if Comcast offer a higher capacity model. I know one
other option is to rent an additional DVR at $6.5 a month from comcast.
But that is not convenient because of cable connection to the same TV.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
TIA
Gary Tait
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:
> Is it possible to connect the DVR to a PC to extract its content
> for archiving?
I understand that is doable, if the port is enabled for it.
Ed Nielsen
that. Search around on dslreports.com (try the Comcast Cable TV forum)
for specifics. I've read threads about it, and when it comes time for
me to do that, that is where I will go.
CIAO!
Ed N.
SusCom News
Sorry, your out of luck unless Comcast has another model of the DCT6412 with
a larger hard drive (not aware of any). Even if the 1394 port is activated,
it will not output the copyrighted programming. The 1394 (and USB 2.0
ports) are configured with the 5C copy protection scheme and encrypt the
output depending upon the content providers constraints.
Typically broadcast TV is set to copy-any, some subscription pay channels
(Starz / HBO) are set to copy-once, and some other subscription pay channels
as well as all PPV / VOD events & movies are set to copy-never. This copy
protection schema places a flag in the digital stream letting the equipment
recording know what it can do. The ports are also set to detect whether the
device it is attached to supports the 5C copyright standards, and if not the
port will go into a disabled mode.
Also as an FYI, this is the same way that the digital ports (DVI and HDMI)
work, with the exception they use a different copyright method called HDCP
instead of the 5C scheme to protect the programming content.
Motorola is working on an external hard drive to add additional storage
space, but there is a catch; the encrypted output recorded onto the hard
drive will only play back through the specific DCT6412 set-top. I.E. The
data you record is "married" to your specific set-top box. If you had to
change out your DCT6412, your recorded programming on the external hard
drive is also lost.
It should also be noted that the Explorer 8000 and 8300 series DVR set-tops
from Scientific Atlanta function in exactly the same fashion. The only
difference is that Scientific Atlanta also includes an SATA connecter for an
external hard drive.
One last point, on the DVR set-tops from both Motorola and Scientific
Atlanta the above information is only applicable to the digital outputs.
The analog outputs can be freely recorded. This is why you can play back
the programming content stored in the DVR set-top.
Hope this helps!
Thomas
"Caloonese" <calo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1127552047....@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
Caloonese
copyright protection features to prevent piracy.
Regarding the digital copying, if the content is set to copy-any, does
it mean that a computer can just transfer the content over at high
speed or you have to play the video at normal viewing speed and use the
computer to capture the signals? Do you happen to know what is the
protection setting of regular network HD programming, such as Monday
Night Football in HD or a concert boardcast by HD PBS? I only concern
about expanding the disk for HD content because 120GByte is more than
enough for any SD contents.
Regarding the Motorola external drive, would that be availabe to
consumers directly or do we have to rent from the cable company? Is
Motorola working on the disk hardware or just the special copy
protected driver? The other way to ask the question is whether
off-the-shelf hard disks of various sizes can be added to the set-top.
Is daisy chaining of the harddisk possible? That would make a big
difference in the consumer cost.
It is reasonable that recorded data can be played back through only one
set top box for copyright reason. But set top boxes do break down from
time to time, it would be unreasonable if this "marrage" thing is not
transferable to a replaced settop box. Even Microsoft allows you to
call in and change the activation code to move your software from one
machine to the next. I hope Motorola have thought of that.
Justice Gustine
Information I have is that when the SATA port is finally activated on
the PhaseIII 6412, it's purpose is to expand the capacity. Trick is
that the files are encrypted - no plugging the drive into a computer
and copying over programs. Big oooooooh is that any external drive
used on a 6412 will only be viewable through the DCT that recorded it.
Cannot move it to another box and retain the programming.
--
"From spongecake to satellites, it's gotta be Krebstar"
I was talking to the folks at Comcast and they are starting to get the
DCT6412s with 160 Gb hard drives instead of the standard 120.
You can call them to see if you can swap out yours for one of these bigger
units if your particular office has them yet.
"Caloonese" <calo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1128459989....@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Caloonese
On the back of the Motorola DCT6400 HD DVR from Comcast, I can see that
there is a video in and a video out. Are the "video in" purely for
signal pass-thru? For example, I can chain up other devices to the DVR
before connecting to the TV, i.e. When I turn off the DVR, the signal
comes from a DVD player thru the DVR into the TV?
Can the DVR record the signal passing through? Since the DVR recording
is programmed by picking from the on-screen TV guide, there seem to be
no way to pick other video source for the recording.
If that is the case, is the machine actually do a upconvert of the
signal from the RCA video in and then output via the DVI or HDMI or the
firewire port?
If the RCA to firewire upconvert would work, then I can use the DVR to
hook up my old camcord with my computer.
Any help is appreciated.
Justice Gustine
>
>On the back of the Motorola DCT6400 HD DVR from Comcast, I can see that
>there is a video in and a video out. Are the "video in" purely for
>signal pass-thru? For example, I can chain up other devices to the DVR
>before connecting to the TV, i.e. When I turn off the DVR, the signal
>comes from a DVD player thru the DVR into the TV?
That the way it works. Meant to use if your TV is maxxed out on
inputs.
>Can the DVR record the signal passing through? Since the DVR recording
>is programmed by picking from the on-screen TV guide, there seem to be
>no way to pick other video source for the recording.
No.
>If that is the case, is the machine actually do a upconvert of the
>signal from the RCA video in and then output via the DVI or HDMI or the
>firewire port?
No
>If the RCA to firewire upconvert would work, then I can use the DVR to
>hook up my old camcord with my computer.
No.
weitrhino
features in a functional mode. Motorola supplies the firmware to activate
these features. The DCT is a platform meant to be expandable so all
hardware features may not necessarily work at any given time, CATV provider
notwithstanding.
weitrhino
"Caloonese" <calo...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1131073199.2...@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...