So on June 12th, Comcast will stop it's analog signal broadcast and force everything to require a CableCard except for the local channels.    It's my understanding that once I install the CableCard in my ATI DCT, ALL recorded shows will be encrypted, meaning no MCEBuddy/LifeExtender and no watching shows offline on the laptop.   

First I wanted to verify that my understanding is correct and if anyone has gone the route of using IR blasters with the simple Motorola box.    The problem is I have two capture cards, which means I need two more boxes and two IR blaster setups.   Does VMC even handle that?   Has anyone dealt with this issue yet?

thx

mp

the same thing is happining in portland on the same date. I have been using their QAM signal and receiving about 50 or so channels that  i have set up the guide for. I gave comcast a call about their QAM signal and how it would change,  I was told everthing except local will be encripted.  I  will also be looking into the IR blaster setup. Or maybe just go to OTA and save the money. I finally just a month ago got everthing set up just like i wanted it. Oh well

mpatnode76:

So on June 12th, Comcast will stop it's analog signal broadcast and force everything to require a CableCard except for the local channels.    It's my understanding that once I install the CableCard in my ATI DCT, ALL recorded shows will be encrypted, meaning no MCEBuddy/LifeExtender and no watching shows offline on the laptop.   

First I wanted to verify that my understanding is correct and if anyone has gone the route of using IR blasters with the simple Motorola box.    The problem is I have two capture cards, which means I need two more boxes and two IR blaster setups.   Does VMC even handle that?   Has anyone dealt with this issue yet?
thx
mp

Currently all cablecard recordings are DRM'd to the MC box that is connected to the ATI DCTs. The recordings can be played on that computer in Media Center only (not Media players or any other video player) AND on any extender connected to that MC box. So you can tune and watch on any extender connected to any tv as well as on the MC machine.

There is a rumored Firmware (1.19 or maybe 1.18) update for the ATI DCT which will relax the DRM on many cablecard recordings which will be the same control as on the current Tivo boxes. It's been assumed that this will be made available around the time of the Win7 release and also Win7 with the new ATI DCT Firmware will allow the use of a tuning adapter for SDV.

Some content will still be protected, but it will be at the providers choice instead of everything as it is now.

spanner:

I gave comcast a call about their QAM signal and how it would change,  I was told everything except local will be encrypted.

been discussed before

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/332775.aspx

unless Comcast was granted an exemption from the FCC channels 30-80 will be clear QAM.  No doubt Comcast will be telling people they will require a DTA for channels 30-80, but if you have a QAM capable tuner in your system you shouldnt have an issue receiving those channels.

masteroffm:

spanner:

I gave comcast a call about their QAM signal and how it would change,  I was told everything except local will be encrypted.

been discussed before

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/332775.aspx

unless Comcast was granted an exemption from the FCC channels 30-80 will be clear QAM.  No doubt Comcast will be telling people they will require a DTA for channels 30-80, but if you have a QAM capable tuner in your system you shouldnt have an issue receiving those channels.

Thank you
I was hopeful that would be the case, but was not sure after talking to comcast. I guess I will no for sure in a few days

i read somewhere that Sunnyvale already made the change and channels 30-80 are in the clear

Cox isn't really doing anything different in my area.  If you have cable, nothing will change at all (maybe for 3 years they say).  Of course, this might be in part due to Katrina wreaking havoc on our lives and their equipment but we've never been able to receive more QAM than the free, local channels and a few On Demand channels.  Cox doesn't even seem to have a plan at all and they seem not ashamed to say so if you call and ask them questions.I'll just be happy if they don't raise prices again.

masteroffm:

unless Comcast was granted an exemption from the FCC channels 30-80 will be clear QAM.

Unfortunately, life isn't that simple.   According to the EFF's Fred Von Loman:

It's not clear whether an FCC waiver was necessary to encrypt "basic tier" digital cable channels. FCC regulations clearly forbid basic tier *analog* scrambling, but are ambiguous about whether that applies to *digital* cable. So Comcast might seek a waiver, or it might just encrypt without seeking a waiver. We asked the FCC to clarify this in 2003, but they ducked the question. http://w2.eff.org/IP/pnp/20030328_fcc_cable-ce_comments.pdf

But hopefully things aren't what Comcast says.  Can anyone out there actually verify one way or the other?

masteroffm:

i read somewhere that Sunnyvale already made the change and channels 30-80 are in the clear

according to my neighbor who has comcast, they made the conversion a couple months ago.

mpatnode76:

Unfortunately, life isn't that simple.   According to the EFF's Fred Von Loman:

It's not clear whether an FCC waiver was necessary to encrypt "basic tier" digital cable channels. FCC regulations clearly forbid basic tier *analog* scrambling, but are ambiguous about whether that applies to *digital* cable. So Comcast might seek a waiver, or it might just encrypt without seeking a waiver. We asked the FCC to clarify this in 2003, but they ducked the question. http://w2.eff.org/IP/pnp/20030328_fcc_cable-ce_comments.pdf

But hopefully things aren't what Comcast says.  Can anyone out there actually verify one way or the other?

being from 2003 the pdf mentions a couple of televisions about to be released with QAM tuners.  now in 2009 a good majority of new tvs come with the ability to tune QAM.  It would stand to reason that this would have some bearing on the FCC to prevent Comcast (or any cable provider) from encrypting basic channels.  of course we are talking about cable providers here, so reason has no place in this conversation.

I started using cablecards in Walnut Creek and they are great, in the fact you get HD for free! The draw backs do suck though.

So, do we know if ClearQAM devices will work on Comcast after their digital switch? I am trying to determine this so I know if I should drop them or not. I do not want to use a CableCard device (primarily because I can't seem to find one anywhere unless I buy a full Media Center) nor do I want to have my VMC have to control another device.

FYI ... I am in Bellevue and we have the same deadline.

Shoq:

So, do we know if ClearQAM devices will work on Comcast after their digital switch? I am trying to determine this so I know if I should drop them or not. I do not want to use a CableCard device (primarily because I can't seem to find one anywhere unless I buy a full Media Center) nor do I want to have my VMC have to control another device. FYI ... I am in Bellevue and we have the same deadline.

I'll tell you Friday afternoon.  :D  Actually, I'm out of town this weekend, so I won't be able to test anything till Monday, so I suspect someone else will beat me to it.  I think I'll miss a couple shows since either way I suspect I'll have to rescan the channels after the change (TGF Hulu).   I put in a order for the CableCards with Comcast for the following week.   If they don't encrypt, I'll simply cancel the order.

mp

I just spoke to @ComcastCares on twitter.com and according to @ComcastBonnie, ClearQAM tuner cards will continue to get Expanded Basic channels after this conversion. It will not get their "Digital" packages as that will need a CableCard tuner or STB. Let's hope she is right. I am getting my WMC updated in the next 2 weeks to enable my ClearQAM tuner. Possibly an upgrade to Win7 RC as well.

as much as I despise Comcast, going to a clear QAM setup from DirecTV looks tempting.  However the wife would not approve as there are a number premium channels not available in expanded basic that she would not be willing to give up.  HD just isnt important to her.

Seattle Comcast turned off analog channels month(s) ago.
We currently get 132 digital channels via HVR1600 tuner in Win7MC.

channels 1-99,
channels 104-117, (HD vers of local stations),
(maybe more, havn't assigned most of the viewable channels)
+ some of the radio channels above channel 900,


** using firewire output from STB, viewing in VLC we currently get maybe 180 or so channels.
Additional channels are the "extended HD set", that STB decodes and passes thru on firewire.

This better not change on Fri.
.