SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime 3-Line Digital CableCard HDTV Tuner w/ Gigabit Ethernet (HDHR3-CC) $155 (expired)

Quote from gooneygoogoo : I watch stuff recorded on my desktop on my laptop all the time using the shared folder method.

Are you using a Prime? If you're recording over-the-air HD (ATSC) or ClearQAM then you can watch the recordings anywhere you want. But if you're recording premium channels with a Prime, you normally can't watch the recorded shows on any computer except the one that recorded it. If you're able to watch recordings of premium channels (like ESPN, History, Discovery, etc) on any computer on your network, then you're very lucky -- your local cable provider must not protect the content.

Quote from SwifiJon : I had a DVI HDCP compliancy issue too when I was trying to use my xbox 360 for netflix with hdmi to DVI on a monitor. After being strung along for 4-5 months with the monitor company, the answer was that the DVI had to be dual link DVI-D to be HDCP compliant. I ended up buying a dual link DVI-D hdmi-to-DVI adapter and it solved the issue for me. Issue is that I had to basically order it online and it came from Internationally from Monaco and took a while to get even though it only cost about $10.

Swifijon- Thanks for the info. I will try the dual link DVI-D adapter. I hope that will solve the issue with my DVI to HDMI cable. This is helpful for those of us who do not have HDMI and use DVI-D.

Quote from ginolee : I am in Queens, NY too! My Fios service is from Fresh Meadows I believe and we probably have the same channels. My troubleshooting led me to believe that my DVI to HDMI cable was the culprit. I have read that some DVI cables and outputs were not HDCP compliant. I figured that was the issue for me. Had no problems once I switched to a computer with HDMI.

Interesting. I don't see how HDCP can be part of the problem though, as Verizon is kind enough to mark all their channels copy-freely. As I said I did not go through the DCA process, I can watch all my channels on Windows and Linux, with WMC or MythTV, and my recordings are just plain .wtv files which can be copied around and even be played by VLC. Perhaps doing the DCA thing is root of all evil? Can you "undo" DCA and tried again?

Quote : BTW, are you having an issue with Fox Soccer Channel stuttering or pixelating every 30 seconds or so? I've read in forums that this is a common problem with that particular channel.

Unfortunately I don't have that channel so can't help you there, sorry. I'm on the basic Prime HD plus showtime and hbo.

Quote from klath : It's not incorrect. It just needs an additional disclaimer that only copy-once encrypted recordings will require extenders (usually premium channels like HBO, Cinemax, etc.) to watch on other tvs.

My provider sets all digital channels (other than locals) as copy-once, which I think is pretty typical of cable providers. I don't have any extenders in the house, but I have three different Windows Media Center PCs connected to TVs. Any show that says "Copy Protected" in Media Center will only play on the computer that recorded it.

Quote from cheapee : Streaming over wireless N works but but not for everyone. It worked for me. I wouldn't consider it reliable. I used an xbox 360 slim with the internal 2.4 wireless N. The xbox media has a testing program that shows how reliable the wireless connection is for SD or HD streams. (no other wireless N or G devices were connected) Streaming over wireless G did not work for me. The SD channels would work some but not good enough to watch a show. I was testing with a laptop with wireless G. Personally I decided wired connections were the way to go.

x2.

I fumbled with G and N and even powerline adapters which work much better then N and G if you have decent new wiring in your house.

Ultimately I went hard wired after some of the > 20mbit peaks in some 1080P content caused studdering..

Quote from Alphageek : My provider sets all digital channels (other than locals) as copy-once, which I think is pretty typical of cable providers.

Wow, it seems you have a very evil provider

Quote from Alphageek : My provider sets all digital channels (other than locals) as copy-once, which I think is pretty typical of cable providers. I don't have any extenders in the house, but I have three different Windows Media Center PCs connected to TVs. Any show that says "Copy Protected" in Media Center will only play on the computer that recorded it.

I have Comcast in the Bay Area, CA and it's freely for basic and expanded cable. Here's a good list:

http://www.missingremote.com/foru...aster-list


As you can see, even given the same provider (I'm looking at comcast), it varies based by region.

Quote from coolade : Yes I agree with what you're saying. My issue is that I already have 2 networked win7 computers hooked up as HTPCs and I don't want to restrict one of them to be only a media extender. At the same time I don't want to buy/run a separate media extender device when my Ceton is capable of sharing tuners via network. Perhaps I need to look into a VM solution as that could potentially serve as a separate media extender system, but unfortunately I don't have too much experience with VMs.

You can't make an HTPC a media extender. You're not restricting anything -- you're using your HTPC as an HTPC. You can set up file sharing amongst your HTPCs so that you can view recordings from one on the other -- so long as none are flagged as "copy once."

Quote from Genius4sho : Ohhhhh, I was under the impression that you could watch recordings on other PC's on your network?

You absolutely can as long as the recording is not flagged "copy once" by the TV provider. Most recordings are not.

Quote from Alphageek : This is incorrect. If you're using an HDHR Prime to record encrypted digital cable to a PC with Windows Media Center, you can only watch the recording on the PC that recorded the content. Only a media center extender will allow you to watch protected content at another location on your network.

You're confusing encrypted (ie needs to be decoded via cable card) and copy-protected (recording is flagged to be shared only a certain amount of times). With comcast and fios, I've never run into flag problems (yet). However, I don't get HBO/Showtime/etc.

Quote from drsketch : Hello, Thanks for the reply, is there a media center extender you recommend?

I am using Linksys DMA 2100 and DMA 2200 units. They were a slickdeal a couple of years ago at $80 shipped.

You can still get them on ebay, and sometimes, if you are lucky, you can snag them for under $100.

There are only 4 stand alone media center extenders that work with Windows 7; Linksys DMA 2100, 2200, D-link 750, and HP x280.

Additionally, there is a Samsung Media Extender that works with select Samsung TV's.

XBOX 360 is the only one currently availabe as a mass marketed unit, and Ceton is about release Echo.

Quote from TommyGuns20 : If an xbox could read a 1:1 bluray .iso...yeah sure... it would be a done deal. But Handbraking all my movies to a lesser quality isnt worth it to me. The copy-freely channels work great in the whole house DVR setup. It just the damn premiums. I may pick up a banned xbox to sit next to my main HTPC for when this happens... Glad I pulled six Cat6 lines to each room when I wired the house up. As someone else stated, its only a matter of time til someone finds/develops a crack to bypass this limitation.

Echo may be able to do 1:1 blueray, but it has not been confirmed.

Your set up appears to be different from mine. I only have 1 large TV, and the rest are a mix of small 19" and 24" TV's, so having the full 1080p resultion is not an issue. Even on the 42" my eyes can't discern the difference between 1080p and 1080i.

So, yeah, with the 72" screens that you have in every room, you definitely need something that will do 1:1 iso. But, like I said earlier, you have a special case. Most people only have 1 large TV, and then have smaller TV's in other rooms.

As to the crack, Microsoft is pretty vigilant about keeping up with CableLabs certification. There was someone who was working on soft sledding extender on the old greenbutton site, Microsoft simply hired him, and made him stop the development. If Microsoft loses their CableLabs certification, they will have to redo the whole "windows embedded" roadmap, which includes having windows media center hardcoded into TV sets and stand alone "appliances" like the Ceton Q. And you can't blame them for thinking that. Having been using Win 7 WMC for a few years now, it is light years ahead of Win XP MCE, and more stable than the one packaged with Vista (even though they look similar). It simply works! So, why not have it in as many devices as you can collect royalties from.

Quote from Alphageek : Are you using a Prime? If you're recording over-the-air HD (ATSC) or ClearQAM then you can watch the recordings anywhere you want. But if you're recording premium channels with a Prime, you normally can't watch the recorded shows on any computer except the one that recorded it. If you're able to watch recordings of premium channels (like ESPN, History, Discovery, etc) on any computer on your network, then you're very lucky -- your local cable provider must not protect the content.

Well, I stand corrected. I am not using prime and only get ota channels through Comcast. Was not aware of the premium encrypted only watch once whatever else other BS they put on it so you can only watch it on 1 pc. Gee, and they wonder why people like to download programming rather than watch and record it legitimately. Not that I would ever be involved in any of that.

already got mine today. Now i need to wait for the SDV adapter to show up and then schedule the install with time warner

Quote from cheapee : Look on Ebay and CL for banned xbox's. You should be able to locate fairly cheap xbox's from those sites. The previous owners were banned by violating Microsoft rules on their network so the boxes are no longer useful for online gaming. These machines will still work great as media extenders. Thanks for the correction tivofool.

Can they still receive xbox updates ? Seems the updates come out more often. What if a media center update is needed for windows 8 media center?

Quote from ravic : already got mine today. Now i need to wait for the SDV adapter to show up and then schedule the install with time warner

You can install it and try out the clear-QAM channels. This way you get familiair with the prime. Check signal levels, etc