[mythtv-users] HDHR Prime Success & Question

Kirk Bocek t004 at kbocek.com
Tue Oct 11 23:34:29 UTC 2011


Just Got my HD Homerun Prime up and running. I haven't seen a whole lot 
of success stories shared here so I thought I'd add one.

I'm running 0.24.1 on CentOS 5.7 as provided by Axel Thimm via ATrpms. 
Thanks Axel. I also have a couple of frontend boxes running CentOS 5.5 
that I haven't bothered to upgrade. But the main backend doing the bulk 
of the recording is running 5.7.

$mythbackend --version
Please attach all output as a file in bug reports.
MythTV Version   : v0.24.1-80-g1de0431
MythTV Branch    : fixes/0.24
Network Protocol : 63
Library API      : 0.24.20110505-1
QT Version       : 4.7.2

I ordered my HDHR3-CC via Amazon on a Sunday. But after waiting three 
working days and they hadn't shipped it, I cancelled the order and 
ordered it from NewEgg. They shipped right away.

I had previously picked up my CableCard/M-Card from Comcast here in the 
San Francisco Bay Area. No special installation instructions or 
anything. The lady at the counter knew exactly what I wanted, which was 
encouraging.

After inserted the CableCard and attaching the box to my network and 
cable, I called the main Comcast tech support. I did not call any 
special number even though I searched for a special number. The tech I 
got through to knew exactly what I was talking about and was not at all 
flustered by my request to activate a CableCard/M-Card. He did say "Oh, 
so you're activating a Tivo?" I told him it was something very like a 
Tivo. He didn't ask any more questions. He asked for the ID numbers from 
the CableCard which I had copied down but which the HDHR3-CC helpfully 
reports in it's web interface. He sent an init signal which was 
reflected in the log window.

The tech told me that the process would take 20 to 30 minutes to 
complete. Although the CC was showing as "activated", all my previously 
encrypted channels were still showing as encrypted. Now in my experience 
if these kind of initializations don't happen in the first couple of 
minutes, they don't happen at all. I waited 20 minutes. Channels 
remained encrypted.

I called the main Comcast number back and got a new person. I was happy 
(maybe lucky) that both times I did not have to wait very long. This 
tech, too, knew exactly what I was talking about. He, too, said, "Oh, 
you're activating a Tivo." I said something very like a Tivo and he 
didn't ask any more questions. After providing my account information he 
had all the identifying information for my CableCard which was nice.

I asked him about a "grand-slam init signal." He politely brushed my 
suggestion aside and said the previous tech made an error of some sort 
in the init signal he sent. He sent a new signal and in a few minutes I 
saw my CableCard reset.

Scanning some channels in the HDHomerun Config GUI, I saw a wealth of 
channels previously marked [encrypted] now were marked with their 
channel info. Clicking "view" I could watch them on my PC.

Other than the first tech messing up the init signal, it was really a 
pretty painless process. I have since followed the instructions on the 
wiki and connected the HDHR3-CC to Myth and made a bunch of successful 
test recordings.

On to my question, which I am pretty sure I know the answer to.

The HDHR3-CC will replace my HD STB + HDPVR I've been using for 
something like two years. I will continue to use my classic HDHRs for 
the OTA ClearQAM channels as there is still a lot of content the family 
watches on those channels.

The biggest PITA with the ClearQAM channels is maintaining the virtual 
to physical channel maps. I have taught myself over the years how to 
manually manipulate dtv_multiplex and mplexid to maintain those 
mappings. Imagine my joyous surprise to see the new HDHR3-CC channel 
lineup with mplexids of 32767.

So my question is, will the HDHR3-CC maintain those effing mappings for 
me? Looks that way to me.

Kirk Bocek


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