[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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