firewire channel changing question

[GbrNole]

i have a SA8300HD so that i can record ESPN HD but it's a piece of crap so comspastic can have it back.

i'm not very excited about giving up my ability to be able to record ESPN HD but the s-video output from the 8300 of HD broadcasts to an analog PVR tuner is still infinitely better than the junk espn analog cable signal i get so it will have to be the best i can have.

here's what i want to do so please tell me if this is possible since i haven't really messed with firewire and the thread is so long and cumbersome now that it's tough to navigate even with search.

i want to locate my cable box upstairs in my house near my sage server. from the cable box i will have an HDMI cable that runs into an HDMI switcher. one output from the switcher goes to my sony receiver and the other is a long HDMI cable run that goes to my living room tv.

i also want to run an s-video cable and audio cables from the cable box to a hauppauge capture card so that i can still record all the shows i subscribe to (just not in HD)

from this point i just want to be able to use firewire to control the channel changes on the cable box so if i want to watch, say ESPN HD, i can tune the channel through the sage guide and begin recording the show via s-video but if i want to actually watch the show live in HD then i can flip the input on my tv and watch it via HDMI.

i assume this arrangement is possible but is it flakey in the channel changes and maybe i might be better served by getting a usb-uirt? or is firewire channel changing a solid method?

i'd actually try capturing video by firewire if i thought there was a hope in hecks chance that my local comcast didn't 5C everything but considering how sparse the QAM lineup is i'm not hopeful...

thanks in advance!

[GbrNole]

>>i want to locate my cable box upstairs in my house near my sage server. from the cable box i will have an HDMI cable that runs into an HDMI switcher. one output from the switcher goes to my sony receiver and the other is a long HDMI cable run that goes to my living room tv.<<

just to clarify this part, i have an upstairs media room that i use for watching sports and movies. i have a split HDMI output that i switch when i'm using the media room.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by GbrNole

from this point i just want to be able to use firewire to control the channel changes on the cable box so if i want to watch, say ESPN HD, i can tune the channel through the sage guide and begin recording the show via s-video but if i want to actually watch the show live in HD then i can flip the input on my tv and watch it via HDMI.

i assume this arrangement is possible but is it flakey in the channel changes and maybe i might be better served by getting a usb-uirt? or is firewire channel changing a solid method?

Before Mediacom disabled my Firewire port with a software update I used this method to change channels on my Moto 6412. It was faster changing the channel in SageTV then using the IR remote supplied with the cable box. More reliable too. I've since had to change to USB-UIRT and get about an 80% correct channel change rate. 10% bad due to it being IR and USB-UIRT and 10% due to the cable box ignoring the channel change request. That's what I meant by firewire channel changing being more reliable than with the remote supplied with the box. When watching live tv straight from the box I can some times issue a channel change command with the remote and get instant changes or can wait up to 2 minutes for the box to recognize the key presses. When I would issue the same change request from SageTV via the firewire channel change it was always a nearly instantaneous change - no ridiculous delays!

So long store short - go for it. Worse case scenario you have to change to USB-UIRT like I did.

[GbrNole]

awesome, thanks bob.

now for the next question...

did you just install the standard firewire package like you would if you were trying to capture the video or did you just install a specific component of the package to enable just the channel change function?

[mechling-burgh]

I have a similar setup, I don't use the split HDMI but I use the firewire channel change and in the two years I have used it I have only had two bad channel changes. That said yes you just setup the firewire software and install the external tuner program then setup your capture card to record from svideo input and use the exetuner program to change channels. I think it works very well with my 6200.

[GbrNole]

awesome now i just need to find myself a 1394 cable that has 2 standard ends... grrrrrr...

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by GbrNole

awesome, thanks bob.

now for the next question...

did you just install the standard firewire package like you would if you were trying to capture the video or did you just install a specific component of the package to enable just the channel change function?

I installed it originally to record from it. But I found that every channel I had except locals, analog and maybe music channels was 5C'd - in other words everything I wanted to watch. So I just setup channel changing and lived with that quite happily until the software upgrade put the kibosh on it. Called the cable co and let the CSR have it! But just got the standard "We don't do that" response. Gave up after 15 minute on hold wait while they talked with a supervisor! Next bill they gave me an $8 discount for the next few months. I am planing on going Dish at the next opportunity but I have to stay with cable for internet access can only get 1.5 DSL from the phone company so - to slooow!

[GbrNole]

yeah i'm in pretty much in the same boat - stuck with comcast until the dang agreement with my HOA expires mid 2008.

is there a way to install just the channel changing component or by installing the the firewire driver i assume you're installing the whole thing then you just add the external tuner program?

[mechling-burgh]

Just install the firewire software. Even if a channel is 5c'd it will play through the svideo. I have to record BBC, SCFI, and the movie channel that way. To be honest with you I think it looks better that way than watch it directly to the TV. You don't have to record through the firewire port and HiDef looks better from svideo cable than an analog from my 150 or 500 MCE card.

[MeInMaui]

This guide might be helpful.

Aloha,
Mike

[GbrNole]

awesome!

thanks, mike.

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by GbrNole

yeah i'm in pretty much in the same boat - stuck with comcast until the dang agreement with my HOA expires mid 2008.

is there a way to install just the channel changing component or by installing the the firewire driver i assume you're installing the whole thing then you just add the external tuner program?

The FCC just passed an order invalidating exclusive contracts the cable guys have with HOA's. The cable industry is appealing the order, but I think you might want to have a discussion with your HOA about why you can't have Dish right now. If they balk threaten to complain to the cable bureau at the FCC.

Thanks,
mike

[GbrNole]

Originally Posted by mikesm

The FCC just passed an order invalidating exclusive contracts the cable guys have with HOA's. The cable industry is appealing the order, but I think you might want to have a discussion with your HOA about why you can't have Dish right now. If they balk threaten to complain to the cable bureau at the FCC.

Thanks,
mike

already onto that mike but unfortunately my cable bill is part of my qtrly dues and florida HOA statutes aren't very friendly if you don't pay your dues in full, on time so i'll just bide my time until there is no question.

[GbrNole]

just want to throw out a HUGE thanks for the help i got in this thread!

printed the notes, downloaded the files and i was setup and running in no time

didn't bother trying to find out what channels were available for firewire capture since the 8300 box is going to be switched out for a 3250 next week but knowing comcast i'm sure the pickings are slim.

next task - figure out if there is a better capture card to use than my s-video pvr 500 input?

[KJake]

Originally Posted by MeInMaui

This guide might be helpful.

Aloha,
Mike

You're a life saver! I've been trying to track down a problem in my installation and tried to do a clean install of Sage and my Firewire channel changing just wasn't working. The only part that I missed was the 2.ir file in the folder with the right codes inside of it.

Thanks!