Silicondust Prime on WindowsXP/Windows 2003R2

[sflamm]

I've been exchanging email with Nick over at Silicondust and it appears it is possible to use the Prime with WindowsXP/Windows 2003R2:

If your normal HDHomeRun units are working then you might be able to get the Prime to work for copy-freely content.

The latest HDHomeRun software should automatically register the conventional HDHomeRun driver for the Prime if you select SageTV. This should be all that is needed for SageTV to detect the Prime tuners.

There is one challenge though:

The next problem is the channel scan in SageTV... SageTV will probably skip the encrypted channels. If you can figure out a way to get SageTV to tune a channel anyway then the HDHomeRun Prime should decrypt (if copy freely).

Not sure how to accomplish this last task.

Any ideas?

[gplasky]

I have the Prime installed on my WHS v1 server. For the Sage installation you don't scan for channels. You have to use SageDCT and install that on your SageTV servers. In the setup you'll have to copy the tuner info into the properties file of Sage. Once you're in Sage you add a EPG guide to each tuner from the Prime and start watching/recording TV. Your Prime is NOT going to work in Sage without using SageDCT.

Gerry

[sflamm]

Thanks for the input.

That sounds like the process that I used to install the Ceton except I installed the Ceton in a dedicated Win7 box and co-located SageDCT with it to communicate with my Win2003R2 SageTV server.

The difference here being that one installs SageDCT locally on your SageTV Server along with the Silicondust software, correct?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by sflamm

Thanks for the input.

That sounds like the process that I used to install the Ceton except I installed the Ceton in a dedicated Win7 box and co-located SageDCT with it to communicate with my Win2003R2 SageTV server.

The difference here being that one installs SageDCT locally on your SageTV Server along with the Silicondust software, correct?

Correct.

When first setting up the Prime and activating the cablecard I used my Windows 7 PC and got it all working correctly in Windows Media Center. Afterwards I went to the Sage TV server where I already had the latest SiliconDust drivers for my existing 2 HDHRs. I made sure the already installed drivers of the HDHR could see the Prime and I finished it up with the SageDCT install, configuration of tuners and guides for the Prime and then watched TV on all 3 tuners of the Prime.

Gerry

[matt91]

is Win7 media center necessary to do the initial cable card activation?

I still live in an XP-only world.

[JerryB]

Originally Posted by matt91

is Win7 media center necessary to do the initial cable card activation?

I still live in an XP-only world.

No, I activated my CableCard this past weekend using only the SD software.