Stumbled on a great solution for using Colossus HDMI input?

[Beefcake550]

Hey all,

I was recently "stung" by DirecTV changing the HDMI output on HBO and thus rendering my Colossus tuner to use the analog inputs. I found a solution....

DVI+Digital Audio -> HDMI Converter ($40)
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

plus a HDMI to DVI cable and an optical/coax digital audio cable of your choosing.

You plug the HDMI>DVI cable (HDMI end) into the STB along with the optical/coax audio cable and plug the DVI end and audio cable into the device. Then, using another HDMI cable, you plug the device's output into your Colossus card.

I have verified that it works as of last night and I found it from a YouTube video explaining had to record your PS3 in HD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r4BkAzkCV8

Now sure, it doesn't do HD Audio like TruHD and DTS-MA, but the Colossus can't handle that anyway.

Anyhow, I thought this was neat and since I verified it works, I'm going to buy another. Enjoy!

[KeithAbbott]

So if I understand this correctly, the DVI input presents itself to the STB as as an HDCP-enabled device, but the HDMI output does not have HDCP enabled? I'm surprised that would get thru the certification process. I wonder if there is a conversion to analog and back to digital inside the box itself, to avoid certification issues?

One other question, how is the sync between the video and audio? I doubt if it is adjustable, and if it is off by more than a slight amount, it could get pretty frustrating watching shows, unless of course it's a dubbed martial arts movie.

[Beefcake550]

I agree with your conclusion. Perhaps because it doesn't "pass through" HDMI all together. Like I mentioned, it doesn't do HD Audio like HDMI could, so perhaps that is the loophole here.

I watched some live ESPN Sports Center last night and it worked great. It wasn't off by anything perceivable to me. It's not adjustable. It's a tiny little box so I doubt there is much in there.

[BobPhoenix]

I still get HDMI recordings from my DirectTV box/Colossus combo.

You might just try connecting your STB directly to the TV with component cables and then go HDMI direct to the Colossus. I also have Optical audio out to my reciever. This is how I have mine setup.

I did it this way so that I could quickly get to the menu on the STB after a software upgrade that DirectTV might push to the box.

[wayner]

Would this work for cable boxes as well? Or is there something special about the DirecTV box that allows this to work.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by wayner

Would this work for cable boxes as well? Or is there something special about the DirecTV box that allows this to work.

Mine is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I'll be connecting it to a Motorola DCX3200 cable box, I'll update the forum with my results. I am a Bright House Networks customer, they have HDCP enabled on my STB and none of the cable-specific channels are copy-freely. So my situation should be pretty much the acid test...

[Beefcake550]

Originally Posted by wayner

Would this work for cable boxes as well? Or is there something special about the DirecTV box that allows this to work.

It should work with any HDCP enabled HDMI output. I'm interested in hearing how the other user here progresses.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Mine is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I'll be connecting it to a Motorola DCX3200 cable box, I'll update the forum with my results. I am a Bright House Networks customer, they have HDCP enabled on my STB and none of the cable-specific channels are copy-freely. So my situation should be pretty much the acid test...

Looks like my results will have to wait. Noone was home when the USPS guy came to deliver, apparently they need my signature to deliver a $40 item. So I won't get it now until Tuesday...

[KeithAbbott]

I got my converter yesterday, and connected it up last night. So far, my experience has been pretty much identical to the OP. I need some more time to play with it, but so far so good. I am watching and recording HBO from my DCX3200, which has HDCP enabled (and HBO is obviously not a copy-freely channel). Also, no noticeable lip-sync problems, although I want some more time with the converter before I definitively state that.

This seems like it would be a perfect future-proofing solution for those with DirecTV (like the OP). Even if DirectTV were to enable HDCP for all of it's channels, inserting this converter between the STB and the Colossus should get you back up and running in a matter of minutes.

[Beefcake550]

Thanks for the feedback. Looks like we have a winner (once you have had more time to check lip sync issues).

[KeithAbbott]

Ran into a little snag, but I'm not sure if it's a problem with the converter or a problem with the Colossus. When I am recording channels with Dolby Digital/384 Kbps@48kHz 5.1 audio, everything is good. However, when the audio is AAC@48kHz Stereo, I get no audio, instead I get rapid-fire clicking noises coming thru the speakers. According to the Hauppauge support site, AAC audio is supported by the Colossus.

Any suggestions?

p.s. From what I can tell, HBO2 does not broadcast in Dolby Digital, only Stereo. So this problem likely affects all shows on HBO2.

[dcardellini]

wow......just saw this thread.

I am quite pessimistic about the future of SageTV replacement products...... in short, I do not believe that anybody will come up with anything even close to SageTV......EVER.

So future proofing SageTV is my goal..........and this may be the cleanest/least complex way to pretty much have complete freedom to use ANY HDTV source from any provider into the far future, and port it into SageTV.

I record from three STB's today via firewire, unimpeded........and I hold my breath for the day that they switch the 5C flags on to kill that path. And, if I ever move....

Thx for your efforts......hoping you clear the hurdle on the AAC audio issue! Keep us posted.

p.s.: I was recently looking into the HD Fury for this exact purpose....and this solution is a lot less expensive.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Ran into a little snag, but I'm not sure if it's a problem with the converter or a problem with the Colossus. When I am recording channels with Dolby Digital/384 Kbps@48kHz 5.1 audio, everything is good. However, when the audio is AAC@48kHz Stereo, I get no audio, instead I get rapid-fire clicking noises coming thru the speakers. According to the Hauppauge support site, AAC audio is supported by the Colossus.

Any suggestions?

p.s. From what I can tell, HBO2 does not broadcast in Dolby Digital, only Stereo. So this problem likely affects all shows on HBO2.

That occurs for me on any channel not just HBO2. I had to record a show 5 times on HDNET movies before I got it in Dolby Digital for instance. Usually HDNET movies works fine not sure why it was such a problem that time. All Colossus recordings are from DirectTV and HDMI with out any of the needed items above. Yes - I can still record this way. I've never been able to associate it with a single channel or even a single show. I have recorded a series on SyFy and one time the episode gets AAC and the next it gets Dolby Digital. It appears to be the worst for me on channels with commercials. HBO, Showtime, and other premiums don't have as many but they still occur. That is why I never record anything on the Colossus a single time if I can help it. I restart the SageTV service nightly and reboot the PC weekly.

Note your file is likely just like several reported in the big Colossus thread. You have an AAC audio track starting the file and Dolby Digital later. Here is my post on the subject. You also might get more than just those symtoms here was my post on all the symtoms I saw and how frequently. This was before I rebooted (now just SageTV Service) nightly.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Ran into a little snag, but I'm not sure if it's a problem with the converter or a problem with the Colossus. When I am recording channels with Dolby Digital/384 Kbps@48kHz 5.1 audio, everything is good. However, when the audio is AAC@48kHz Stereo, I get no audio, instead I get rapid-fire clicking noises coming thru the speakers. According to the Hauppauge support site, AAC audio is supported by the Colossus.

Any suggestions?

p.s. From what I can tell, HBO2 does not broadcast in Dolby Digital, only Stereo. So this problem likely affects all shows on HBO2.

Set your wait to record delay to a higher number (I think mine is 5000 or 6000) that eliminated the AAC audio issue. HBO2 does broadcast dolby digital so it should record dolby digital. I've found that when it flags as AAC it was because the stream before was stereo pcm or the colossus had an issue locking on to the dolby digital stream. Letting the stb sit for a few seconds after the channel change seems to have fixed that for me.

[SprDtyF350]

Just curious how much difference there is between HDMI, and Component? I use the component output from my Comcast STB to my Colossus because I didn't realize there was a way to use HDMI.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by SprDtyF350

Just curious how much difference there is between HDMI, and Component? I use the component output from my Comcast STB to my Colossus because I didn't realize there was a way to use HDMI.

I think the idea here is to avoid the digital->analog conversion within the STB, and the analog->digital conversion within the Colossus. Hopefully, using the combination of HDMI out from the STB thru the DVI->HDMI converter box keeps everything in the digital domain, and avoids conversions to analog and back to digital. Which, generally speaking, should result in better PQ.

[Dargason]

This won't entirely future-proof anything. The analog hole isn't necessarily going to be around forever.

http://news.consumerreports.org/elec...og-sunset.html

[wayner]

But this method discovered by the posters in this thread doesn't use the A-hole, it uses the HDMI output of your cable/sat box, an HDMI->DVI cable and then a DVI->HDMI converter. Nothing analog there.

And that Consumer Reports article is more about BR players than TV/Sat boxes, although it does mention "along with the FCC's recent decision to allow cable companies to disable a set-top box's analog-video outputs when showing first-run movies".

edit - The risk is that these DVI-HDMI adapters get taken off the market for violating the DMCA or failing HDCP copy protection licensing or something similar.

[Dargason]

You're right... I guess the risk is that these adapters violate the licensing and could disappear or stop working. Maybe I should buy a few just in case?

[wayner]

I am thinking the exact same thing as $80 for two of them is a small price to spend, even though I am happy with my two HD-PVRs - I don't want to switch to the Collossus unless required as they seem finicky and I have been lucky with my HD-PVRs