HDHomeRun Prime 6

[mike1961]

Does anyone know when this might be released? They've been promising it for a long time. The thing that makes this so attractive is not just the 6 tuners but the ability to record DRM channels. I'm assuming cable channels that are not copy freely will be able to be recorded. Still waiting...

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by mike1961

The thing that makes this so attractive is not just the 6 tuners but the ability to record DRM channels.

SiliconDust software will be able to record DRM’d channels, but SageTV software will not. The channels will still need to be flagged Copy Freely to be recordable in SageTV.

[mike1961]

So is the only way around this still to have a cable box for each tuner? If so, are there any dual HD tuners out these days? I'm trying to save some space.

Thanks,

[mike1961]

Also, might it some how be possible to get it to record the DRM channels with open dct or some utility if it can work with silicondust software?

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Also, might it some how be possible to get it to record the DRM channels with open dct or some utility if it can work with silicondust software?

The HDHR Prime has always been able to record copy once channels, but only if used with software that has been certified by Cable Labs to enforce drm. The software has to maintain an encrypted path and save in an encrypted format that is locked to the device where the recording is stored so that you can’t copy it to another computer once the recording is made.

For years Microsoft Windows Media center was the only PC software that met this criteria. TiVo also met the criteria (but it’s not an open PC). Silicon Dust has been developing their own DVR software that I think handles this now, but I haven’t been following it lately. In all these cases DRM is enforced, the recordings are encrypted, and you can only playback through the device that makes the recording. Sage cannot record or playback the encrypted files.

There are loopholes of course. Some people have setup a copy of Windows Media Center to record the encrypted channels using a Prime. Then they play back the recording (usually using an approve WMC extender, such as Xbox 360), but instead of connecting the Xbox to a tv, they connect it to another capture device and re-record it in an open format.

[mike1961]

Well the biggest loophole of course is just any capture card and for a while now
they have HD capture cards as well. I'm wondering if there are any good dual HD capture cards that work with sage. Ideally I would love to get rid of the cable boxes to save space but I guess at present it is not possible.

[SHS]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Well the biggest loophole of course is just any capture card and for a while now
they have HD capture cards as well. I'm wondering if there are any good dual HD capture cards that work with sage. Ideally I would love to get rid of the cable boxes to save space but I guess at present it is not possible.

There no dual HD capture cards but there are quad look up TBS6304

[mike1961]

Seems to be HDMI capture. Does this mean that it won't work on DRM channels?

[jpwegas]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Well the biggest loophole of course is just any capture card and for a while now
they have HD capture cards as well. I'm wondering if there are any good dual HD capture cards that work with sage. Ideally I would love to get rid of the cable boxes to save space but I guess at present it is not possible.

Capture cards like the Hauppauge HDPVR/HDPVR2/Colossus2 have component or HDMI inputs. As Tiki mentioned, the HDHR Prime 6 sends data over the network to viewing devices. If the viewer is "approved" you can view copy-once content. In order to use a capture card with a Prime, you would need to convert that network stream to a component/HDMI signal. In theory you could do this using an XBox or other approved device, but it's still several steps.

--John

[SHS]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Seems to be HDMI capture. Does this mean that it won't work on DRM channels?

You ask about HD capture cards which is refer to HDMI, Component, SDI even Display Port and your Cable or Satellite STB HDMI output to go a HD capture card now I don't know if HDCP is on with TBS6304 but if it is then the right HDMI splitter should take of HDCP problem.

[mike1961]

Thanks for the feedback. Hopefully one day Prime or another company can make a capture card that will allow for 5 or more inputs like the prime 6 but also where we don't need to worry about DRM and just need one cable card and not a bunch of cable boxes for each channel we want to record.

[SHS]

Originally Posted by jpwegas

Capture cards like the Hauppauge HDPVR/HDPVR2/Colossus2 have component or HDMI inputs. As Tiki mentioned, the HDHR Prime 6 sends data over the network to viewing devices. If the viewer is "approved" you can view copy-once content. In order to use a capture card with a Prime, you would need to convert that network stream to a component/HDMI signal. In theory you could do this using an XBox or other approved device, but it's still several steps.

--John

Basic it all boil down HDCP which why it hard to get round as it prevents eavesdropping

[SHS]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Thanks for the feedback. Hopefully one day Prime or another company can make a capture card that will allow for 5 or more inputs like the prime 6 but also where we don't need to worry about DRM and just need one cable card and not a bunch of cable boxes for each channel we want to record.

More then likely the way that TV Streaming Hulu TV, YouTube TV and etc is take off I suspect that Cable TV will end up in graveyard in next 5 years