Sage and Firewire STB

[DFA]

I do not often start new threads but here I am with 2 in one day!

I am probably late to the boat on this and did some searching but did not come up with much.

The new SA3250HD STB I got from my CableCo has firewire output with 5C flag protection. I have not yet hooked this up to my HTPC but will probably do so this evening.

Per the FCC, as of April, 2004, all CableCos must provide any leased STB with Firewire output at the request of the customer. I requested and I got.

The AVS Forum has a lot of info about this in the "HDTV Recorders" forum. However, they are using these little applets like "CapDVHS" and "DVHSTool" which seem more like proof of concept stuff.

What would be great if Sage could accept any Firewire port as another input. Ofcourse there is no encoding to do, just record the TS as is. The Guide schedule for the Firewire is the same as for my s-video (Brighthouse digital). I would move all the "record always" and "record once" 5C channels to the Firewire port. "Never record" channels I would leave on the s-video. I understand that channel change of the SA's and Moto's can be done through Firewire. Better than the IR blaster but the blaster will do.

There is a thread about a DVB developement plugin here: http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...=&threadid=732
Not sure if that has any relevance or not or can be modified to do what I'm thinking.

Surely this has been discussed because I am always late to the party but really want Sage to record from the Firewire assuming I can get the Firewire working which many others before me have already.

Again, enlighten me to the possibilities. What's up here?

DFA

[stanger89]

Well vote for it if you haven't yet.

First AFAIK there's no way to make it work with Sage yet.

Second, I don't think anything copy protected will be able to be recieved/copied by a PC, since AFAIK, PCs are 5C compliant.

In the mean time, you may want to check out Firebus DTVR, it's bascially an app that you run on your PC that makes it look like a DVHS deck or AVHDD.

[DFA]

Where do I vote?

I did not figure there is a way YET but just seems it should not be hard. Only the stuff that is 5C flagged as "record once" and "never record" that copy protectiion comes in. As I understand it, it is not a matter of if the TS stream is encrypted but a matter of the TS steam being available or not at the firewire port depending on the flag status. Most CableCos are flagging everything as "record always" except the premium channels (HBO, ShowTime, etc.) and VOD / PPV. Premium channels typically are flagged "record once" and VOD / PPV flagged "never record".

The drivers used to do this present the HTPC as a DVHS to the STB. And is not the HTPC a DVHS of sorts? I do not think anything illegal or gray here since the CableCo protects what they want with DTCP / EMI / CCI / 5C flags for the Firewire port. If the channel content is flagged "never record", you just ain't gonna get it.

Note that this means we can record HD TS streams where allowed.

Anyway, seems like Sage would be natural. If I can time shift with some little PC app like "CapDVHS" by entering start and end times, Sage could do it.

I do not profess to know all the nuts and bolts of this yet but think the possibilities are exciting.

DFA

[stanger89]

Originally posted by DFA
Where do I vote?

The link is in my sig. No guarantees, but hopefully we can show enough interest to get HD support sooner rather than later .

I did not figure there is a way YET but just seems it should not be hard. Only the stuff that is 5C flagged as "record once" and "never record" that copy protectiion comes in. As I understand it, it is not a matter of if the TS stream is encrypted but a matter of the TS steam being available or not at the firewire port depending on the flag status. Most CableCos are flagging everything as "record always" except the premium channels (HBO, ShowTime, etc.) and VOD / PPV. Premium channels typically are flagged "record once" and VOD / PPV flagged "never record".

Here's my understanding, unless the output device (the PC) is 5C compliant, anything that is copy protected at all (eve record once) will not be output on the Firewire port. Admittedly I have a limited knowledge of that.

The drivers used to do this present the HTPC as a DVHS to the STB. And is not the HTPC a DVHS of sorts? I do not think anything illegal or gray here since the CableCo protects what they want with DTCP / EMI / CCI / 5C flags for the Firewire port. If the channel content is flagged "never record", you just ain't gonna get it.

Note that this means we can record HD TS streams where allowed.

Anyway, seems like Sage would be natural.

DFA

FWIW, I'd love to see SageTV become HAVi compliant, especially if it were at the FAV level.

[DFA]

Your probably right about the "record once" and HTPC 5C status. What you say is logical.

I'll be educating myself more on this and experimenting with a firewire link starting this evening to get a hands-on understanding. The 5C status of channel content can be veiwed in the Service Menu of the STB so I'll find out what I can and can't atually do and what is available. (Good stuff or no).

It seems that the headend of CableCos have the discretion about the flags so that everyones mileage may vary on this (not good).

DFA

[stanger89]

I'd download DTVR if I were you and see how it works at least.

http://www.vividlogic.com/products/default.html