Sagetv and comcast /xfinity cable?

[MickBurke]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but I didn't see one that sounded more 'right' so here it is (feel free to move this though if there is a better place!!)

I've had verizon fios for the last 15 years or so, and am about to get rid of them. I may just go switch everything to torrents, but if I can get a cheap package and still record the shows I actually watch I may.

I recall years back though hearing that EVERYTHING was 'copy once' (or whatever the 'can't be recorded by sagetv from a cable card' designation was).

Is that still the case? If I have comcast for TV, do I need to install tuners and use the old Hapague PVRs to convert from them, or can you record most channels from comcast?

I'm in Southest PA if it matters...

Thanks for any info or input!

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by MickBurke

Not sure if this is the right forum, but I didn't see one that sounded more 'right' so here it is (feel free to move this though if there is a better place!!)

I've had verizon fios for the last 15 years or so, and am about to get rid of them. I may just go switch everything to torrents, but if I can get a cheap package and still record the shows I actually watch I may.

I recall years back though hearing that EVERYTHING was 'copy once' (or whatever the 'can't be recorded by sagetv from a cable card' designation was).

Is that still the case? If I have comcast for TV, do I need to install tuners and use the old Hapague PVRs to convert from them, or can you record most channels from comcast?

I'm in Southest PA if it matters...

Thanks for any info or input!

I have Comcast/Xfiniti and almost everything is copy freely. A few premium channels are copy once, but not that many. My HDHomeRun with a cable card in it works great.

[NetworkGuy]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

I have Comcast/Xfiniti and almost everything is copy freely. A few premium channels are copy once, but not that many. My HDHomeRun with a cable card in it works great.

I also have Xfinity/Comcast and except for Premium channels (i.e. HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc.) you can record everything with a Prime and cablecard.

[MickBurke]

Fabulous. Thanks!

[MickBurke]

So I got connected and some channels tune, others do not. The CETON app reports that "cable card is not entitled to decrypt channel XXX because it needs a full reset from the cable company".

I called in since the installer had left buy the time I got everything set to switch the lineup etc, and they escalated it to their next tier that he said 'might take a couple days' to get back to me.

Anybody here know what this means? The installer said this was a card he had in the truck, since no one told him I required a cable card, but it gets SOME channels just fine so no idea what the deal is...?

[egeller]

This is one of those rare times it's better if you did the install yourself. Comcast has a toll-free number for self-installed cable cards. If you have the number, you can call them back first. They are more knowledgeable than the run-of-the-mill telephone representatives. If I remember correctly, I think they can see your cable card and re-boot it.

I found my original documentation from Ceton. They say the Comcast's support line is 877-405-2298.

I did some googling that confirms the phone number. See the link at https://forums.xfinity.com/t5/TV/ANS...f/ta-p/2940308

You will want to have your Ceton device's web page up when you call them. I think you may see changes when they send down commands to the card.

I hope I got all this correct. It's been a number of years since I did any of this. Since then, it just works, in spite of occasional power outages and the like. Good Luck.

E

p.s. Don't lose the phone number.

[Tiki]

Yes egeller is right.

Comcast service techs are usually pretty worthless - they can crimp connectors onto coax cable and plug stuff in and that’s usually about all. Even the ones that know what they are doing usually aren’t allowed to to much - they have to call in and have someone else handle the actual account changes, equipment activation, authorization of channels, etc.

And there are very few people at Comcast who know anything about cable cards. You will not get any useful support by calling the main Comcast phone numbers. You hav to call the dedicated Cablecard support number. Luckily this number comes up pretty quickly when you do a Google search, but it’s pretty hard to find otherwise. Not sue if things have changed but it did not used to be shown on the Comcast website or on the self install kits.

But if you do call that special number, the support is usually fantastic. The people that answer that number have actually heard of Silicon Dust and Ceton, and can usually sort out any problems pretty quickly.