Is anyone using SiliconDust or Ceton CableCard tuners when they also have an Xfinity X1 DVR?
The new Comcast claims that their recorded programs can be viewed remotely and even downloaded to devices for later viewing - is an interesting option, to use in addition to having WMC.
Xfinity X1
-
choliscott
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:56 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
I also have the X1 as it came part of the 2 year deal I agreed to, when I moved about 6 months back. The X1 box is currently sitting in the closet. I liked the overall GUI for it, but the 500 GB drive wasn't going to be enough.
By chance, do you have a link to the Comcast claims?
By chance, do you have a link to the Comcast claims?
-
Ed
- Posts: 808
- Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 3:14 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
http://customer.comcast.com/help-and-su ... load-faqs/choliscott wrote:I also have the X1 as it came part of the 2 year deal I agreed to, when I moved about 6 months back. The X1 box is currently sitting in the closet. I liked the overall GUI for it, but the 500 GB drive wasn't going to be enough.
By chance, do you have a link to the Comcast claims?
-
bob_p
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:47 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Do you have the X1 service turned on? Comcast appears to claim CableCards aren't supported when X1 is enabled.choliscott wrote:I also have the X1 as it came part of the 2 year deal I agreed to, when I moved about 6 months back. The X1 box is currently sitting in the closet. I liked the overall GUI for it, but the 500 GB drive wasn't going to be enough.
Does anyone have CableCard tuners running along with an X1 DVR?
-
choliscott
- Posts: 598
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:56 am
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Yes, the X1 service is still turned on. In fact, I have 2 cable cards running and no problems getting them, etc.
My ex is running the X1 and also has a 2nd cable card for her Ceton and no issues what so ever
My ex is running the X1 and also has a 2nd cable card for her Ceton and no issues what so ever
-
bob_p
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:47 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
Anyone else confirm they have both X1 and CableCard running?
Since every time I contact Comcast, they claim CableCards won't work if X1 is enabled - I'm reluctant to make the switch (even though it's included for free in my cable package) until I'm confident this will work... Because I don't want to be paying Comcast for cable boxes for each of my TVs (to replace my network of Xbox 360s).
Since every time I contact Comcast, they claim CableCards won't work if X1 is enabled - I'm reluctant to make the switch (even though it's included for free in my cable package) until I'm confident this will work... Because I don't want to be paying Comcast for cable boxes for each of my TVs (to replace my network of Xbox 360s).
-
Sharks
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 6:35 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
I can confirm X1 and a Ceton PCIe6/cable card worked at the same time while I had this setup for about 2-4 weeks. I then turned in the X1 system once I confirmed my WMC setup was stable.
TGB Wiki Media Center Add-ins Please Contribute!
-
bob_p
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:47 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
On Monday, I went to the Comcast website and connected to an online chat session - and after their support person confirmed I can have CableCard devices working with the X1 server, I set up an appointment to install an X1 DVR in two weeks.
While my preference is to use WMC or the SD DVR software (if it is functional enough to be a WMC replacement), having X1 available (at no additional charge) can't hurt - and if there is an extended outage of the WMC program guide again, I'll have a fallback.
Will post my experience here with the X1 install in 2 weeks.
While my preference is to use WMC or the SD DVR software (if it is functional enough to be a WMC replacement), having X1 available (at no additional charge) can't hurt - and if there is an extended outage of the WMC program guide again, I'll have a fallback.
Will post my experience here with the X1 install in 2 weeks.
-
Sharks
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 6:35 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
bob_p wrote:On Monday, I went to the Comcast website and connected to an online chat session - and after their support person confirmed I can have CableCard devices working with the X1 server, I set up an appointment to install an X1 DVR in two weeks.
While my preference is to use WMC or the SD DVR software (if it is functional enough to be a WMC replacement), having X1 available (at no additional charge) can't hurt - and if there is an extended outage of the WMC program guide again, I'll have a fallback.
Will post my experience here with the X1 install in 2 weeks.
Any updates on how the install went and/or how you like the X1 system compared to WMC?
TGB Wiki Media Center Add-ins Please Contribute!
-
bob_p
- Posts: 268
- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:47 pm
- Location:
-
HTPC Specs:
The install went surprisingly well - so it's not clear why Comcast requires a technician to install the X1 box vs. doing a self install...
Pulled the old STB from the DVR rack and slid in the new X1 DVR into the same position. I have three cable card tuners on the same splitter - and the technician didn't change any of the wiring. The technician checked the signal strength and said it was a "little low" but didn't do anything about it. [A later check showed the HDHR's were seeing signal strength in the 80-90% range, so I added an amplifier to get it back up to 100%.]
The new X1 DVR remote appears to be Bluetooth, supporting both line-of-sight IR and non-line-of-sight via BT.
My existing CableCard devices have continued to run after X1 was turned on, and I added a new CableCard for an SD HDHR tuner I received through their Kickstarter DVR program.
After having a very poor user interface on their cable boxes for many years (decades?), the X1 interface is a considerable step forward. Though, based on my early testing, WMC is still a better solution for watching live and recordedTV. Probably the biggest advantage of X1 is that it hides the difference between watching/recording programs from the guide and pulling them from Comcast's On Demand library. For example, if you see a movie in the guide that has already started, you have the option to watch the movie from the beginning.
But this doesn't appear to work with broadcast TV shows. But, if you forget to record a TV show and play it later from their On Demand library, X1 appears to disable all navigation (ff/rew, skip) - forcing you to watch the program in "real-time" along with all of the commercials. Though if you record the show using the DVR, you get the navigation tools.
Not clear why Comcast has been so reluctant to encourage CableCard customers to install X1...
Pulled the old STB from the DVR rack and slid in the new X1 DVR into the same position. I have three cable card tuners on the same splitter - and the technician didn't change any of the wiring. The technician checked the signal strength and said it was a "little low" but didn't do anything about it. [A later check showed the HDHR's were seeing signal strength in the 80-90% range, so I added an amplifier to get it back up to 100%.]
The new X1 DVR remote appears to be Bluetooth, supporting both line-of-sight IR and non-line-of-sight via BT.
My existing CableCard devices have continued to run after X1 was turned on, and I added a new CableCard for an SD HDHR tuner I received through their Kickstarter DVR program.
After having a very poor user interface on their cable boxes for many years (decades?), the X1 interface is a considerable step forward. Though, based on my early testing, WMC is still a better solution for watching live and recordedTV. Probably the biggest advantage of X1 is that it hides the difference between watching/recording programs from the guide and pulling them from Comcast's On Demand library. For example, if you see a movie in the guide that has already started, you have the option to watch the movie from the beginning.
But this doesn't appear to work with broadcast TV shows. But, if you forget to record a TV show and play it later from their On Demand library, X1 appears to disable all navigation (ff/rew, skip) - forcing you to watch the program in "real-time" along with all of the commercials. Though if you record the show using the DVR, you get the navigation tools.
Not clear why Comcast has been so reluctant to encourage CableCard customers to install X1...