Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

[HTPC Specs:]

I'm tempted to try my TV with a VGA connection instead of HDMI. If I get some time today, I might try it.

That's an interesting thought. Let us know.

[HTPC Specs:]

I'm tempted to try my TV with a VGA connection instead of HDMI. If I get some time today, I might try it.

That's an interesting thought. Let us know.

Too bad that HDCP stripper/splitter got shut down by the government.

Just came across this thread. My problem started with Comcast about a month ago.

All the music choice channels on my xbox 360 extenders have black screens with audio that skips every 5 seconds. This has always worked fine for the last 2 years.
Music choice works fine on my Intel based win 7 HTPC. I recorded a music choice channel and tried playing it back on 1 of the extenders and got a "video not supported" message.
I don't have any paid premium channels but every other channel works fine. Did music choice go H.264 mpeg4?

I had a similar problem with the music channels. I found that if I paused the music for 5 seconds and watched it delayed, everything was fine.

I'm tempted to try my TV with a VGA connection instead of HDMI. If I get some time today, I might try it.

i lost my other cables it seems ordered a set for 5.00 but it will not be here for awhile to try

i'm just curios as to why it works on one tv and not the other.

[HTPC Specs:]

I'm tempted to try my TV with a VGA connection instead of HDMI. If I get some time today, I might try it.

That's an interesting thought. Let us know.

Too bad that HDCP stripper/splitter got shut down by the government.

They didn't shut down all of them.... Google HDMI 4X4 Matrix Splitter

viewtopic.php?p=64843#p64843

I had a similar problem with the music channels. I found that if I paused the music for 5 seconds and watched it delayed, everything was fine.

That worked. Weird that I never had to do that before and on both my xbox360 extenders.

How do you get a WMC on windows 10? I thought they killed it.

With a little respect to those who believe in eternal MS updates...

If you are running a dedicated WMC system I see no reason not to do it on Win7. Period! I've been running it for years with NO updates; in fact I always turn off Windows updates on every new system I prepare. Minimal issues.

[HTPC Specs:]

How do you get a WMC on windows 10? I thought they killed it.

https://forums.mydigitallife.info/threa ... ternatives

well got the component A/V cables today and trying them it works on the new TV on all channels so far. I'll post back if i have issues.. seems its just when using HDMI. Ok i guess for a 24 inch TV in my office but pretty sure i may start looking into my cables company's whole home DVR system /sigh. why MS why you let media center die

Again, WMC works perfectly in Win7 before the latest issue with Comcast and their changeover to a new video format.

That issue depends on your choice of video card, which should be resolved by swapping it.

I 'm using laptops for WMC servers so I'm sort of stuck with building new servers whith PCI slots for the video card. But, Comcast's changeover is not affecting me yet to have to do this. I hope I get lucky and things will work as before. if not, no big deal, just build a new system.

If you don't need the tuning and DVR services that it offers, then it definitely is a keeper as a media/DVD player. I can play all formats with a basic K-Lite codec package; no roblems.

WMC is far from dead my friend.

Again, WMC works perfectly in Win7 before the latest issue with Comcast and their changeover to a new video format.

That issue depends on your choice of video card, which should be resolved by swapping it.

I 'm using laptops for WMC servers so I'm sort of stuck with building new servers whith PCI slots for the video card. But, Comcast's changeover is not affecting me yet to have to do this. I hope I get lucky and things will work as before. if not, no big deal, just build a new system.

If you don't need the tuning and DVR services that it offers, then it definitely is a keeper as a media/DVD player. I can play all formats with a basic K-Lite codec package; no roblems.

WMC is far from dead my friend.

for me its not my main WMC PC, its the 360 extender to a new TV. From the main WMC PC via an XBOX One to my Big TV its fine, But i got a new TV For my office 24 inch samsung and the protected channels wouldn't play, black screen audio only. Tried 2 Xboxes same result. I could connect to an old Computer monitor and the channels would play with brief (1 second) flashes of "not an HDCP compliment device" that i could filter out using an HDMI switch. However that same switch wouldn't work to the new TV. So its something with the new format/copy right protection and new TV's via HDMI (At lest my issue seems to have been)

From what i understand a new VC / CPU won't affect the extenders? That's what i got from reading this thread. The kicker for me will be when i buy a new Samsung TV for my den, which i'm shooting for super bowl weekend. If it works fine i'm ok ... i think (need to test a few more channels). I can deal with component video in my office.

Also of note i dont have comcast i have Comporium.

So maybe not dead yet but its dying to me.... i'll know more in Feb if i get the TV i'm eyeing.

Extenders are not an issue for me...I don't use them.

I use two HD Homerun Primes (6 tuners total) and WMC laptops to access them. I can't view protected content between the laptops but that's not an issue - I can either record the same content to each laptop or mainly watch protected content on one laptop (living room).

Extenders are not an issue for me...I don't use them.

I use two HD Homerun Primes (6 tuners total) and WMC laptops to access them. I can't view protected content between the laptops but that's not an issue - I can either record the same content to each laptop or mainly watch protected content on one laptop (living room).

that's one way.. i just found using my main WMC and a 360 in my office and one my bedroom the easiest, and cheapest. But regardless MS has let it die via not supporting continuing into Win10 and beyond. I'm still sad they didn't /don't make a media edition Xbox one with a cable card slot/DVR capabilities, and new media extenders

If you're not using extenders then this thread is probably of very little use to you, artm. ;)

I also use 6 HD Homerun Prime tuners, but with a single headless win7 server and use only extenders on my TVs. I noticed this issue right away when Comcast Seattle switched HBO to h264.

So far I've been able to get around it by using the non-HD HBO which still works for me. I don't know if it's because protected h264 still works in SD, or if maybe the SD channel is still using mpeg2.

I feel like WMC has really gone downhill in the years since MS abandoned it. Especially as I get more and more weird guide data quality issues ever since they switched providers. My setup has been runing for about half a decade and I think it's about time to retire it. If they're not going to support the latest versions of protected content on the extenders, then it's time for me to finally let it go and switch to a mythtv-based DVR engine instead.

I recently got this awesome little HDMI to h264 network encoder box on Amazon from a seller in Hong Kong for around $200 and not surprisingly, it supports HDCP content but doesn't bother enforcing it. I figured I could plug my old win7 WMC into it and use it as a non-DVR cable box just for a live feed of a copy-once protected channel. Then the mythtv DVR can record it in the clear over the network and I will finally have the best of both worlds!

The setup is probably way too complicated for some, but it sounds like fun to me. Wish me luck. ;)

This thread involves H.264 issues which I anticipated with Comcast, so it is relevant to me.

So far here in Boston, I have seen very limited issues with Comcat's change. Randomly, if I switch from a protected channel to one that is not, I can get vertical color lines but the sound is fine. To get rid of the lines I need to switch to an SD channel and then go back to the problem channel. This is random and rare. Otherwise the change has not been as catastrophic as I expected. Who knows - Comcast may be listening to complaints and adhering to the H.264 standard.

As for weird guide data, I have switched over to EPG123 and Schedules Direct and have had no issues. I update one WMC laptop nightly from SD'd servers and then copy the XMF file to the others locally - saves time and SD server load.

Avoiding HDCP issues: yes, I have seen such adapters, including this one, which should solve HDCP issues on the cheap:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004F ... XD0L1W5AKG

I am disgusted with all the HDCP/DRM crap. Really...I can record a protected program but can't watch it in my own home on any device I want? Really...if I change one component in my recording device I can no longer play protected, recorded content? Really...if my laptop breaks I lose all my legally recorded content? OK, fine. I'll just download it from various illegal sources. Is that what I'm forced to do? So be it.

[The above rant is one in argument only. No illegal activity is suggested or condoned. ]

Just posting a Me Too here and watching the thread, bought a new vid card from some of the discussion, but that didn't kelp. I am not surprised though since I use xbox 360 (Jasper) exclusively. The PC sits in the garage just connected to power and networking since I use a HDHR Prime. I have downloaded the video update. I couldn't find any "install" option though, but assuming I just have to have it downloaded.

Seattle / Comcast - only channels like HBO.

The pause and play from buffer doesn't help.

I also tried recording and playing from the recorded buffer as well.

As others describe, audio is flawless, display shows short clips of video, but mostly static images every few seconds.

I haven't seen anyone comment affirmatively that the HDCP issues AND Xbox extender issues are related.

Does anyone have a Xbox 360 S or E series to say whether it's any better?

Other than that, I will follow along to see if anyone finds a solution.

What video card did you purchase? From what I've read , OLDER Nvidia or AMD cards are the ones that work.

What video update are you referring to? For the Prime? I'm still running original firmware from 2012 on mine and will not update (to the last stable build for the Prime, 20150826) unless I have to.

What video update are you referring to?

For the Xbox, from what I read, it required a download to decode h.264 video. I had already downloaded the xbox media update from xbox live.

Well, all I was saying is that with NO video card in my media center to adding one has not made a difference. I don't watch anything or any content on my media center, I only remote in and watch everything through the xbox.

I have some older cards I could try, but I thought that with the protected content especially, the streams were sent directly to the extender to be decoded (which would mean the video card doesn't matter).