Newbie vs Comcast Cable Card

Help with tuners from ATI, Hauppauge, AverMedia and more.
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nashfulboy

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Newbie vs Comcast Cable Card

#1

Post by nashfulboy » Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:09 pm

Can someone please explain how I would install a Comcast cable card into my windows 7 HP Media Center. Do I have to buy a specific card? Does Comcast give me a card which is then inserted into the PC card?

cwinfield

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#2

Post by cwinfield » Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:36 pm

nashfulboy wrote:Can someone please explain how I would install a Comcast cable card into my windows 7 HP Media Center. Do I have to buy a specific card? Does Comcast give me a card which is then inserted into the PC card?
Comcast will rent you a cablecard just like a set top box and you will likely need a tuning adapter for switched digital video channel tuning. The type of card is a M-card.

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mcewinter

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#3

Post by mcewinter » Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:02 pm

nashfulboy wrote:Can someone please explain how I would install a Comcast cable card into my windows 7 HP Media Center. Do I have to buy a specific card? Does Comcast give me a card which is then inserted into the PC card?
You first need to purchase a CableCard tuner. Research Silicondust and Ceton. The types are internal, network attached, and USB.

Once you decide on a type and brand, you then insert your card supplied by Comcast into the tuner device.

blueiedgod

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#4

Post by blueiedgod » Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:22 pm

nashfulboy wrote:Can someone please explain how I would install a Comcast cable card into my windows 7 HP Media Center. Do I have to buy a specific card? Does Comcast give me a card which is then inserted into the PC card?

If I am not mistaken, Media Center PC's from HP came with ATI Digital Cable Tuner installed internally.

Look on the back for the slot that looks like PCMCIA slot in a laptop. That is where the CableCARD would go. There should also be an F-type coax barrel connector for the coaxial cable from Comcast.

You will only be able to watch/record 1 channel with ATI DCT. Consider upgrading to either SiliconDust (3 tuners) or Ceton (6 tuners)

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#5

Post by signcarver » Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:54 am

Not all of them did, some came with analog tuners and some just had media center on them (this was more common in the MCE days) and most probably came with the remote and ir emitters to control cable box.

Also the pcmcia slot isn't a given either as I had an hp desktop that came with one for the wireless adapter and I have also had hp laptops sold as media center PCs which also would have had that slot or express card depending on model (my favorite one came with a hp branded hauppauge expresscard ATSC/NTSC tuner until the nvidia graphics problem came up and one had to constantly reflow the graphics "card").

What is really needed to know is what tuner may or may not have came with the computer. And as said, I would go buy a prime or a ceton if you are even thinking about cablecard now as the old ATIs have many problems (some areas of comcast like verizon, though you can probably count them on one hand, are on simulcrypt rendering the use of the ATI impossible.

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DavidinCT

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#6

Post by DavidinCT » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:24 pm

Ok, Here is some directions to check to see if your machine meets the requirements for cable card.

http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindow ... ble-ready/

If you do NOT have it installed, download your version here (x86 / x64)
http://www.nkonecny.com/blog/2012/01/06 ... e-advisor/

Then you need a cable card tuner, as suggested. Do a little research, Ceton offers 4 and 6 tuner models, the Silicondust model offers 3 tuners models. There are Networkable models and Ceton offers internal PCIe tuners. They both have their perks but, they have both been around for a while, so they are all good models. Depending on your needs, wants and price.

Once you get the Tuner and install it in your computer, going to the website of the manufacture and downloading the newest drivers and firmware for it. Connect the COAX cable from Comcast to the back of the card/network adapter.

Then go to Comcast and request a cablecard, They are all M-type now, so that should not be a problem. SOME areas require a tuning adapter, most areas do not. Assuming you do not. In my area, with Comcast, the first cablecard is free, the 2nd is $3 a month.

When you get the cablecard home, Install it in your new cablecard tuner. At this point Media Center should prompt you, "Media Center found a cablecard would you like to set it up now?" follow the directions. If not go into TV setup, and it should find it. It will ask you in the setup menu to activate your cablecard, Call and confirm your card is activated correctly, they will ask you for numbers off your tuner, it will show on that screen as well.

Edit: Call this number, DO not call their main line (most reps screw up cablcards) - Comcast/XFINITY • 1-877-405-2298 • CableCARD Activation Line

After this, bring up the guide and test channels. This should work at this point. If you get stuck, reply back, one of us should be able to help- To Note, sometimes Comcast will take about 15-20 min to download your channels to your card and WMC might take 5-10 min to download the first guide (on first setup) so it might be slow when first setting it up but by 15-20 min, everything should be ready to go.

This should get you started and if you have no issues, you should be good to go, the LAST thing if TV works, is to edit channels and unselect the channels you DO NOT subscribe to settings>TV>Guide> Edit Channels.

Enjoy and feel free to ping or search here if you run into any issues or have questions !

-Dave
blueiedgod wrote:

If I am not mistaken, Media Center PC's from HP came with ATI Digital Cable Tuner installed internally.

Look on the back for the slot that looks like PCMCIA slot in a laptop. That is where the CableCARD would go. There should also be an F-type coax barrel connector for the coaxial cable from Comcast.

You will only be able to watch/record 1 channel with ATI DCT. Consider upgrading to either SiliconDust (3 tuners) or Ceton (6 tuners)
I was one who picked up a HP Media Center computer when Windows Vista REQUIRED a OEM PC to use cablecards. It came with an External ATI tuner (I still have it). Still for the requestor here, I would suggest to pick up a new tuner, The old ATI is no longer supported (but still works) but, is ONLY a single tuner. SO recording 2 cablecard channels at the same time does not work even if you use a M-type card. With the costs of a 3 or even 4 tuner model, it's not too expensive so it's a really worthy upgrade.

I only saw internal card installed on some upper end HTPC sellers, I don't believe HP sold a model with an Internal ATI tuner (was not a true internal card anyway, it just sat in a slot and needed USB and Power for it)
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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DavidinCT

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#7

Post by DavidinCT » Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:20 pm

Everyone, I took my directons above and added them the WIKI, let me know if I missed a step this should be pretty clear

http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/wiki/index ... nter_Setup
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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