HP x280n MediaSmart Paid HD Channels don't Work

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bedrat2

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HP x280n MediaSmart Paid HD Channels don't Work

#1

Post by bedrat2 » Fri Sep 08, 2017 11:15 pm

Hey all you Media Center Gurus out there, I have been a long time user of Windows Media Center, still love it and will stick with it till the bitter end. Recently I found a HP x280n on ebay for less then $30 w/ shipping and figure I would give it a try since it was originally over $300 for it and I liked the look of it. Also the universal remote looks really nice compared to my XBox 360 Media Center Remote.

I have been using my XBox 360 in my living room and spare bedroom and Ceton Echo in the master bedroom and I was going to just pick up some more cheap XBox 360 but I saw the HP x280n and though I would give it a try. I've been running Shark 007 v802 for all my codex and such everything works on my XBox 360 and the Echo other then HBO is choppy on play back and when watching on any of the extenders. On my desktop HBO runs perfectly. I am using my 1 gigabit LAN connection for everything and the self diagnose says it should be no problem playing HD.

The problem I have run into is that the paid for HD channels from Comcast don't work on the HP x280n and I cannot play back anything or record on those channels. It give me an error saying it can not play back this type of file. It will play, record and play back (in .wtv files) the over air HD channels however. I also can not update the HP x280n, it looks like HP has dropped all support for any of there Media Center based hardware, which is understandable. I'm assuming my problem has something to do with the OOB lock and the HP x280n not being able to decode it and or something to do with the copy protection.

Is there a way to force update the HP x280n so it will play back the locked HD channels? Should I just stick with buying more Xbox 360 or getting a hold of the more expensive Ceton Echo? If you guys need anymore information about my setup let me know. Thank you guys in advance.

I have the PCIe Ceton InfinTV 6 with firmware version: 14.10.3.163, drivers version: 1.0.2.4 and hardware version: 6252
Motorola CableCARD

HP x280n software specs: D2.0.105.080613.C3

My computer Specs:
OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3930K CPU @ 3.20GHz, 3201 Mhz, 6 Core(s), 12 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 4701, 5/7/2014
SMBIOS Version 2.7
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7601.17514"
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 64.0 GB
Total Physical Memory 63.9 GB
Available Physical Memory 54.2 GB
Total Virtual Memory 128 GB
Available Virtual Memory 116 GB
NVIDIA Geforce GTX 970

Windows Media Center Software version:
Windows 7 version 6.1.7601.17514 (win7sp1_rtm.101119-1850)

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Crash2009

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#2

Post by Crash2009 » Sun Sep 10, 2017 2:21 am

I never worked with that one. It appears you should be able to get it working. Quite a bit written on it. I searched this catagory (XBOX & Legacy Extenders) I used the search term... x280n


Here is a link to get you started....

viewtopic.php?p=39971#p39971

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bedrat2

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#3

Post by bedrat2 » Sun Sep 10, 2017 5:16 am

Crash2009 wrote:I never worked with that one. It appears you should be able to get it working. Quite a bit written on it. I searched this catagory (XBOX & Legacy Extenders) I used the search term... x280n


Here is a link to get you started....

viewtopic.php?p=39971#p39971
Thank you Crash2009 for your quick response. I have read through most of the post about the HP x280n on here, but it seems no one is having the problem that I am having. It all might be related to the H.264 protected content (stupid Comcast) not being able to be played back on the x280n. I have upgraded my firmware on my Ceton Infinitv to beta_fw_15_1_13_152 and that seems to have done nothing for me. It did not fix the lag problem I was having with HBO and recorded programs on HBO on the XBox 360 or Ceton Echo either. I also don't think there is a firmware or software update for the x280n at least none that I have found and since HP no longer supports it they have been no help what so ever.

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Crash2009

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#4

Post by Crash2009 » Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:26 pm

Yeah I agree it might have something to do with the h 264. I have been having trouble with that for a month. Just when I think I got it licked, and leave it on all day for a test, I come back to a visual meltdown, occasionally they htpc and the ceton Echo work perfectly.

I'm about to tear the whole box down and start from scratch with the Motherboard BIOS update, video adapter, etc. I am reluctant to do that because I think I would be playing right into their hand. They are shutting us down, and winning the battle.

My only choice left right now is two cancel my service and refused to pay for the garbage they've given me for the last month. All my h.264 recordings are all pixelated and won't play on my extenders. My extenders are able to play all my pre h.264.

I think it's time we fight back in a big way. We should set up file share like Napster and share our collections with each other. 9000 members with (? 20 TB) there's enough TV there to never pay a cable bill for the rest of your life.

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bedrat2

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#5

Post by bedrat2 » Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:06 am

Crash2009 wrote:Yeah I agree it might have something to do with the h 264. I have been having trouble with that for a month. Just when I think I got it licked, and leave it on all day for a test, I come back to a visual meltdown, occasionally they HTPC and the ceton Echo work perfectly.

I'm about to tear the whole box down and start from scratch with the Motherboard BIOS update, video adapter, etc. I am reluctant to do that because I think I would be playing right into their hand. They are shutting us down, and winning the battle.

My only choice left right now is two cancel my service and refused to pay for the garbage they've given me for the last month. All my h.264 recordings are all pixelated and won't play on my extenders. My extenders are able to play all my pre h.264.

I think it's time we fight back in a big way. We should set up file share like Napster and share our collections with each other. 9000 members with (? 20 TB) there's enough TV there to never pay a cable bill for the rest of your life.
I guess I'm lucky that everything else works for me. I wish we would get together and fight the control that the cable companies and Microsoft has. In my own form of protest I did not upgrade to Windows 10 (A. Windows 7 is still a better operating system then 10 B. Windows 10 spy on you without you know it and can delete programs with out your knowledge or consent) on any of my machines and I will resist and stay with Windows Media Center like the band on the Titanic and play happy music till the ship sinks, but it may be soon to play Nearer my God to Thee.

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DavidinCT

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#6

Post by DavidinCT » Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:43 pm

bedrat2 wrote:
Crash2009 wrote:Yeah I agree it might have something to do with the h 264. I have been having trouble with that for a month. Just when I think I got it licked, and leave it on all day for a test, I come back to a visual meltdown, occasionally they HTPC and the ceton Echo work perfectly.

I'm about to tear the whole box down and start from scratch with the Motherboard BIOS update, video adapter, etc. I am reluctant to do that because I think I would be playing right into their hand. They are shutting us down, and winning the battle.

My only choice left right now is two cancel my service and refused to pay for the garbage they've given me for the last month. All my h.264 recordings are all pixelated and won't play on my extenders. My extenders are able to play all my pre h.264.

I think it's time we fight back in a big way. We should set up file share like Napster and share our collections with each other. 9000 members with (? 20 TB) there's enough TV there to never pay a cable bill for the rest of your life.
I guess I'm lucky that everything else works for me. I wish we would get together and fight the control that the cable companies and Microsoft has. In my own form of protest I did not upgrade to Windows 10 (A. Windows 7 is still a better operating system then 10 B. Windows 10 spy on you without you know it and can delete programs with out your knowledge or consent) on any of my machines and I will resist and stay with Windows Media Center like the band on the Titanic and play happy music till the ship sinks, but it may be soon to play Nearer my God to Thee.
I know this is NOT a new thread but, these HP x280n devices are very cheap. They are a Media Streamer but, what are they ? Are they a true WMC extender or are they a low speced PC designed for just streaming ?

These things are sub $40, if they would work better than a 360 for content (exp videos that are MKV)...I'd pick one up for testing...

I've heard of them but forgot about them and cant remember EXACTLY what they are...
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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Crash2009

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#7

Post by Crash2009 » Wed Dec 06, 2017 6:07 am


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DavidinCT

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#8

Post by DavidinCT » Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:35 pm

Crash2009 wrote:Version 2 WMC Extender

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook- ... 09#M311251
Are they any better than like a Linksys DMA2100 ? Or pretty much the same thing just in a HP case ?
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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