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Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:49 am
by coolwhip
Comcast is in the process of converting to H264 (MPEG-4) here and they seem to be starting with premium movie channels. The Echo and xBox play H264 that is not copy protected but neither will play H264 copy protected content such as HBO. Audio is ok but picture is black. The Media Center HTPC plays this fine. TCM (not copy protected) is now H264 and plays fine on both the Echo and xBox.

I don't see this problem mentioned anywhere here. Any help or ideas are appreciated.

Thanks

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:47 am
by holidayboy
Have you installed any 3rd party codecs that may have registered themselves to play TV somehow?

I think you have to use the MS codecs for protected shows?

Just a random thought...

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 2:57 pm
by mcewinter
I had the same issue recently on a Media Center with an Intel GPU (Corei3 clarkdale). The screen would go black with audio only on HBO channels (Comcast Chicago). I simply threw a new graphics adapter in it after not finding a fix (I looked for all of five minutes) which won't help the OP. I hope you find the cure because I'd rather use my Intel GPU as the card I threw in there has some handshaking issues, while the Intel had none.

I think we'll see more of this moving forward.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:02 am
by coolwhip
This issue may be in the wrong place as it has to do with Ceton Echo and xBox extenders. My HTPC plays the protected content fine.

Interesting that both extenders are having the same problem.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:42 am
by mcewinter
Indeed.

I was under the impression that those were the only two extenders that actually could handle H264.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:10 am
by Crash2009
coolwhip wrote:This issue may be in the wrong place as it has to do with Ceton Echo and xBox extenders. My HTPC plays the protected content fine.

Interesting that both extenders are having the same problem.
My guess is that the HTPC needs to know how to extend the ability to play h.264 properly. Since the content is Protected, that would fall into the PlayReady Realm.

Have you tried to Update PlayReady from within WMC?

Are you running any 3rd Party Codecs such as Shark007, LAV, etc.?

I notice Shark has a couple extender adjustments within the software in this screencap.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:02 am
by coolwhip
I hate to mess with PlayReady since mpeg2 protected content works ok on the extenders and H264 protected content works ok on the HTPC. It has been quite a long time since I touched PlayReady.

I am running Shark007 version 4.5.8 so it is a little out of date. I have a ticket open with Ceton but haven't heard anything yet.

In the mean time, thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep messing with it.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 4:21 am
by Crash2009
You could go in to the TGB Control Panel, Find a member named Shark007, and ask how to proceed.

In the past he has suggested to uninstall the old prior to upgrade to new.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:31 am
by Timbukk2
I am in the exact same boat as in post number one. I get all channels perfectly on my HTPC but only get audio on HBO and a few other channels such as Encore etc... on my two xbox 360 extenders. I am running windows 7 ultimate on a Samsung 500 GB SSD and wmc recordings are stored on two 4TB WD hard drives connected to SATA ports on the same pc as the SSD. The 2 xbox extenders are connected to a unmanaged network switch as well as the wmc pc is also. I have a infinitv6 channel pci cable tuner card installed into the htpc and comcast is my cable company. I live in northern Indiana.
This started several weeks ago and I am about ready to give up. I have read and tried lots of different things and so far nothing has worked.
I hope that someone can figure this out soon.
I have had this working for two or three years prior to this without too many issues that I couldn't easily fix.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!!!!!!!!! :ugeek:

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:16 am
by Windom
So is this going to be a problem for everyone that has Comcast when they switch all channels to MPEG4? I think it'll be happening soon for me.

Is there anyone out there whose Comcast has switched their "copy once" channels to MPEG4 and is able to watch them on an XBox 360?

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 6:58 am
by Timbukk2
So are we certain of what is causing this "Black Screen" with audio on HBO and a few other channels when using a xbox360 extender ?
All my channels work great at the HTPC but not through the xbox 360 extenders.
I have seen many many posts about this issue and lots of different theories. If this is truly a Comcast caused problem then I am going to call and cancel my sub to each channel that they do this to. I am hoping that there is some quick easy fix out there and I have just overlooked it.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 4:38 pm
by Shark007
Connect your xbox360 to the internet and make sure its software up-to-date.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:48 pm
by coolwhip
My first thought was to check the xbox360 version and it is current.

DASHBOARD: 2.0.17489.0
date: 9/17/2015

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 7:09 pm
by Timbukk2
The Dashboard is 2.0.17489.0 on both of my xbox 360's
They are both hooked to my network with cat 5

Here are some things I have tried

1. Complete reformat of win7 ultimate 64 2 times
2. Called Comcast and un-paired and re-paired cable card
3. Have tried different drivers for my htpc video card (not sure why this would even matter since hbo works just fine through my htpc monitor)
4. Shark007 (wasnt for sure which settings but anything i tried didnt matter.....actually caused xbox's to crash and caused htpc to run slow and uninstalled Shark007)
5. Rebooted all network equipment several times
6. Beta drivers for Infinitv6 pci cable card
7. Reset DRM

These things are just off the top of my head that I have tried over the last few weeks....there are other things I am sure but I'm just throwing these out there. None of these attempts made any difference on HBO at the extenders. I only get audio and a black screen. If I push info I can see that but still no HBO pic.

Any more ideas?
I am willing to try anything
Thanks so much for any advise !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 7:31 pm
by Crash2009
Timbukk2 wrote:
3a). Have tried different drivers for my HTPC video card (not sure why this would even matter since hbo works just fine through my HTPC monitor)
3a) Monitor/tv on HTPC... one or two and what kind of cable(s)

3b) What type of monitor/tv is connected to the xbox?

3c) What type of cable is the xbox monitor/tv using?

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 5:27 am
by Timbukk2
3a) HTPC Monitor is a ASUS VS247H-P 23.6" Full HD 1920x1080 2ms HDMI DVI-D VGA Back-Lit LED Monitor.
It is connected to my system through it's VGA input to a IOGEAR 4 Port USB KVM Switch ( I build and do PC repair work and this KVM switch allows me to work on 3 pcs at the same time, toggling between each of them. The HTPC video card is a (Saphire) ATI Radeon HD-4600 series. This cards VGA output is connected to one of the IOGEAR VGA input cables.
3b) One xbox 360 is connected to a Pioneer Home Theatre Receiver HDMI input. The Pioneer Receiver HDMI output is connected to an older Samsung 50" Plasma HD TV that has served us well for a few years and has a great picture.
The other xbox 360 is in the master bedroom and connects directly through HDMI to a new (Christmas) Samsung 55" LED Smart TV
3c) Both xbox 360's use HDMI cables to connect

Thanks for the help so far !!!!!

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 6:18 am
by coolwhip
My HTPC and xBox360 are connected via HDMI to a Pioneer/Elite Home Theater Receiver. The receiver is connected via HDMI to a 50" Panasonic Plasma HDTV.

My guess is that there is a problem with the way the xBox and Ceton Echo implements H264 protected content and HDCP. I seem to remember some similar issues with HDCP/protected content stuff back in the XP Windows Media Center days. That is; sound with a black screen. Back then it was OTA protected content that the TV networks were playing with. Old .dvr-ms and .ts files come to mind. Perhaps before DRM was implemented.

Since MPEG2 and H264 protected content works on my HTPC with the same receiver and display as the xBox it is hard for me to believe that there is something wrong with the HTPC. Perhaps an H264 protected content file could created to test on the xBox although this would go against the very thing copy protection is trying to prevent.

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 3:14 pm
by Crash2009
coolwhip wrote:My HTPC and xBox360 are connected via HDMI to a Pioneer/Elite Home Theater Receiver. The receiver is connected via HDMI to a 50" Panasonic Plasma HDTV.
You need to read up on EDID. Most amps have several IN's (sources) and only one OUT (destination). If I am reading you right, you have 2 sources IN, (HTPC + XBOX) and one destination OUT (Plasma tv). The amp can switch between the two sources fine enough, but it appears that the amp is unable to remember the EDID's of the two sources. So, you likely can get either source to work but as soon as you switch the amp to the other source, the new source doesn't work.

The EDID problem has been around for years, normally it shows up having one source and two destinations. Many of the guys here have installed a dedicated HDMI splitter with one source and two destinations (usually for a monitor/projector combination). Basically all it does is remember the handshakes involved to make a proper connection.

Your problem is somewhat unique as you want to run two sources and one destination. That calls for a special splitter. Maybe someone else can suggest a different way.... but the way I corrected that problem on mine was to use a 4X4 HDMI Matrix Switcher. This allows any source to any destination. After some experimentation, I ended up making the amp one of the destinations. Mine has been on for 3-4 years now, and was not very expensive ($150).

You would connect the matrix switcher like this....

HTPC and XBOX as sources

PIONEER AND PANASONIC as destinations

Switchers don't make good amps, and nine times out of ten, amps don't make good switchers.

Something like this should work for you. Do a little research and make your decision.

http://www.lightinthebox.com/4x2-4-2-hd ... 65306.html

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 5:06 pm
by Crash2009
Timbukk2 wrote:Thanks for the help so far
Let me see if I got this one straight.....

switch eth/xbox/hdmi Pioneer/hdmi Plasma/
switch eth/xbox/hdmi Samsung/

HtpcVGA/KvmVGA/AsusVGA Are you not using HDMI at all on the Htpc?

Why not go HtpcHDMI/AsusHDMI and switch from VGA to HDMI at the Asus?

Re: Ceton Echo & Xbox cannot play H.264 protected content

Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 6:04 pm
by coolwhip
This doesn't look like an EDID issue.

Plugging the xBox directly into the HDTV nets the same result. That is, H264 plays fine but H264 Protected Content (HBO) displays a black screen with normal audio. My Ceton Echo connects directly to a HDTV via HDMI and has the same problem with H264 Protected Content (HBO).

Indeed, I did have to create and install a driver inf file to override the EDID on the HTPC when I got the receiver a few years ago.