SiliconDust not listing cable provider HD channels

[agolden43]

I recently upped my cable package. Previously, I had gone to http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/ to find the appropriate HD channels to add manually to WMC. That site no longer provides an option for a cable provider in my zip code or in any nearby zip code. I'm in Las Vegas, NV and have Cox. Last time I did this was about two years ago, so something has clearly changed. I am missing several channels. I managed to pick up a few by going one-by-one through the Edit Channels option in WMC, but I'm still missing several. Not sure if it matters, but my tuner card is Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250. Anyone know an alternative to SiliconDust to find the appropriate frequency numbers to manually program the HD channels or have any other suggestions?

[barnabas1969]

Many cable providers are encrypting channels which were previously sent in the clear. Encrypted channels require the use of a CableCARD tuner. Have you called your cable provider to ask if they are "switching to all-digital" in your area? The reason I put that in quotes is because the customer service people at the cable company are not likely to know what you are talking about if you say "encryption" or something like that. You might also try asking them if you are now required to have a "Digital Television Adapter" (DTA).

If the answer to either of those questions is yes, then you need a CableCARD tuner.

[agolden43]

Thanks. In doing some research for my area, that does seem to be the issue. They did give me a cable box for free but I was hoping to avoid using t because I tried running coax from the cable box to my hauppaugge card and that didn't seem to work, although I was also trying to set it up so the WMC remote would control the box and it wouldn't recognize it. Shouldn't the box accomplish the same as a cablecard tuner? Perhaps I have the setup wrong. I'd like to avoid having to go back and get yet another device they're likely to charge me for. Are you aware of a working setup with a Cisco Explorer cable box with WMC? I don't necessarily care about the WMC remote controlling the box. I just want to use the box to decrypt the channels.

[barnabas1969]

You can connect a cable box to a video capture card, and set that up as a "tuner" in Media Center. If you use the Hauppauge 2250 tuner, you will only get standard definition though... because the coax output of the cable box is only SD quality.

You can use an Hauppauge HD-PVR (external) or Colossus (internal) to capture the high-definition output of the component (red, green, blue) outputs of the cable box (if it has those connections).

However, you will find it much easier and better in the long run if you just use a CableCARD tuner. Your cable company won't give that cable box to you for "free" for very long... and then they will start charging you for it (usually around 8 dollars/month). Most cable companies only charge around 3 dollars/month for a CableCARD... and you can connect up to 6 tuners to a single CableCARD.

The currently-available CableCARD tuners are listed below. My preference is the 3-tuner Silicondust HD HomeRun PRIME due to it's stability, quick tuning, and reliability. I'll list them roughly in my order of preference from best to worst:

• Silicondust HD HomeRun PRIME - 3 tuners - external - Ethernet (network) connected
• Ceton InfiniTV6-PCIe - 6 tuners - internal - PCIe
• Ceton InfiniTV4-PCIe - 4 tuners - internal - PCIe
• Ceton InfiniTV6-ETH - 6 tuners - external - Ethernet
• Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 - 2 tuners - external - USB
• Ceton InfiniTV4-USB - 4 tuners - external - USB

As I wrote earlier, the HD HomeRun PRIME is my favorite, even though it has fewer tuners. I have two of them for a total of 6 tuners. Even though this forces me to use two CableCARD's at an extra cost of $2.99/month, it's worth the extra money.

If you go with the Ceton tuners, I recommend one of the PCIe models. Too many people report too many problems with the InfiniTV6-ETH.

I would avoid using a USB tuner. This is mostly due to possible incompatibility between USB controllers and the drivers for those devices. However, if you go with a USB tuner... I'd trust the Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 before I would trust the Ceton... this is because the DCR-2650 is actually manufactured by Silicondust. Ceton has some serious driver issues.

[agolden43]

barnabas1969, thanks a ton for your guidance. One more question for you. I'm not quite ready to give up on the current setup since I'm getting the cable box free for a year. Can I simply bypass the Hauppauge card? I have composite inputs on my computer's motherboard and going out of the cable box.

[barnabas1969]

No, it's not possible. Media Center only works with certain video capture devices. If you don't care about being limited to a single tuner, standard-definition only, and dealing with all the problems associated with IR blasting to change the channels on your cable box, then you can do it with the Hauppauge tuner.

If you go this route, then you definitely need to setup the IR blasting stuff... otherwise, how will you record shows automatically? Media Center will need to change channels on your cable box in order to record stuff on a schedule.

I've never personally set it up, but I know that you can make it work with the 2250. Go to the following link, and click on the "Windows Media Center" tab, and the "IR Blaster" tab. Read everything you can find. There is also some information on the "Manuals" tab.

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/support/s ... r2250.html

[barnabas1969]

Oh, and just so you understand... the IR blaster is supposed to be connected to the 1/8" phono jack on the back of the 2250 card. I don't think you can use the Media Center IR transceiver for this. And, for the 2250, it's a combination blaster/receiver. Not sure if you need to buy the original one for the 2250 or if you can find generic ones which will work with the 2250. You should probably contact Hauppauge support if you don't already have the original blaster that came with the 2250 card.

[agolden43]

Thanks again! Going to go a different route then like you suggested in your earlier post. Certainly not worth the hassle if I can't get HD anyway.

[barnabas1969]

You'll really like having 3-6 tuners with access to a bunch of channels that you didn't get with your 2250 tuner.