Controlling Cable Box

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ov10fac
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Controlling Cable Box

Post by ov10fac »

So I have mythtv running and can view TV with no problems to speak of, so now I find that Cox is forcing me to add a cable box to get basic channels. Sooo, I need to set up an ir Blaster or some similar piece of equipment to allow me to control the Cox box from Mythtv.

There are a few tutorials but they are pretty old and don't seem to really meet my situation. I am running Fedora23 with mythtv backend. I have several front ends some Windows others F23.

So how do I configure my mythtv to control the set top box using ir blaster. I'm pretty sure I need LIRC or something similar.

Thanks.
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heyted
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by heyted »

Have you verified the CCI flag for the channels you subscribe to are not set to copy freely? In a few Cox service areas, the CCI flag is copy freely for the non-premium channels.
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mmahn
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by mmahn »

What did you end up doing? I'm in the same boat with Cox.
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heyted
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by heyted »

If a cablecard tuner is not an option, a Hauppauge HD PVR 2 or Colossus 2 may be an option. Both of these devices come with an IR blaster cable to control a cable box.

https://www.hauppauge.com/pages/product ... dpvr2.html
https://www.hauppauge.com/pages/product ... ssus2.html
https://github.com/jpoet/HauppaugeUSB

Another option for consideration:
https://github.com/bennettpeter/MythTV-LeanCapture
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mmahn
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by mmahn »

Thanks. I'll check them out. cablecard stopped working ~2 years ago when Cox marked all non-local broadcast channels with DRM.
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by mmahn »

heyted wrote:
Thu May 11, 2023 1:01 am
...Another option for consideration:
https://github.com/bennettpeter/MythTV-LeanCapture
I like this option. I read something a while back about some HDMI splitters providing a workaround for DRM but it's a bigger project than I have time right now.

Looks like Cox has shut down fire sticks: https://forums.cox.com/forum_home/tv_fo ... -firestick I think the only option that will work is controlling a Cox box via IR emitter.
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by mmahn »

I'm thinking the PVR 2 approach will not work either. From their website, "Note: HD PVR 2 will not record video from HDMI with HDCP copy protection." I'd have to do something like convert HDMI to component video then run through a component video capture device. A lot of hassle and signal quality loss I imagine.

Looks like the HDMI splitter approach is my only option.
gnurocks
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Re: Controlling Cable Box

Post by gnurocks »

If you can get a set top box with component out, you can use the Hauppauge HD-PVR Model 1212 or 1445. From my experience, the set top box's HDMI port is DRM'd. You may find this link helpful: https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Hauppauge_HD-PVR.
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