Help with a Gameplan

Discussion of getting WMC to work on Windows 10 (unsupported)
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mang

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Help with a Gameplan

#1

Post by mang » Sun Nov 27, 2022 3:53 am

Hey all, first post here!

On my PC, I have a Ceton InfiniTV4 PCI tuner. I have used this in the past with a cable card and it worked great with WMC when I lived in my apartment. Recorded TV and everything. When it came time to upgrade my Windows 7 to 10, I stopped using it since WMC disappeared and had to get a cable box.

Fast forward to today, I'm in a house now and I also purchased a HDHomerun Prime used. I also now have Verizon Fios instead of Comcast. I'm wondering if doing a setup with HDHomerun or the Ceton would be better. My goals for this system are to use multiple devices over my home network and also record TV. Would like to set something up to use with a remote so it functions similar to a cable box.

I haven't paid much attention since I stopped using WMC when I upgraded probably 5 years ago, so I'm sure everyone on here has gone through all of the growing pains to make your devices work and can probably point me in the right direction.

From my research, I'm leaning toward HDHomerun, since the app seems to be more usable on different devices throughout the house (Windows, Raspberry Pi, etc). Lon Seidman's youtube channel has a couple of great videos on this. Ceton's network extender seems like you can only use devices with WMC, which forces you to use either an Xbox360 or another old PC or laptop with WMC, which consume a lot of power unnecessarily for this purpose. I'm not even sure if the InfiniTV even works with the WMC hack I downloaded from this site (I haven't gotten a cable card yet to test).

Would like your thoughts on the pros and cons of each setup and which one you would recommend. Or, if just getting cable boxes from Verizon would be the better option to avoid headache.

Thank you all!

unclebun

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#2

Post by unclebun » Sun Nov 27, 2022 1:10 pm

The cablecard won't work in Windows 10, as the required digital rights management is not part of Windows 10.

mang

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#3

Post by mang » Sun Nov 27, 2022 8:30 pm

unclebun wrote: Sun Nov 27, 2022 1:10 pm The cablecard won't work in Windows 10, as the required digital rights management is not part of Windows 10.
I assume you're just referring to the Ceton setup then?
If I got a junker PC and installed Windows 7 on it, would that work?

stuartm

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#4

Post by stuartm » Sun Nov 27, 2022 11:09 pm

Yes, Win 7 and/or Win 8 are currently the only options for WMC with cablecard especially if you have any DRM protected channels.

jachin99

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#5

Post by jachin99 » Wed Nov 30, 2022 12:26 am

Verizon doesn't DRM much of anything. I record Starz encore showtime epix and a few others none of those are copy protected. You also shouldn't need a SDV box with Verizon but you will need to hookup their router to use cable. I have mine hooked up just to validate my cable but I use my router. Verizon's is just hooked up because I have to have it plugged in. I think I had to try 2 cablecards to find one that worked

Space

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#6

Post by Space » Wed Nov 30, 2022 4:08 am

Verizon FiOS DRM protects HBO, Cinemax, and all Fox owned cable networks (FX, FXX, Fox Sports, BTN, Fox Business, Fox News, National Geographic). Everything else is unprotected.

I'm not familiar with FiOS's current offerings, but I don't think you need their router to use cable TV. I know that their router is needed by the rented cable box to use the TV program guide, on-demand services and on-screen caller ID (for their digital voice service), but other than that, I don't think you need their router.

If you don't have any of their cable boxes (and only use a cable card device) or don't care about not having the guide/on-demand/caller-id with the cable box, then I don't think using FiOS's router is necessary. You can hook your own non-FiOS router directly to the ONT via Ethernet (as opposed to MoCA which the FiOS owned router uses, although you can probably use your own non-FiOS router with MoCA as well) but would have to run your own cat-5/6 cable, as I don't think the Verizon installer will do that.

mang

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#7

Post by mang » Wed Nov 30, 2022 6:14 pm

Thanks. I do use the Verizon router and have bought a couple cheap off of craigslist (G1100) and reprogrammed them to be used as Wifi Network extenders using the cable lines I already have in my house.

So does the HDHomerun play/record DRM content?

stuartm

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#8

Post by stuartm » Wed Nov 30, 2022 6:42 pm

HDHomerun Prime will play/record DRM content when used with WMC. I believe if using the SD apps you can stream DRM content (possibly depending on device streaming to) but they still do not support DRM recording.
They also require a subscription fee to use their apps/guide (different guide than that provided by EPG123).

Burger23

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#9

Post by Burger23 » Wed Nov 30, 2022 6:53 pm

I have been using 2 SD Primes for years to supply 2 WMC using Windows 8.1. I can record DRM content on either machine- but I can only watch DRM content on the WMC box that it was recorded on.

And, yes, you do need a subscription to Schedules Direct ($25 a year- well worth it) which has built in functionality with EPG123.

mang

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#10

Post by mang » Wed Nov 30, 2022 7:55 pm

Cool. For all of your WMC setups, are you all just using old PCs? Has anyone made a lightweight alternative that runs WMC that wouldn't use as much power as a PC? Like over a Raspberry Pi?

Burger23

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#11

Post by Burger23 » Wed Nov 30, 2022 11:56 pm

Old pcs!!

stuartm

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#12

Post by stuartm » Thu Dec 01, 2022 1:00 am

I use old PCs but have them sleep when not recording or playing content. While sleeping they consume ~1 watt rather than ~50 while running.

mang

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#13

Post by mang » Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:24 pm

For your old PCs, do you have an interface where everything can be controlled with a remote? Do you need to use a keyboard/mouse?

jachin99

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#14

Post by jachin99 » Fri Dec 02, 2022 5:22 pm

Space wrote: Wed Nov 30, 2022 4:08 am Verizon FiOS DRM protects HBO, Cinemax, and all Fox owned cable networks (FX, FXX, Fox Sports, BTN, Fox Business, Fox News, National Geographic). Everything else is unprotected.

I'm not familiar with FiOS's current offerings, but I don't think you need their router to use cable TV. I know that their router is needed by the rented cable box to use the TV program guide, on-demand services and on-screen caller ID (for their digital voice service), but other than that, I don't think you need their router.

If you don't have any of their cable boxes (and only use a cable card device) or don't care about not having the guide/on-demand/caller-id with the cable box, then I don't think using FiOS's router is necessary. You can hook your own non-FiOS router directly to the ONT via Ethernet (as opposed to MoCA which the FiOS owned router uses, although you can probably use your own non-FiOS router with MoCA as well) but would have to run your own cat-5/6 cable, as I don't think the Verizon installer will do that.
I had to hook up their router to activate, and setup my service. After that I could technically disconnect it but if I lose that authentication for whatever reason (Possibly in a power outage) I would have to hook it back up. Thats more trouble than it is worth to me. I still use my own router, and there is only a coax line plugged into verizon's router (And I turned off their wifi). I dont think Verizon even offers HBO anymore, they only let you add HBO max to your cable plan. I just checked to see which fox channels aren't DRM'd and it looks like its FS2, FXM, Fox Weather, and our local Fox channel. But overall, verizon is the best option if your looking to build up your media collection with pirating anything.

stuartm

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#15

Post by stuartm » Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:43 pm

mang wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:24 pm For your old PCs, do you have an interface where everything can be controlled with a remote? Do you need to use a keyboard/mouse?
On the old PC anything I need to do with WMC I can do with a remote. (including sleep/wakeup). I only drag out a keyboard/mouse and connect them if I need to do maintenance type tasks (e.g. run a backup clone or install a new version of EPG123) You need a WMC compatible remote for this and those are getting harder to find IIRC.

mang

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#16

Post by mang » Mon Dec 05, 2022 6:30 pm

stuartm wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 6:43 pm
mang wrote: Fri Dec 02, 2022 4:24 pm For your old PCs, do you have an interface where everything can be controlled with a remote? Do you need to use a keyboard/mouse?
On the old PC anything I need to do with WMC I can do with a remote. (including sleep/wakeup). I only drag out a keyboard/mouse and connect them if I need to do maintenance type tasks (e.g. run a backup clone or install a new version of EPG123) You need a WMC compatible remote for this and those are getting harder to find IIRC.
I actually do have one and an IR receiver from my very very old PC. I never threw those out, lucky me.
But, I probably want to do more than one. Are there generic IR receivers that can use old universal remotes where we can map buttons to keys on a keyboard when pressed? I figured that would have a similar effect.

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