Serial port on Motorola Cable (Comcast) box?

[Fountainhead]

I've been using Sage with just basic cable and a trio of PVR-150 tuner cards. I'm thinking I'd like to move one of my Comcast Digital Cable boxes to the Sage server. I figured I'd have to use an IR blaster of some sort, but I see there's a serial data port on the cable box. Anyone know if this can be used to change channels? The box is Motorola, but I can't locate a model number.

If the serial port can be used, how is it set up?

[ke6guj]

Yes, many set top boxes (STB) can be controlled via serial port. I don't use serial tuning, so I don't have any more info to share, just to say that it is out there.

IIRC, you can either use a COM port on the PC plugged into the STB, or you can use a USB>COM serial adaptor. If you STB has a firewire port, you may be able to use that to control the STB as well, and maybe even record directly from the STB via firewire in full digital. Not all channels may be available due to 5C encryption.

[sg010]

I have a Motorola DTC2425 STB from Comcast, on mine the model# is on the bottom of the STB.

I use serial tuning via via the DTC2000tuner and multiDTC plugin, if you go this route edit the dtc.reg and remove the # before the %channel%. for some reason this limit the tuner program to 2 digits.