QAM Decryption

[RevolutionMastr]

I have been trying to get a media center running, but I don't want it to run Vista (no easy mods, unstable). It won't really do much with our signal, because it has QAM encryption. Is there a device that encrypted QAM goes into, and a clear, tunable QAM signal comes out of. (Tunable would be that Sage can change channels without an IR blaster or a serial connection)

[ke6guj]

there are only 2 ways to tune encrypted QAM signals. One is a cablecard tuner (DRM locked so it won't work in Sage) adn the other way is with an authorized cable box.

With that authorized cable box (either rented or customer-owned and provisioned by the cable company) you could capture from it via Firewire capture (and you would change the channels via firewire as well) but you have 5C encryption (not the same as QAM encryption) to possibly deal with as well. Or you could R5000-HD mod the cable box to record from it via USB (and channel change as well). But bottom line is that there must be a cable box in the mix that the cable company can authorized to unscramble the incoming signal.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by RevolutionMastr

Is there a device that encrypted QAM goes into, and a clear, tunable QAM signal comes out of.

No, because QAM is not an encryption technique; it's a modulation technique. The digital transport stream is either encrypted or not, and then it's modulated onto the wire using QAM. To receive the signal, your STB does the reverse: first it tunes (demodulates) the QAM channel, then it decrypts the transport stream if necessary. So the idea of just stripping off the encryption to leave tunable clear QAM doesn't make sense, because the encryption doesn't happen at the QAM level, it happens on a per-channel basis at the transport stream level. You have to tune the channel first before decryption can happen.

[RevolutionMastr]

If this is the case, what is the most user friendly way to view encrypted QAM? I plan to use Sage as a DVR, so it must be capable of changing channels automatically. Walkthroughs are appreciated.

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by RevolutionMastr

If this is the case, what is the most user friendly way to view encrypted QAM? I plan to use Sage as a DVR, so it must be capable of changing channels automatically. Walkthroughs are appreciated.

If your cable operator uses Motorola gear, you can get a STB and modify it with a R5000-HD. That is by far the best way of getting cable into Sage.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by RevolutionMastr

If this is the case, what is the most user friendly way to view encrypted QAM? I plan to use Sage as a DVR, so it must be capable of changing channels automatically. Walkthroughs are appreciated.

Your choices are modifying an STB with the R5000-HD mod like Mike mentioned. Must be a motorola STB without a firewire port. YOu could get your own STB and see if the CC will activate, or else, send off the CC-owned STB for modification. You would need to send the STB back to nextcom wireless to have the mod removed before you turned the STB back to the CC.

Or trying firewire capture via the STB. Rent an STB from the CC and hook it up via firewire and see what you get. If you get lucky, you won't have much/any 5C encryption to deal with.

Both methods have limitations that you will have to deal with.

[blade]

You could wait a month or two and use the component capture device that is coming out.