Hauppuage HD PVR versus R5000-HD Mod.

[HT Slider]

Originally Posted by MarkV

I own a R5000 HD that was put in a DirecTV Hughes E86 unit. With DirecTV, I don't see how anyone is recommending the R5000 anymore. There's no option for MPEG4 recording.

I'd love to switch to Dish with the R5000, but I have quite a bit of DirecTV hardware (HD-DVR with 2TB external disk), probably still in a contract, etc. For me, the HD-PVR might be a nice answer to my mpeg4 recording issues.

Mark

I'm new here and considering making the move from Vista Media Center to Sage TV.

One of the reasons for the move is better R5000HD support, including h.264 for the future (currently I use FireSTB with Vista Media Center) and I'm surprised to read "There's no option for MPEG4 recording".

What is the issue with DirecTV and the R5000HD? (I've searched these forums and still haven't figured it out...)

Does Dish and the R5000HD work properly with MPEG4/h.264 content combined with Sage TV?

(Note I'm actually in Canada and using Bell with an R5000HD modded 6000, but have been told that they too will be moving to h.264 over the next 12 months and I'm going to need a new STB.)

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by HT Slider

I'm new here and considering making the move from Vista Media Center to Sage TV.

One of the reasons for the move is better R5000HD support, including h.264 for the future (currently I use FireSTB with Vista Media Center) and I'm surprised to read "There's no option for MPEG4 recording".

What is the issue with DirecTV and the R5000HD? (I've searched these forums and still haven't figured it out...)

Does Dish and the R5000HD work properly with MPEG4/h.264 content combined with Sage TV?

(Note I'm actually in Canada and using Bell with an R5000HD modded 6000, but have been told that they too will be moving to h.264 over the next 12 months and I'm going to need a new STB.)

This is getting a little off-topic, but the problem with DirecTV and the R5000HD is that you cannot use the R5000 in any of the newer DirecTV boxes (the ones that support MPEG4). This means a majority (and soon all) of the HD channels available on DirecTV will not be usable with the R5000.

Dish's MPEG4 recievers, on the other hand, CAN be modded with the R5000, so every Dish channel available can be brought-in in perfect quality. Same goes for cable, if you are lucky enough to get a compatable STB.

For DirecTV, the HD-PVR seems to be the best choice. For most cable (where you can't get the right kind of box, and no firewire available) the HD-PVR is the best choice. For Dish Network, it seems almost a toss-up between the HD-PVR and the R5000-HD. As a Dish customer, I'm leaning towards the R5000... once I get some spending cash...

[Berg]

Here is a report on Direct supporting the MPAA in trying to close the analog hole for certain type of content. It appeared in todays SkyReport, and online industry publication.

DIRECTV Backs MPAA Proposal on Video Connections
DIRECTV is backing a proposal from the Motion Picture Association of America pertaining to consumer access to content via in-home devices before it hits the rental and store shelves.

Specifically, the MPAA has asked the Federal Communications Commission to drop rules that prohibit the use of selectable output controls for set-top boxes employed by pay-TV services. The Hollywood lobbying groups wants a waiver on that restriction to allow for pay-TV access to high-def movies prior to their release on DVD.

In comments sent to the FCC, DIRECTV said the MPAA proposal would allow film producers to make digital high-def feature films available for in-home viewing prior to their pre-recorded (or DVD) media release dates.

"The requested waiver would not deprive any consumer of services he/she currently has access to, and applies only for the limited period necessary to safeguard this valuable content during a more accelerated release window," DIRECTV said in its comments. Also, the request "presents the commission with an opportunity to further its ongoing efforts to ensure meaningful competition in the MVPD (multichannel video programming distributor) market and expedite the digital television transition," the company said.

Consumer groups, however, see the MPAAs waiver request in a different light.

Led by the organization Public Knowledge, the groups told the FCC that "through selective output control, the waiver will give the largest motion picture production companies veto power over the connections, which are used to connect set-top boxes, receivers, high-def televisions, home theater systems, digital video recorders and other consumer electronics devices."

[btrcp2000]

Okay, so I finally ponied up the dough for my first r5000 on a dish box. Only had enough time to get it set up and see it work with sage, then had to go out of town. (Stupid vacations. Why do I have to be at the beach instead of sitting in my server closet in my basement? WHY ME????)

Anyway, still confused on some items. Since I cannot play for another week or so, can someone confirm a couple things?

I currently have the HD only package, so everything I get is MPEG4. I am considering dumping cable entirely and getting a full dish package and another r5000, but i was concerned that if I am only recording Dish, I will render showanalyzer and my mediamvps useless for all shows, not just HD. After reading this thread, is it correct to say that unless/until this eastern arc thing happens, I should still be able to use showanalyzer and mediamvps on r5000 Dish non-hd recordings because they are still mpeg2 for the time being?

[stanger89]

The MVPs and AS work just fine for SD Dish at the moment, it's all SD MPEG-2.

[Fuzzy]

Also, I believe Jere is currently hard at work adding H.264 support to showanalyser, so your loss of commercial skipping should be short-lived.

[jerryt]

Well, buyer beware.

Shopping for a R5000, started looking at modifying a DCP501 Comcast cable box. But Comcast does not provide service in my area. duh!

Next up Dish Network's TurboHD service. Nextcom's R5000 mod was listed as available for the VIP211 receiver, so I request the VIP211 receiver when I placed the order. Installation day they show up with a VIP211K, stating that it is the same as a VIP211. Contacted Nextcom and they inform me that the VIP211K can NOT be modified. (EDIT VIP211 are not available from Dish, only the 211K)

Additionally Closed Caption data on the Dish's H.264 channel can only be rendered by the receiver internal directshow renderer, which the R5000 modification bypasses.

Bottomline, the R5000 would require buying another receiver and I won't be able to get Closed Caption data on H.264 channels.

So I ordered the HD PVR.

[stanger89]

Interesting, didn't know there was a new IRD coming out.

[Kryspy]

Hi,

What kind of channel change times do you guys see ? We talking around 5 seconds or longer?

Kryspy

[Fluffdaddy]

yep, 4/5/6 seconds is what I been seeing almost from day one.

[PLUCKYHD]

I finally got my vip211 and shipped them to nextcomm for modifcation I should recieve them first part of next week.

You can get vip211's really cheap on ebay refurbished or sometimes new.

[Kryspy]

I wish BellTV up here was using 211 but unfortunately the 6141 is a 211k

So it's a provider swap for me if I want to go R5000.

Kryspy

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Kryspy

I wish BellTV up here was using 211 but unfortunately the 6141 is a 211k

So it's a provider swap for me if I want to go R5000.

Kryspy

You mean they won't even activate the 211's if you buy one?

[TorontoSage]

Sorry for butting in here, but I have an Scientific Atlanta 8300HD PVR and a4250 and just received a couple HD PVR's last week that I've been testing. But, given my curious nature, I looked into the Nextcom R5000 and noticed that it does not currently support SA boxes.

So I emailed Nextcom to ask them if they plan to. The promptly replied back as follows:

'Sorry, it will not be possible to support SA boxes now or in the future. Thanks'

Well, um, that's pretty final. Maybe there's a technical reason they can't do it or they just don't like Scientific Atlanta for some other reason.

Due to some small glitches I've had and the number of people that have had and continue to have all kinds and manner of problems with the HD PVR's, I sure hope Hauppuage makes their drivers a bit more bulletproof and compatible with SageTV. Is the HD PVR the only such capture device (and the only such device compatible with SageTV)?

[Kryspy]

PLUCKYHD,

No, Bell will not activate Dish boxes and vice versa.

Kryspy

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by TorontoSage

Sorry for butting in here, but I have an Scientific Atlanta 8300HD PVR and a4250 and just received a couple HD PVR's last week that I've been testing. But, given my curious nature, I looked into the Nextcom R5000 and noticed that it does not currently support SA boxes.

So I emailed Nextcom to ask them if they plan to. The promptly replied back as follows:

'Sorry, it will not be possible to support SA boxes now or in the future. Thanks'

Well, um, that's pretty final. Maybe there's a technical reason they can't do it or they just don't like Scientific Atlanta for some other reason.

Due to some small glitches I've had and the number of people that have had and continue to have all kinds and manner of problems with the HD PVR's, I sure hope Hauppuage makes their drivers a bit more bulletproof and compatible with SageTV. Is the HD PVR the only such capture device (and the only such device compatible with SageTV)?

I think it is hardware issues certian boxes he can't get working with the usb r5000 mod for some reason or another.

[Clift]

Originally Posted by TorontoSage

Sorry for butting in here, but I have an Scientific Atlanta 8300HD PVR and a4250 and just received a couple HD PVR's last week that I've been testing. But, given my curious nature, I looked into the Nextcom R5000 and noticed that it does not currently support SA boxes.

So I emailed Nextcom to ask them if they plan to. The promptly replied back as follows:

'Sorry, it will not be possible to support SA boxes now or in the future. Thanks'

Well, um, that's pretty final. Maybe there's a technical reason they can't do it or they just don't like Scientific Atlanta for some other reason.

Due to some small glitches I've had and the number of people that have had and continue to have all kinds and manner of problems with the HD PVR's, I sure hope Hauppuage makes their drivers a bit more bulletproof and compatible with SageTV. Is the HD PVR the only such capture device (and the only such device compatible with SageTV)?

The issue is that SA boxes have firewire and, thus, are 5C protected. The Motorola boxes are not (in some form or other). i am not sure exactly how the 5C is implemented or not, but whatever the case, the Motorola boxes lend themselves to being able to capture the unencrypted digital transport stream, which is what the R5000 mod does.

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by Clift

The issue is that SA boxes have firewire and, thus, are 5C protected. The Motorola boxes are not (in some form or other). i am not sure exactly how the 5C is implemented or not, but whatever the case, the Motorola boxes lend themselves to being able to capture the unencrypted digital transport stream, which is what the R5000 mod does.

The issue is the internal data path on an SA box is protected, wheras it's not in Moto boxes. This is true whether or not the box has 5C output over firewire or not. Nextcomm will never modify a box that has firewire output because of DMCA issues, but there is no technical reason why you couldn't take a firewire equipped DCT 6416 with firewire and mod it - it's just legal.

The SA issue is technical, not legal.

[TorontoSage]

I googled it, searched on here, but can't figure out:

What does 'SC" mean?

[Chriscic]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

I finally got my vip211 and shipped them to nextcomm for modifcation I should recieve them first part of next week.

You can get vip211's really cheap on ebay refurbished or sometimes new.

Definitely let us know how the R5000 modded-units work out for you. As others have commented, there are constantly bugs and quirks (glitches in recordings, having to reset the unit frequently, unreliable for watching live TV etc) with the HD-PVR, so every once-in-a-while I consider the R5000. But I don't want to give up one quirky solution for another with its own problems.