Copy Once Flag..

[OttoNP]

So, I got everything setup with my HDHR Prime and found far too many channels are copy once...very sad....making me think about trying Windows Media Center...I don't want to, but what are my options?

1. Can I run both on the same machine, WMS to record the copy once channels and then an autoconversion to play them on Sage or will I have play them on WMS>

2. My TV has a nifty feature to play anything from a Windows Media Center, so I think I could finally move the media center to another room and use the TV itself as an extending...or PS3...or would that also not play copy once stuff?

3. I'm emailing cable company to try to get them to change, but I think that will not go well

I have been using Sage since 2005 (I think) and really do not want to switch....

[stanger89]

1) No, you can't do that, a conversion would be a second copy which the Copy Once flag prevents.

2) I don't think so, AFAIK there are no TVs that are Media Center Extenders, and the PS3 is not, the only MCE in production is the Xbox 360, and that's the only device that can play copy protected recordings other than the WMC machine that made them.

[KryptoNyte]

I believe this is the list of Media Center extenders. I always have one heck of a time finding this list on Google when I'm looking for it ...

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/com...Media%20Center

I'm pretty sure the only one that hasn't been discontinued is the Xbox 360. Either Microsoft really knew what they were doing here to corner this kind of hardware for 7MC, or they really blew it and everyone else jumped ship. You can bet they spent a pretty penny on the 7MC total cable card access.

[KryptoNyte]

Otto, I think the copy once flag is a real bummer, too. I'd like to watch some of my media on my handheld devices, but of course that's a no-go when the files are completely locked down.

I found only one solution, run an older dual tuner HDHR for all the copy-freely stuff, and then rent just (1) set-top-box, and hook it up to your third tuner (via component HD), the USB version of the HD-PVR. No more copy flags.

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by OttoNP

So, I got everything setup with my HDHR Prime and found far too many channels are copy once...very sad....

I'm in the same boat and as far as I can tell there is no way to get the recordings into Sage. I'm also trying to get the cable company to change the flags but getting nowhere. WMC is your only option with the Prime and copy protected channels.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by stanger89

2) I don't think so, AFAIK there are no TVs that are Media Center Extenders, and the PS3 is not, the only MCE in production is the Xbox 360, and that's the only device that can play copy protected recordings other than the WMC machine that made them.

At the CES show this year, Ceton announced a pair of new products (called "Q" and "Echo"). The "Q" is a set top box with a 6-tuner cable card and internal hard drive that acts like a TiVo. It runs an embedded version of Windows Media Center. The Echo is an extender that is supposed to work with the Q or with any Windows Media Center PC.

Of course, these products are still in development, so no word on when (or if) you will actually be able to buy them or what the price will be. Also, not clear what the playback capabilities will be. Many of the set top media players on the market right now have hardware accelerated playback of only a few specific formats so for example they may play h.264 videos well, but struggle with MPEG-2 (unlike the Sage extenders that could play just about anything you threw at them).

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by Tiki

At the CES show this year, Ceton announced a pair of new products (called "Q" and "Echo"). The "Q" is a set top box with a 6-tuner cable card and internal hard drive that acts like a TiVo. It runs an embedded version of Windows Media Center. The Echo is an extender that is supposed to work with the Q or with any Windows Media Center PC.

Of course, these products are still in development, so no word on when (or if) you will actually be able to buy them or what the price will be. Also, not clear what the playback capabilities will be. Many of the set top media players on the market right now have hardware accelerated playback of only a few specific formats so for example they may play h.264 videos well, but struggle with MPEG-2 (unlike the Sage extenders that could play just about anything you threw at them).

I've been reading up on these devices and my initial reaction is "I wish Sage had done this a year ago." It looks very nice, but of course right now it's all marketingware. If it delivers on the hype it will be a nice product family.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

... I found only one solution, run an older dual tuner HDHR for all the copy-freely stuff, and then rent just (1) set-top-box, and hook it up to your third tuner (via component HD), the USB version of the HD-PVR. No more copy flags.

Thats been my solution, except two STB's. I have &MC as a backup with the prime. 7MC is such a bummer, or should I say DRM is...

[rochurch]

I got a prime for Christmas only to find that most all of my Time Warner content is flagged copy once, which is useless to Sage.

I think there is ONE channel that I am interested in that is not flagged. Already getting everything else via HDHR or a single HD-PVR hooked to a cable box.... and that is temporary down with a bad power supply. Called Haupagge and they are sending a replacement (good on them). I should just break down and rent a second cable box.

[basset]

Man ... I wish I had read this a week ago ... I got my HDHR Prime setup this morning after a struggle with Comcast ... to find out that some of the channels are copy-once protected Bummer.

My options are also to switch to 7MC, but for that I have to bring up the HTPC from the basement to hook it up to the TV since I can only play the protected content on the PC. Either that or I have to shell out another $200 for a Xbox 360. Man .... oh man ...

Does the colossus allow you to record copy-once material ? Maybe I should go buy that. I was trying to get away from the SA4250's I have since I am unable to use firewire to change channels anymore and the IR blaster I have is not that reliable.

*sigh*

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by basset

Does the colossus allow you to record copy-once material ?

Yes, but only via the component input. The HDMI input will enforce copy protection restrictions.

[ranger]

Originally Posted by basset

Man ... I wish I had read this a week ago ... I got my HDHR Prime setup this morning after a struggle with Comcast ... to find out that some of the channels are copy-once protected Bummer.

My options are also to switch to 7MC, but for that I have to bring up the HTPC from the basement to hook it up to the TV since I can only play the protected content on the PC. Either that or I have to shell out another $200 for a Xbox 360. Man .... oh man ...

Does the colossus allow you to record copy-once material ? Maybe I should go buy that. I was trying to get away from the SA4250's I have since I am unable to use firewire to change channels anymore and the IR blaster I have is not that reliable.

*sigh*

Check on the SiliconDust website. There are multiple post there discussing the fact that Comcast's policy at this time is that all non-premium channels are supposed to be copy freely. Many others, myself included, have worked with Comcast and gotten this fixed in their locales. If the channels in question are non-premium, there is hope.