comcast cable box (1 Viewer)

[Taleman]

Is there a way I can connect a cable box to my computer for use with media portal. I have been having problems trying to do it.

 

[geov]

If you just want an answer, then the answer is yes many people do it...

If you want help then you have to give us more than just one line.... What are you trying to do exactly? Which harware do you have? Do you have a remote-blaster? Do you have a TV card, and which one? How are you trying to connect, S-Video?

Anyway, hope you get it figured out...

Cheers
GeoV

 

[Taleman]

Well I ust want to connect the cable box so that the all the channels appear, right now only one channel (ch 3) appears, and then i have to use the cable box remote to change the channel that's being displayed as channel 3. So basically medi portal never recognizes more than one channel. the tunner card i have is a WinTV PVR 150. I'm not using S-video im using DVI. I'm not sure what you mean by remote blaster?

 

[FLY]

you have to either connect the comcast cable directly to PC so that mp can change (tune the channels eliminating cable box). The downside of this method is you can get only first 99 analog channels.

if you want media portab to control the cable box to change channel, you need an IR transmitter (most common is MCE USB IR tranciver). and use a mp plugin like ir blaster or MCE replacement plugin which sends ir codes thru a tiny ir transmitter which you stick onto the cable box.

I did this method before when I had comcast. it is about 90% accurate. Sometimes it doesn't change the channel exactly as you want and you end up with wrong recording.

MCE replacement plugin has comcast box codes build in .

 

[patrick]

Well I ust want to connect the cable box so that the all the channels appear, right now only one channel (ch 3) appears, and then i have to use the cable box remote to change the channel that's being displayed as channel 3. So basically medi portal never recognizes more than one channel. the tunner card i have is a WinTV PVR 150. I'm not using S-video im using DVI. I'm not sure what you mean by remote blaster?

If I understand you correctly, I am pretty sure you will have to use the S-video from the
cable box to you PVR-150 card. MP (AFAIK) is not setup to handle externally tuned(by a STB) channels
coming in from the coax. (Reason only one channel will tune)

What I do is run the coax from the wall to a splitter, then 1 to the cable box and 1 to the pvr-150.
This allows allows analog channels (below channel 100) to be tuned directly from the pvr-150 card
and leaves the cable box free.
I also run the s-video from the cable box to the pvr-150 in case I want to record anything over channel 100.

HTH,
patrick

 

[geov]

The link below will show you what the MCE-Remote mentioned earlier looks like...

http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_info.php/products_id/130

Cheers
GeoV