COX & Motorola DCT6400 Series DVR

HINT: Check the FAQ page here - http://broadband.motorola.com/dvr/dct6412.asp

 

RNF1968 - thank you kind sir.

Now, if there was only a way to get this to work with the 5c encrypted channels....

 

DonRico: I have recorded a number of programs off the Motorola directly to a connected VCR and the recording looks fine, either from a "live" program or from playing a DVR recording. That's the story here in Florida on Comcast's system, anyway.

So far, all of these tapes have been of reasonable quality, with no distortion caused by copy protection. I know what this distortion looks like from my occassional attempts to copy a DVD to VHS tape. Older DVDs/movies can be copied, but most newer DVDs have Macrovision which distorts the VHS recording.

Now I haven't done a lot of DVR-to-tape recording (I'm looking to uprade either to recording on DVDs or (better yet) using an external hard drive for archiving). I THINK I have successfully taped off a premium channel or PPV recording but I may be mistaken. Perhaps Comcast has implemented copy protection on these programs, but I can say for sure I can tape analog and non-premium/non-PPV digital channels, just as it says we can on the Motorola site RNF 1968 provided (for which many thanks!(

 

gmso1: if what you say is true then it appears that i was mistaken, my apologies. I guess it does have something to do with the csp, in which case cox comm. SUX! By the way, the link that you are refering to is the same thing that i was refering to in my previous thread.

 

I know I had a confusing message before...sorry. To be simpler, I have COX in Rhode Island and have had no problems recording off of the DVR 6412. Again, I have to watch the show being recorded. I run the RCA cables through my A/V receiver, but I would assume that it would be the same running it through the rear of the cable box directly to your VCR.

 

And that's just how it works for me, since I don't have the complication (or the benefits) of an AV receiver. While using the VCR is acceptable in a pinch, it's hardly an ideal solution. So now, who's going to be the first here to try archiving DVR recordings through the firewire port using the instructions at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=3818890#post3818890? It won't be me, sad to say, since my PC lacks a firewire port and my wallet lacks money, but I'd love to see someone here make it work!

 

I just got the connection working yesterday. It works like a charm, though I haven't been able to watch live TV (I'm trying to get it to work via MediaPortal). I used a Firewire connection, and the guide here:

http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/index.html

Hope this helps, and if any of you know how to be able to watch live TV through it, let me know.

 

I just happened to stumble here while trying to extract some videos from my DVR. I too have the DCT6400 and have Cox Comm. in RI.
I have in the past recorded to VHS through my DVR, it also recorded the menus and info bars. (Actually I think that may have been my old non-DVR Motorola Cable box)
Anyway I made an account just for this topic.
I haven't tried this out yet, but I wanted to thank you guys for the info.

 

Welcome NeoJew. Interesting nick name. It does work. The only pain is that you have to record live TV or play what you have recorded in order to capture it on you PC. It would be nice to just grab the file off the internal HD and copy it to your PC. But this is good enough for now. Thanks all!

 

Well, I've managed to get a Graphedit filter to give me live audio/video over firewire, but I'm stumped as to getting it to work in Mediaportal. I'm going to try some XML wizardry when I get home to get it to work, but in case you want to know what filters I used to get it to work, they are as follows (I wrote the names exactly as they appear in Graphedit):

[Audio] Motorola 6412 -> Elecard MPEG Push Demultiplexer -> AC3Filter -> Default DirectSound Device

[Video] Motorola 6412 -> Elecard MPEG Push Demultiplexer -> Mpeg2Dec Filter -> Video Renderer

Anyways, I've got to go. Good luck you guys!

 

What's the box look like on the inside?
Can the HDD be removed or is it integrated?

 

i dont know about cox but with comcast if you request a unit with the USB port enabled they will supply it to you, i just got mine today

 

That's great! Please let us know what you succeed in doing using the USB port.

 

I sure will, im new to the whole dvr thing so it may take a little messing with, anyone know what programs(s) i should attempt to use to transfer from my set top box to my pc? I can run on Linux or WinXP. I'm about to go out and buy a usb 2 cord so i can get started. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

Instead of using a VCR to record the DVR use another DVD recorder.

 

I have Cox, RI and have been fooling around with various means of backing up shows to free up the HD. Some programs can be downloaded as mentioned above through the right Firewire port but some shows are c5 protected and don't come through. I have yet to find anything to crack this protection. If anybody has, I would like to know how.
The VHS method works for me and is the only way that Cox recommends. However everybody will agree that this is not a real solution since most of us want the shows on our computer and not a crummy VHS tape.

I have tried using a Plextor PX-M402U analog to digital converter which comes with an OEM version of WinDVD Creator 2 and produces an MEG 2 file using hardware compression. The result is some cases is almost acceptable and better then a VHS tape, but for the most part the files are just too compressed with very noticeable banding. I'm sure that this is the fault of the PX-M402U. So I don't recommend it.

What has produced the best quality for me so far is copying the shows to my Mini DVD camera (Canon GL1) which will work like a VTR and accepts S-Video and composite in, then making a standard capture through the Firewire port on my computer, like you would with any home video. There is a major downsides to this. It's very time consuming because a Mini DV tape is only 60 minutes long when used in SP (the best quality), which means a movie that runs 2 hours will require 2 tapes. You also need to de-interlace it. So the show has to be something that you really want to keep or it's not worth the work. However, if you chose this method, you have the the ability to control the amount of compression you want, to maintain higher quality if you make an MPG 2 file (my preferred format at this time).

I have a few questions that someone out there might be able to answer.

What is the native file format of the DCT6412 HD? Is it MPG 2?
If so, how compressed is it?

And a basic MPG 2 question: is MPG 2 4:2:2, 4:1:1 or something else?

Finally, it is rumored that Cox, RI is going to open some of the ports in the next year or two. So all of this may be irrelevant in the not too distant future.

 

If anybody care, I just looked up MPG 2 on Google and it is 4:2:2 which points out a quality flaw in my Mini DV to MPG2 scheme.
Mini DV is 4:1:1 and is therefore inferior to MPG 2, at least as far a luminance to color information is concerned.

 

I recently 'traded in' my old Cox-New-Orleans DVR for the 3rd time and it finally works. Check this out for irony however. The day I got the VHS working (2nd VCR I tried by the way), it ate a tape and now it doesn't work at all. The Motorolas Cox is leasing down here do not have the USB port activated at all... Sounds like TiVo might be the way to go UNLESS you buy a Motorola or similar DVR on your own for use with a Cox subscription. They're just trying to cover their ass with all the copyright infringement stuff happening. If they leased a device which allowed one to EASILY capture, reproduce and distribute media... someone would go after those deep pockets.

A friend of mine purchased a TiVo and has NO problems with it at all. Perhaps the best bet is to buy a DVR with all its outputs activiated BEFORE the law clamps down again. Keep tabs on the latest XM Inno digital radio capture device controversy. Also note that the Clean Flix case has yet to be decided... Good luck and keep keeping us informed.

 

I have the Motorola DCT6412P2 DVR and am a suscriber to Cox in Baton Rouge, LA. Can someone please tell me if there is any way at all to capture from the DVR other than VHS? I read someones post that Cox in NO has the USB port completely disabled. What about the FireWire port? Can I use it to capture programs from the DVR? Just trying to find out for sure before I go out and waste any $$$.

I'm hoping that there is a way so that I can get my DVR's hard drive cleaned off. Recording to a VHS tape just seems like a waste of time to me.

Any help and information will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

 

Also, the Motorola DCT6400 has video out and audio. If your pc has A/V inputs, just record it to the hard drive. I have a sony vaio and use gigapocket. I am sure you could use whatever software came with your pc to record it.