Can only access minimal level(OTA) channels on HRHD3 on Spectrum no regular cable chan

[MacRonin]

Hello fellow Dusters,

I used to use a Connect Quatro to access OTA channels for Plex but I recently got the newly released HDHR Prime3 but am having a challenge setting it up. I've gotten past many early issues (Many caused by bad info from Spectrum). But it is now partially functional.

- The cable card is now recognized and will give me access to the minimal level of Sp[ectrum service (Basically OTA channels)

- I can see on the channel list the rest of the channels my service level is supposed to give me but I can not access (via Plex, HDhomerun app or VLC)

- The channels I should be able to use are labeled DRM in the HDHR3 diagnostics channels list
-- under Plex they are not selectable and labeled Protected where the channel match list should be
-- In HDHR3 channels list there are also channels not in my plan (when I add show=all). These have a line striking thru them

Below is a screenshot of a segment of my list. (Oops no image upload so no screenshot)

From talking to Spectrum Cust service they seem to have to separately authorize the Cable Card and the tuner adapter and ay they have done it multiple times.

I have redone the channel scan multiple times, powered up and down (both HDHR3 and TA) but since getting that base list no impact.
- Status says I am getting a strong signal,
- When I try a misbehaving channel it via VLC nothing looks off, if I use the app the good channels show in the log but not the bad ones

Any ideas on which part may be misconfigured or bad appreciated

20201215-20:10:25 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-20:10:25 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 4 WNBCHD
20201215-20:10:25 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:55233
20201215-20:10:25 CableCARD: tuner0 4 WNBCHD access = subscribed
20201215-20:10:35 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-20:10:35 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 3 TNTHD
20201215-20:10:35 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:55234
20201215-20:10:35 CableCARD: tuner0 3 TNTHD access = subscribed
20201215-20:10:36 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-20:10:36 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 2 WCBSHD
20201215-20:10:36 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:55235
20201215-20:10:36 CableCARD: tuner0 2 WCBSHD access = subscribed
20201215-20:10:45 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-20:10:45 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 3 TNTHD
20201215-20:10:45 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:55258
20201215-20:10:45 CableCARD: tuner0 3 TNTHD access = subscribed
20201215-20:10:50 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-20:11:23 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 551 SHOHD
20201215-20:11:23 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:55262
20201215-20:11:24 CableCARD: tuner0 551 SHOHD access = subscribed
20201215-20:15:18 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (global mode change)
20201215-20:15:18 Tuner: tuner1 http stream ended (global mode change)
20201215-21:21:20 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 511 HBOHD
20201215-21:21:21 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:57345
20201215-21:21:21 CableCARD: tuner0 511 HBOHD access = subscribed
20201215-21:21:24 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-21:21:54 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 511 HBOHD
20201215-21:21:54 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:57350
20201215-21:21:54 CableCARD: tuner0 511 HBOHD access = subscribed
20201215-21:22:29 Tuner: tuner0 http stream ended (remote closed)
20201215-21:22:29 Tuner: tuner0 tuning 4 WNBCHD
20201215-21:22:30 Tuner: tuner0 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:57353
20201215-21:22:30 CableCARD: tuner0 4 WNBCHD access = subscribed
20201215-21:52:36 Tuner: tuner1 tuning 1 NY1HD
20201215-21:52:37 Tuner: tuner1 streaming http to 192.168.0.36:58200
20201215-21:52:37 CableCARD: tuner1 1 NY1HD access = subscribed

[signcarver]

You won't have any luck with plex or vlc as they are protected. You will need WMC (preferably win 7 thouth also win 8) or SD's HDHomeRun app on windows 10, iOS, or android but there are restrictions on all those platforms to make sure content stays protected. Currently only WMC (windows 7/8) can record protected content but SD's app can play live channels assuming the client device meets all requirements for protected content.

I have not seen the "global mode change" in the logs before but if I were to guess another hit came to the box forcing a reset on protected channels.

[MacRonin]

I'll fantasize about recording for now. How about just watching the broadcast? The SiliconDust App HDHomeRun (under Mac OS X) can't view them either. So something has to be wrong someplace

The being able to access the encoded channels(that you've paid for) is the entire purpose of the cable card. And the ones I am trying to get are all ones I'm paying for in my cable package. And from Spectrum response they think I should be able to access/view these channels.

I mentioned Plex and VLC at this point to point out that viewing falls on all three choices not just the SD app

When I try under the SDHR app I get

Code: Select all

 Unable to play channel:
Failed to connect Not connected

[signcarver]

I never said mac... Windows 10 (includes xbox one), iOS (iPhone, iPad), or android (and I would stick to real "android tv" devices not generic boxes).

I do not believe windows 10 on a mac will pass system checks required to protect the content but there may be some way.

For DRM channels see https://info.hdhomerun.com/info/drm

Some Smart TV's may let you use their "DLNA" app if it supports DTCP-IP (i.e. K series or later Samsung's usually do, some lg and sony models do as well (lg does not do such with the "app").

[MacRonin]

Thanks even if it is bad news.

So it sounds like the HDhomerun app(for prime) just doesn't work fully under Mac OS X. and going to the level of running their win/android app under an emulator(if that even works) is way to much

Based on my luck with the Mac app I decided to check the details on the Roku App (Had used it on Quatro I believe). Unfortunately the description says that that only works OTA and Beta DVR but no mention of Prime. Installed it and can see the channels (like on Mac) and TV shows descriptions but couldn't get any of the channels to view. Not even the non-DRM ones

Checked the link you gave https://info.hdhomerun.com/info/drm and confirmed it all. Sadly my Spectrum/Charter encodes (DRM) basically everything except Over The Air that I can get via my antenna. So no TNT/CNN/SyFy/HIST etc and Don't even think of HBO/Showtime Argh

I tried it on my iPhone and it does work there including the DRMed channels. Unfortunately this gets me nothing I was looking for. I can use the Flakey App Spectrum gives me and disconnect the HDHR3 and go back to my HDHR Quatro and just record from OTA attend (plus 4 instead of 3 tuners) Unfortunately I already modified my cable service to work with the cable card and knowing Spectrum they won't give me my old (lower priced more premium Chans) back.

Oh well Live and Learn. and thanks for clearing things up for me

[signcarver]

The new Google chromecast (the new one w/ android tv... not the older models) or a tivo stream 4k are two of the cheaper Android tv devices that have worked fairly well with protected content (I believe tivo recently posted an update that I haven't tried yet and an older update caused issue for awhile so I better double check that tonight)

Roku will probably "never" support protected content (for the same reason they dropped mpeg2 support years ago to save $2.40 per device but now can use a @#$%^ decoder), you might get the channel (app) to work with your unprotected content but it has a *&#^@ player that must be used and often cable mpeg2 content isn't compatible. There are just a couple of ota stations that may have the same issue but since it is quite common on cable they won't list the prime as a device.

[wilme2]

From talking to Spectrum Cust service they seem to have to separately authorize the Cable Card and the tuner adapter and ay they have done it multiple times.

Maybe not enough times. In the HDHomeRun config or on the Prime webpage, what does it show for Tuning Adapter status?

[signcarver]

TA isn't the issue as it was already "solved" since the iPhone "worked" as prior to that the OP never used a client capable of tuning DRM protected channels.

[wilme2]

TA isn't the issue as it was already "solved" since the iPhone "worked" as prior to that the OP never used a client capable of tuning DRM protected channels.

Yep, I see above he has the channels on his channel scan, which wouldn't happen without the TA-