HDHomeRun Prime compatible with new Cox upgrades?

[ObeyMyBrain]

Hi, I've got a HDHomeRun Prime with Cox San Diego and I received this email today.

We’re always looking for ways to keep our network as efficient and reliable as possible. That’s why we’ll be rolling out an update over the next four months.

If you are using a CableCard in your laptop, PC, TV or Tivo you may be impacted.

Here’s what we need you to do:

Tune in to channel 1987
If you can see the program, great news, you’re good to go.
If you can’t see the program, don’t worry you have options:
Check your device’s owner’s manual to see if an update to MPEG4 is supported. If so, just update.
Request a Contour box be shipped to you free. Or just pick one up from your nearest Cox Solutions Store. It’s totally free the first twelve months. After that, it’s just $8.50-10.00/month, depending on which box you choose.

Channel impact schedule
If you don’t update your device or pick up a Contour box, you’ll start losing channels in early October and won’t be able to access any channels as soon as October 26, 2020.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

I updated the HDHomeRun software today and when I checked the software interface it didn't list channel 1987. But when I went to the ipaddress/lineup.html?show=all link where it did show the channel but it was crossed out.



And the json version of the link shows channel 1987 (CSPN4) as not subscribed the same as it shows channels like HBO. So I don't know if I'm not able to see the program because of my device not being compatible or it just not being a part of my cable plan.



So most of the channels there show as using mpeg2 but there are some that use H264 which I am able to view in the HDHomeRun app on windows. And I just checked the firmware update log where it says:

Release 20080427:

Speed up lock when auto-detecting modulation.
Detect MPEG4/H.264 video streams.

So I assume I'll be fine and it's just not subscribing to the channel preventing me from seeing it?

[NedS]

I'm not sure why the test channel wouldn't be coming in, but I'm fairly certain that it is just an MPEG4/H.264 test, so you should be good to go.

[jasonl]

The HDHomeRun device and app should be fine. If you're using WMC, it may not be so fine, since DRM H.264 channels cause a lot of problems for extenders and Intel Graphics.

[cejack]

I just got the same message here in Las Vegas from Cox.

So if I read this correctly, the HDHR Prime Units are compatible with MPEG4?

The letter mentions, "Check your device's owner's manual to see if any update to MPEG4 is supported. If so, just update."

Just wondering if my HDHR Prime units with a Cable Card are going the way of the dinosaur or if they will continue working here after this change by Cox.

-cejack

[signcarver]

By the way, if you got that letter, I believe you should be able to get (an additional) stb rental at no charge for a year (at least that is what my letter states) but you may need to "prove" that something you have doesn't work well with it and some csr's may argue needing to return cablecard (don't let them talk you into that). Here the test channel is not protected but some may have issue when it comes to protected h.264. (I.e. extenders). So the test isn't a very good test.

[jasonl]

The device itself and the HDHomeRun app are compatible. YMMV on other software like WMC.

[patl]

I live in the San Diego Cox area and I can no longer view the DRM channels even though the channel 1987 test worked fine. After the "upgrade" by Cox, I get non-drm channels fine, some audio on WMC on DRM channels, nothing at all on the HDHomerun viewing app itself except the channels without DRM (which is only a handful). I have an older Prime unit. Cox has been out 2 times this week and they are looking into the problem. Swapped out cable cards and tuner, they were worse and I got no channels so they reverted to the prior cable card. They have had another similar customer problem. They agree that the upgrade earlier this month (Dec 8th or so) coincides with the problem I am having.

So .....Are the older units compatible with MPEG-4 and cable cards or not?

[nickk]

So .....Are the older units compatible with MPEG-4 and cable cards or not?

All HDHomeRun PRIME/CableCARD units support MPEG-4/AVC/H264 video.

Run a channel scan on the HDHomeRun device then try the HDHomeRun app from the Microsoft store.

WMC may have some complications - I will need to check and get back to you.

Nick

[jasonl]

Are you trying to watch the DRM channels in the HDHomeRun app on a platform that supports DRM (Windows 10, Xbox One, iOS, Google-certified Android TV/phone/tablet) or something that doesn't support DRM (anything else)? If you're trying to watch DRM on an unsupported platform, of course it's not going to work, but that has nothing to do with Cox's changes.

Also, as stated above, DRM channels won't work in WMC on PCs using Intel Graphics or on extenders.

[patl]

In my case I was able to view all drm channels using the HDH viewing app, my WMC app on the Win 7 computer, and on my WMC (Ceton) extender until 12/7/2020. That is the date of the Cox update. Clearly something in the Cox update and the Cox technicians agree and are looking into it.

[jasonl]

Were you running the HDHomeRun app on the Win7 PC? If so, then see previous comment about that not working.

What video card does the PC have? Because if it's Intel, then it's not going to work for DRM H.264 channels in WMC.

The Ceton extender won't work for DRM H.264 channels.

[Hammud]

I live in the San Diego Cox area and I can no longer view the DRM channels even though the channel 1987 test worked fine. After the "upgrade" by Cox, I get non-drm channels fine, some audio on WMC on DRM channels, nothing at all on the HDHomerun viewing app itself except the channels without DRM (which is only a handful). I have an older Prime unit. Cox has been out 2 times this week and they are looking into the problem. Swapped out cable cards and tuner, they were worse and I got no channels so they reverted to the prior cable card. They have had another similar customer problem. They agree that the upgrade earlier this month (Dec 8th or so) coincides with the problem I am having.

So .....Are the older units compatible with MPEG-4 and cable cards or not?

I am in South Orange County and I just encountered the same thing. DRM channels stopped working, had COX over, they replaced both the CC and TA and I lost all my DRM channels. I did not get any letter from COX and the techs were not aware of any update. They were not able to fix the problem and inform me that they have an outage and 10 other customer have reported the same issue in the past 3 days.

Is there a solution for this problem?

[rmalbers]

COX - Omaha, NE - I got a couple of letters and was hoping it was just a change to MPEG4 but now all my cable channels are showing up: 'CCI Protection protected-copyonce' so I'm SOL. All channels still work fine on my MCE PC but nowhere else. I've already fired up youtube tv to replace cable. It was a good run while it lasted, I've had a prime since very early on. Maybe it was COX that was behind the FCC's decision to allow the drop of independent of cable card support, they sure jumped on it quick and in a way that doesn't affect their cable boxes.

[patl]

Interesting....Cox guys were just here for almost 4 hours and had a conference call with 4 techs across several states. After no luck seeing the DRM channels with several cable cards and firmware changes, I told them I wanted to try the Homerun app on my Windows 10 computer and it worked. They were surprised and suggested that something in the DRM chain on the WMC computer must have gotten disrupted, probably when they rolled out their latest upgrade on Dec 8th 2020. They suggested I try a fix suggested on a Google search for resetting the DRM and offered to return tomorrow after I perform the suggested fix. They are determined to solve this problem that was triggered by their recent system upgrade. I went to the mictrosoft site following the link in the fix from the google search and it is no longer active (here...http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?LinkId=105000)

As I mentioned, I was able to view and record all the DRM stuff just fine on my Windows 7 computer using WMC prior to the Cox Upgrade.

Does anyone have a copy of the ResetDRM.exe file?
Pat

[signcarver]

If you have anything recorded I would be wary of doing that.

I suggest looking at thegreenbutton.tv as there are instructions for that old "vista" tool in extracting out the required files as well.

Were these all the DRM channels or h.264 specific problems as many things don't work with protected h.264.

Any other network changes (new router, switch, devices)?