Can't record any digital channels on Shaw via Firewire - help please.

[joseph2625]

Hi,

When I try to connect dct-6200 to my system using firewire, it doesn't detect it. This is the screen I get WITHOUT ANY CABLES CONNECTED to the IEEE port:

1394
Active Ports:0
DATA XMISSION:NOT ACTIVE
5C IMPLEMENTATION:NO
COPYCONTROL:Copy Free
CYCLE MASTER NODE: Yes
IRM Node: Yes
Root Node: Yes
Loop Detected: No
EUI-64: 0x00152FFFFEDC35E6

Connected Devices:01
Device ID
0x00152FFFFEDC35E6
N/A
N/A
Note that when no cables are attached, some weird device shows up..

Anyways, if I connect my firewire cable, the following screen shows up:
1394
Active Ports:0
DATA XMISSION:NOT ACTIVE
5C IMPLEMENTATION:NO
COPYCONTROL:Copy Free
CYCLE MASTER NODE: Yes
IRM Node: Yes
Root Node: Yes
Loop Detected: No
EUI-64: 0x00152FFFFEDC35E6

Connected Devices:02
Device ID
0x0000000000000000
0x00152FFFFEDC35E6

It's still not active and the new Device ID looks Invalid.

Of course, neither Add Hardware Wizard nor Device Manager detects any IEEE 1394 device.(no such category exists)

I have read all the other issues and it seems this one is unique.
any ideas?

p.s.1394 IS ENABLED on DCT-6200(it's just not active)

[js1662]

I am in Vancouver area and have a DCT6200. I have no problem recording HD using CapDVHS and playing it back using any DVD player or media player. However, after recording, my DCT6200 will behave abnormally and eventually hang and I have to remove the firewire cable and unplug the power of DCT6200 to recover it. Before the DCT6200 hangs, I also notice that the screen from any analog channel is shrinked to the left, instead of 4:3, it becomes near square and moved to the left. About 1/5 of the right side is black. Wondering if others have similar problem. I want to know if it is a firmware bug or hardware problem.

[js1662]

joseph2625 Did you install the driver for your DCT-6200? If not, do a google search for stb firewire driver. You may also want to search for the file CapDVHS which is a recording software for stb via firewire.

[joseph2625]

There is no way to install the driver( of course I downloaded those driver files) since the computer cannot even detect that there is a new hardware connected to it.

[js1662]

Have you checked device manager and confirmed that IEEE 1394 is installed properly? If it is an on-board device, make sure it is not disabled for any reason. If everything seems OK but DCT6200 is still not detected, it could be something wrong with the IEEE1394, the cable or even the DCT6200 terminal. I suppose your DCT6200 is already activated and it has downloaded the latest s/w from Shaw. By the way, try unplug the IEEE 1394 from DCT6200 and plug it back to see if it can be detected. I recalled that I have to do that to have it detected.

[adiabatic]

joseph2625: Have you tried both Firewire ports on the unit? On my 3416 one is active and the other is not.

[js1662]

Originally Posted by js1662

I am in Vancouver area and have a DCT6200. I have no problem recording HD using CapDVHS and playing it back using any DVD player or media player. However, after recording, my DCT6200 will behave abnormally and eventually hang and I have to remove the firewire cable and unplug the power of DCT6200 to recover it. Before the DCT6200 hangs, I also notice that the screen from any analog channel is shrinked to the left, instead of 4:3, it becomes near square and moved to the left. About 1/5 of the right side is black. Wondering if others have similar problem. I want to know if it is a firmware bug or hardware problem.

Update: I found similar problem recording using VLC. After recorded a HD channel, SD channel will not display properly. However, if I use VLC to capture and play the SD channel, it will return to normal. It is weird. Anyone has similar experience?

[Mendel]

"However, after recording, my DCT6200 will behave abnormally and eventually hang and I have to remove the firewire cable and unplug the power of DCT6200 to recover it"

Regarding the above, I've had that issue with our DCT6416III from the outset. It's a pain, but the work around you mention of disconnect/reconnect works, though your box then has to redownload the schedule.

Anyway...,

I'd more or less given up on recording from our DVR via Firewire/CapDVHS, but just for the heck of it tried a short recording of CBC HD last night. It looked very good as a Transport Stream, playing on Media Player Classic: no horizontal line artifacts that I'd been noticing, sharp, no audio out-of-sync.

I went through the exercise of creating a DVD from it, with SVCD2DVD and...:

It still looks good!

I'm just now starting the CAPDVHS capture of HD version of Blade Runner, and will see how it goes. Will post to say if it turns out ok, all the way through DVD creation.

Update: Blade Runner recorded and converted to DVD fine

[michelkenny]

I tried to get firewire capture working but gave up due to too many issues. The HD-PVR has been flawless for a week so far.

[springle]

To clear some space on my PVR this morning I attempted to dub a program over to D-VHS tape via Firewire. When I do this, I normally watch the PVR, not the VCR as the Firewire connection doesn't show any PVR information screens. When I went to change tapes, I noticed that the screen sourced to the VCR was blank. The VCR sees the PVR (model 6208) and gives the model number on screen, but there is no video or audio.

So I checked my Firewire cable, reseating it. Nothing changed. I changed the Firewire port with no restoration of signal.

Then I unplugged the PVR for a few minutes. When I plugged it back in, I still had no audio or video being sent to the VCR.

I browsed the VCR manual and it lists on-screen error messages that indicate various types of copy protection. These messages do not appear. If I hit "Record", it simply records a blank screen.

I put in an older tape and it played properly showing 5.1 audio and 1080i output. So the VCR works as it should.

So my tentative conclusion is that these ports are now disabled. Can anyone confirm that? Do the HTPCs utilize Firewire connnections, or are most using regular outputs? (My recollection is that in the U.S., the STB manufacturers have been required to enable these ports. Special software for Canada?)

[adiabatic]

My 3146's port was active last night when I recorded a couple of shows to my PC.

[springle]

The previous post gave me some hope. I didn't want to spend hours mucking around if the problem was with Shaw.

So I mucked around.

I phoned Tech Support and this person lead me through the diagnostic menus on the 6208 PVR. According to the menu, the ports were activated, but not being used - even when I turned my D-VHS VCR on.

So his conclusion was that the problem was at my end.

I have a simple 6200 HD tuner in my bedroom and did the unthinkable. I unwired my D-VHS VCR from my system (component cables, 2 sets of SVideo input cables, optical audio output, input from old VCR for duping tapes, and the firewire cable). Messy.

I took the D-VHS VCR into the bedroom along with some Component Video cables and its Firewire cable (which is a camcorder Firewire style cable, having asymmetric ends).

After I connected it successfully (I ignored the audio), I got a 1080i video on my bedroom TV. So that meant that the D-VHS VCR was OK.

I then brought it back into the Living Room, went through the pain of reconnecting it and now suddenly the Firewore port is functioning again on the 6208. Don't know why. When the problem first appeared, my VCR did a successful handshake with the 6208, identifying the model number of its display screen, but no audio or video came through. I did a reseating of the Firewire cable too.

OK, I'm happy now. It still works and I am able to record 1080i with DD 5.1 audio. Interestingly, when I went through the Interface/Ports menu on the box, which had 4 pages, on one page for the Firewire port was the notation, "HDCP Off". A good sign.

[adiabatic]

Maybe unplugging the VCR reset it? Good to hear it's working... your post got me nervous because I archive a lot of stuff off my box.

[Newb777]

I'll probably get flamed for asking this. I wasn't able locate it as a sticky or any info on how to go about the steps involved) transferring or copying your recordings from your Shaw 6xxx PVR to PC via firewire and what is required.

I have a firewire cable but I am surprised to learn that the firewire outputs on the PVR are the same as what should be going into my PC. The other end of the firewire cable has a small end.

As my question is specific to Shaw, I would appreciate some help.

Thanks

[olds442]

I'm in Vancouver, a Shaw Customer and I'm running a Motorola 3416.

I have done all of the diagnostic stuff recommend on this thread and as far as I can tell none of the channels that I can record to the PVR are blocked in any way (RC=0x00)

On my system I can D-VHS firewire record ANY show that was broadcast in 1080i (with all of the common reboot problems... not a biggy). But shows in a lesser format, even if they were broadcast on a HD channel will not record via D-VHS. This seems to be a problem with D-VHS not the PVR... D-VHS "sees" about 3 seconds of the SD show and then quickly gets out of sync and then records garbage.

It looks to me that D-VHS needs an upgrade to increase the number of video resolutions that it recognizes. Where I live the SD is broadcast in a 528x480 format that will not record... Any suggestions?