Re: HDHomeRun and Comcast

["Tom Metro-12" <user=71@nabble.blu.org>]

 Dan Ritter wrote: 
> The only tool I use to manage the HDHR is the hdhr_config program in 
> Linux. It lets you...test with VLC. 

No convenient command line option to launch VLC with the right options, 
though, right? 

But following the documentation at the Silicondust site it was easy 
enough to use hdhomerun_config to select a channel, get it to start 
streaming packets, and separately tell VLC to listen on the right UDP port. 

I also learned that the command line hdhomerun_config is also bundled 
with the Windows software. 

It'd be great if someone with Comcast and and HDHR could put the output 
of a scan with hdhomerun_config on the BLU wiki (or post it here and 
I'll put it on the wiki). 


Tom Metro wrote: 
> While scanning, signal strength is all over the place, but typically 
> below 70%. I see the troubleshooting guide says to make sure that the 
> "signal strength is above 80% minimum (90% recommended)." 
> 
> My analog signal has degraded appreciably over the years...it could be 
> the tap for my drop has gone defective. I've scheduled a service visit. 

I tried attaching "rabbit ears" to the HDHR and was able to pick up 
WCVB, WLVI, and WHDH. So it seems the hardware works, at least for ATSC 
reception. I later picked up WFXT and WGBH, but the signal wasn't of 
watchable quality. Probably a decent antenna would cure that. 

The Comcast guy showed up on Friday. After looking over the HRHR he 
immediately called in backup. The next guy similarly pawed it and said 
he didn't know anything about it, and that he couldn't "spend all day 
getting things to work on the computer." Of course I never asked them 
to. I clarified that I was just using it as a tool to demonstrate the 
poor signal strength. I said they should pretend it was an HDTV and just 
make sure the signal was adequate at my drop. 

At that point they rolled out their high tech instrumentation. It 
consisted of a cable box (probably with some custom firmware) and a 
bulky 13" CRT TV in a canvas bag. What a joke. 

10 seconds after they had it hooked up, they found something, wouldn't 
tell me what, and then ran off to the pole. An hour later they were 
back, hooked up the test TV again, and then explained what they found. 
They said there was water in the tap at the pole, so they replaced it, 
but were still seeing a poor signal, and needed to have the line 
maintenance technicians inspect the upstream amplifier. If that proved 
to be OK, they'd replace my wire to the pole. 

Whatever. I'm just glad they confirmed that there was a problem, so I 
wouldn't need to waste effort arguing with them and proving that it 
wasn't working, which seems to be inevitable with most utilities. 

  -Tom 

-- 
Tom Metro 
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA 
"Enterprise solutions through open source." 
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/


-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and 
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is 
believed to be clean. 

_______________________________________________ 
Discuss mailing list 
[hidden email] 
http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss