Directv and Hauppauge Colossus

W

winuser2000

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 20, 2001
Messages
299
Currently I have directv with an H25 box going into my Onkyo HT-RC260 receiver. I want to buy the Hauppauge Colossus card for my computer and be able to record shows on my computer and possibly do a slingbox type thing for when I am traveling. My directv box only supports HDMI output and also composite. I have read threads talking about HDCP over HDMI and how (certain channels if not all) it's hard to decode it on the computer. I'm assuming the HDCP decrypting happens between the receiver and the dtv box so if I were to split the signal coming out of the receiver with this would I have any problems with HDCP on my computer?
 
HDCP is decrypted at the TV/Monitor end of things which is why a TV needs to be HDCP compliant to work with protected content(using HDMI). Since the Colossus is not HDCP compliant it will not work with protected content over HDMI, at least on comcast what is and isn't protected can vary quite a bit(the only channels that don't work through HDMI on the Colossus for me are the broadcast networks(the premium channels work just fine over HDMI). I would check to see if it's possible to get a box with component connections, the Colossus only supports 1080i or 720p anyways and you wouldn't have to worry about the whole HDCP thing
 
So my receiver just passes the encrypted signal through and it's actually my TV which decodes it?
 
With HDCP the TV and the device playing must support it. The device checks to see display is HDCP compliant and theres a "handshake" that happens, then the video is displayed.

Only way around HDCP is to use component cables, which the box doesn't have. You can use composite but you're stuck at SD. For HD your only option is to get something that converts HDMI to component and supports HDCP. If its something you want to use to stream the composite should be fine. I find streaming SD content to like my phone looks better and is smoother then downsampled HD.
 
This is a big reason why I ditched DirecTV and went with OTA HD. There's no way to get 1080p content with either the Colossus or the HVR 2250 off of a DirecTV box, at least not without some shady hardware that I am not going to waste my time on. DirecTV has a program that allows you to watch DVR recordings on your PC but you'll want a hardware (not WiFi) connection to the box. If you have a DVR that is.

Go get a 2250 and see if you get what you want with OTA HD, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Instant Video. Lot cheaper than paying DTV!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top