Currently, my HDHomeRun PRIME CableCARD functionality with Server Live TV & DVR only tunes in the OTA channels, not those from CableCARD. It sees the channels, because during setup, it see the 300+ channels, but in the final setup stage, it only selects those that are OTA, the same that I get with the HDHomeRun EXTEND device (OTA). It really would be nice for PLEX to release an update to allow the HDHomeRun PRIME device with CableCARD in it to use those channels that I am subscribed for through the cable company. I get that the difference between the EXTEND and PRIME is that one does not need an antennae, the other does, but I am hoping to migrate from a Windows 7 setup with Ceton tuner to the PLEX system with SiliconDust, but until PLEX can deal with the CableCARD situation, that is not practical. Please enable functionality with CableCARDs. Thank you.
Are those channels that Plex isn’t seeing encrypted/DRM’d? If so, then it is extremely unlikely they will ever work with Plex.
Not sure what is meant by encrypted/DRM’d, so I will say it this way… without the cableCARD inserted, the device will bring in around 10 channels (presumably OTA) using the cable signal. These channels are the same as what the EXTEND brings in using an OTA antennae connected to it. Those are presumably not encrypted/DRM’d, since they are “OTA” channels. The channels the PRIME is not tuning with PLEX are those that I need the cableCARD for, such as high definition CBS, ABC, NBC, ESPN, etc. that are all provided as part of a cable package I pay for from my cable service provider. Windows 7 Windows Media Center tunes these channels fine with my Ceton tuner. I have, in the past, used the PRIME device with it’s cableCARD for the Windows 7 Windows Media Center with success to tune all the channels, so I know it works, it just does not work with PLEX Live TV & DVR. I no longer have the PRIME device with cableCARD in use, because I don’t need 9 tuners (Ceton=6, PRIME=3), and sometimes W7 WMC seemed to get messed up with two devices for tuners, so I abandoned that approach. The cableCARD seems to map the channels to the numbers and names the cable company has mapped them to frequency-wise, it just seems PLEX is not set up to accept the channels, clearly something on the PLEX end they have not wanted to enable for some reason, probably licensing. That doesn’t really make sense, since the use of PRIME device with cableCARD requires me to pay cable company for those channels, the PRIME device was paid for, and I am a PLEX member. So, it seems it is a PLEX decision to enable this functionality. If that assumption is wrong, perhaps someone could clarify, because I know the PRIME device can deliver this content. Thanks for your interest.
Sounds like your channels are for the most part encrypted.
It works with WMC because Microsoft paid the big cost of licensing, etc and ensured that end-to-end encryption was in place (which is why you can only view live/recorded TV from WMC on approved Microsoft devices).
It makes sense because CableCARD requires much more than you paying your cable company for access.
Plex is extremely unlikely to ever choose or be able to make this work. See: Will there ever be DRM support?
I use an HDHomeRun Prime with the CableCard and have no issues at all, it see’s all the channels.
Sounds like none of your channels are encrypted/DRMd.
Different companies do different things.
Who is your provider?
Thanks for your interest - my service provider is Service Electric Cable TV.
I noticed something interesting… When setting up DVR device, it indicates Cable, which is correct.
But when it goes to next screen for enabling channels, it indicates Local Over the Air Broadcast as a header.
This may explain some things, not sure.
And, interestingly, when it gets Guide data after setup, it appears to get guide data for all channels found on CableCARD device, based on Downloaded airings.
These do not appear in the Guide, however, only channels “enabled” show up in Guide, which is logical.
As a test, I will delete both DVR devices (EXTEND and PRIME) and see if setting up only PRIME yields a better result with CableCARD channels. Note: I like having the EXTEND device, since in event of cable outage, critical channels can be watched if power is available, since they are truly OTA broadcasts.
Will reply back with results of DVR with PRIME and CableCARD only (no EXTEND).
I have been reading some forum post emails received over the past couple of days but have been without Internet access for more than one day to post a response. Living in an area affected by the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Florence. My cellphone for some reason won’t login to the forums to allow a post to be typed in.
Plex only supports a single Program Guide on a server. Therefore you can only have devices that are the same type configured. There is a note in the Frequently Asked Questions – DVR & Live TV mentioning this limitation:
Can I add more than one DVR tuner?
Multiple tuners can be added from within the Plex Web app, provided you are using version 2.10.5 or newer. Tuners should be of the same type; all OTA or all cable, on the same Plex Media Server
You might be able to configure both devices using a Cable EPG but may find that some of the OTA stations are not available in the Cable EPG.
Thanks for your interest and hopefully storm effects are minor for you. As you mentioned, it appears PLEX Guide will only take one input for Guide data source, understandably. I had OTA guide data as a result of setting up EXTEND first. After removing both DVRs and then trying to set up only one (PRIME), I input my ZIP and it automatically selected my cable service provider and mapped all channels found correctly. However, selecting “Continue” resulted in error show below. I tried just enabling two channels (502-SECTV and 503-CBS) to see if it would advance (thinking, okay, I don’t get all these channels (some premium movie channels, etc.), but it did not, same error. I believe Service Electric Cable TV encrypts their channels at this point, and read something about an initiative in this regard to improve 4k transmissions (true or not, does not really matter, encrypted is encrypted). So, it seems PLEX will not be a Windows 7 Windows Media Center replacement for me when Windows 7 goes off support, which is too bad. I do like the PLEX interface, but without me being able to use it as a DVR, it is a limited use system for CableCARD users. Perhaps PLEX developers could reach a middle ground whereby PLEX can receive and show channels, just not record them if they are not willing to accept this need for development for CableCARD users. Really wish PLEX would overcome this shortfall.
You can confirm whether or not there is DRM by looking at the channel list directly on the HDHomerun Prime’s webUI. Just put the IP address of the Prime in your browser. If they are encrypted, there is nothing that can be done.
Thanks for the tip.
I used Android App to access both devices and updated both device’s firmware. I used App to view…
CableCARD Menu > Conditional Access > Encryption:DES
-and-
CableCARD Menu > CableCARD™ Pairing > CableCARD Status > “3DES encryption” = “supported”.
I am able to view all my subscribed channels using App and Windows IE11 with Windows Media Player enabled. So I can confirm HDHomeRun PRIME with CableCARD receives my subscribed channels.
It’s disappointing PLEX Live TV & DVR has not invested in CableCARD encrypted channel functionality - perhaps an online fundraiser (gofundme, kickstart) could generate funding to make this possible? Notably, SiliconDust DVR capability requires a yearly fee… so if that were a hurdle for PLEX, we should figure a way to clear that hurdle before 2020 (Windows 7 end of support).
Bottom Line: Yes, it appears they are encrypted.
Thanks Again.
Careful what you ask for. Adding DRM support to a DRM free platform like Plex is a precarious road…
As long as there is a Plex server in the middle of the transmission to the client there is no way that this will work with the requirements of end to end encryption. This is not just a matter of unencrypting the channels and paying for that.
I was referring to the webUI so you can see the DRM tag as show in the pictures below:
Thanks. In reviewing, all my channels are either no tag (e.g., blank, which is non-HD) or HD tag. None are DRM tag. None have red X, either. Interestingly, Card Validation = none. I have seen same annotation (no validation) in WMC when setting up tuner, and WMC works fine (l have two CableCARDs, one for Ceton, one for PRIME). I recall asking cable company about that years ago, with no action taken. If validated, perhaps this would work? I will ask cable company about validation. Thank you.
Thanks. I certainly don’t know what I’m talking about with regard to DRM, and certainly don’t want to have PLEX pursue that if it is not advisable. Based on channels reply, it does not appear any of my channels are DRM. Thank you.
The X is because I toggled it within the Prime in order to prevent that channel from being served by the Prime. By marking it X, I have essentially pruned it for all apps that will access the prime. You choices are:
- Normal
- Starred (Favorite)
- Disabled
The card should be validated.
what it sounds like, is you just can’t set, watch, or record from channels, and you already had a antenna setup in dvr.
If this is true, it is likely because plex only allows 1 epg (program guide) at a time currently…, a lot of us are hurting because of this.
If this may be your problem, and you want full guides for both ota and cable, then please vote for Multiple epg sources, for those with multiple tuners , which I had started, after facing a choice of either loosing cable channels, or ota.
For the short term, you can either, make your own epg, with all the sources you need, then set up the individual channels by tuner…, or, you can chose one source, and waste hours trying to match the cable and ota channels, and likely not have all available channels… I did the later, some have tried to do the former…
If plex ever got the drm management to handle drm, it would likely be a plex pass subscriber option…
Interesting, I was always under the impression the DRM component was generally an issue determined at the cable company level.
I can use HDhomerun prime on plex without issue (but I killed the cord some months ago). That said, WMC was the only application where I can watch/record “premium” channels like HBO.
