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Can the iMac interface with the Motorola DCT6412 DVR?

I subscribe to Comcast digital cable with the DVR service. The cable box comes with DVI and firewire for HDTV video and audio output. The DVR manual said the fireware connection can be hooked up to a HDTV or a computer.

I plug the DVR into the firewire port of my iMac. Then, I run iMovie, the import command treated the DVR as if it does not exist. When I plugged in my camcorder, the iMovie let me import from my tape.

Is it a problem on the DVR? Or my iMac is missing a driver for the DVR? Or this combination is not part of the design?

Does anyone have experience importing video from the motorola DVR from Comcast?

Thanks in advance.

20" 2.1GHz iMac G5 iSight, Mac OS X (10.4.2), 500G HD, 1.5 Gig RAM

Posted on Dec 21, 2005 2:11 PM

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8 replies

Dec 21, 2005 3:37 PM in response to Duane

I am not sure. Actually there are two firewire sockets on the back of the DVR. There are two USB sockets too. But the manual from Motorola does say the firewire is for HDTV that can take firewire video and audio. So that means it is for output.

I'll also call Comcast because what Motorola provided in the hardware may not be what Comcast enables for the users.

Dec 22, 2005 11:41 AM in response to LaiPod

The video that is transmitted from the Motorola 6412 is an MPEG-encoded TS stream. It is not the DV video that iMovie can import. All is not lost, though. You can download Apple's free Firewire SDK20 toolkit which includes ADVC Browser and VirtualDVHS 2 applications. These will let you capture the TS stream from the Motorola box for any channel that isn't 5c copy protected. The stream can be played with VLC Media Player or converted to MPEG or other format with MPEG Streamclip.

So which channels aren't 5c protected? With my Comcast service in Eugene, Oregon, I can only capture the analog channels (2-71) and the Network HDTV channels. All others are blocked for export.

There is a huge thread on this process here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=386740

Apple's Firewire SDK is here: http://developer.apple.com/sdk/

Dec 24, 2005 10:28 AM in response to LaiPod

You can't use the captured streams in iDVD unless it is converted to a DV file or other iDVD compatible format. You can play them with VLC Media Player or convert them to other formats (including DV) with MPEG Streamclip.

What I do is open them in MPEG Streamclip and choose Convert to MPEG. Toast then can use the MPEG to burn to a video DVD.

Dec 26, 2005 7:04 PM in response to LaiPod

I work for comcast, as a field/svc. tech
I ac can answer this for you. on the 6412dvr, some of these ports are enabled(dvi,hdmi,optical. but like the usb,fire-wire are not...we and motorola have not enabled the as of yet, cause for future use. If for some reason you get yours to work, and call comcast for problems, they will tell you that they don't support those ports yet...sorry ! even like the issues , that we have with the cable cards for HD tv's that accept them. some tv's work flawless, and others nothing but problems. we hope to have these all resolved,in the next couple months.I thought I would chime in on this, to give you a correct honest answer..

take care!

Dec 27, 2005 12:14 PM in response to chuckwagon

While you are correct that some ports such as USB and Ethernet are not enabled, the Firewire IEEE 1394 ports are active for video output. That is how D-VHS decks are connected to the Motorola 6412 and it is one way HDTV's with Firewire input can connect. However, the Comcast cableguide menus do not appear via a Firewire connection.

Can the iMac interface with the Motorola DCT6412 DVR?

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