Forum Discussion

joelgb's avatar
joelgb
New Contributor II
4 years ago

Wichita KS CableCard now has DRM

Hello,

I'm in the Wichita KS market and have used a CableCard with an HDHomerun prime for several years.  Starting yesterday morning, I lost all non-local channels.  After talking with Tech support, we repaired my cablecard and did a channel scan.  The channels came back, but they all now have DRM, meaning I can no longer watch any of them.

There are similar posts of this happening recently in other areas and in some (Tulsa, OK - Omaha,NE) It sounds like the DRM was later removed.  How can I get Cox to remove the DRM for cablecards in the Wichita/KS market ?

Thank you,

Joel

- PS - I'm able to tune test channel 1987 without issues, however the "test" channel for the recent changes was not set up with DRM.

  • joelgb's avatar
    joelgb
    New Contributor II
    4 years ago

    I had a call yesterday with two gentlemen. It was explained that the DRM change is permanent. During the call I asked about other markets and them having DRM removed after this change - they shared that the other markets have had DRM re-enabled and that DRM on CableCard channels is now a permanent, Cox-wide setting.

    Today I canceled my Cable TV service. It was fun while it lasted. RIP CableCard.

    -Joel

    • ICT123's avatar
      ICT123
      New Contributor II
      4 years ago

      I basically got the same impression from a phone call I just had with someone from Cox.  He asked what equipment I'm using (HDHomerun Prime with Plex for live and DVR).  Then he asked if they were DRM compatible which suggests to me that DRM wasn't a mistake and isn't going to be removed. 

      I wasn't sure of the answer to that at the time but after looking it up I have discovered that the HDHomerun Prime tuner is compatible with DRM using their native apps for live viewing (and I confirmed that I can watch all the channels live that I could before with their app) but DRM is not supported with the Plex Media Server live or DVR.  Interestingly the HDHomerun DVR is not DRM compatible either.

      Without being able to use the Plex DVR, the CableCards and thus Cox are of no use to me any longer.  Guess I'm cutting the cord.

    • CurtB's avatar
      CurtB
      Honored Contributor
      4 years ago

      Have you contacted cox.help@cox.com?  If you receive a response, you will know it came from someone at Cox and it will provide documentation of Cox's policy position, in case Becky forgets to follow-up as promised.

    • JonathanJ's avatar
      JonathanJ
      Former Moderator
      4 years ago
      @Joelgb

      I truly regret that we weren't able to satisfy your service needs. Should your situation change in the future or if there is anything I can help you with please email me at cox.help@cox.com.

      Jonathan J
      Cox Moderator
      • joelgb's avatar
        joelgb
        New Contributor II
        4 years ago

        Jonathan: Likewise- if Cox decides to remove DRM on CableCard, please let me know and I'll happily become a TV customer again. I've already cancelled and turn in my equipment.

        ICT123: I read the same about the HDHomerun apps, but quick testing on a couple of my Android devices, I still get a DRM and failure to play the DRM channels.  It's probably something to do with my devices, but I couldn't get them to work.

        WiderMouthOpen: I believe I talked with a support/moderator and someone from the TV department.  They called from a Georgia phone number (corporate Cox?). They were nice and we had a frank conversation - I may not agree with DRM being added, but I didn't get the impression throwing a big fuss would do any good.  We rarely watch TV these days (enjoying time outside and busy with other tasks) and what we do watch we can get over-the air fairly easily. So for us, even if we could get CableCard to work with DRM or even if we could "fight" long enough and DRM would be removed, it's just not worth the energy/effort for us. 

        I've had a feeling for the past few years that CableCard was on it's "last leg", but was optimistic that the "test" channel showed my service would still work thru the advertised changes -  Cox probably should have put DRM on the test channel to tip us off that it would be a problem, but whatever. I do wish anyone luck that fights to get it removed.  Let me know if you get anywhere. :-)

        -Joel

  • Maltz's avatar
    Maltz
    New Contributor II
    4 years ago

    To be clear, "DRM" is the wrong terminology to be using.  Obviously, DRM has always and will always be used for cable cards - it's the whole point of the cable card.

    What we are really asking about is the Copy Flag being set to something other than Copy Freely, which is what it has always been in my market for all channels, and was intentionally set that way, according to interactions I've had with one of the VERY few Cox employees who had a clue what this even was.  If this is an intentional, permanent change, this will also be a deal-breaker for me as well.

    en.wikipedia.org/.../Copy_Control_Information

  • debbie_heinen's avatar
    debbie_heinen
    New Contributor II
    4 years ago

    I sent a complaint to the FCC describing how the Cox was falsely advertising the use of CableCards. Since then, they have officially updated the site with all of the new messages saying:

    "Due to the evolving use of the Internet to view and transmit video programming, Cox must make network upgrades to ensure its programming remains secure. It may be necessary to contact the equipment provider for CableCARD-ready devices to upgrade your device.

    Note: PC-based CableCARD devices, such as HDHomeRun Prime from Silicon Dust, TV Wonder from ATI, or InfiniTV from Ceton, require Windows Media Center to record and may be required to view copy-protected channels."

    In the response, they go into more detail on how it's not Cox who causes the problems, indicating that it's the HdHomerun hardware at fault.

    I'm starting to believe that Cox is closing the curtain on CableCards. Hopefully at some point in the future this will be fixed.

  • ICT123's avatar
    ICT123
    New Contributor II
    4 years ago

    Same here, Wichita market CableCard user.  DRM broke all the channels except local just a couple of days ago.

    • Becky's avatar
      Becky
      Moderator
      4 years ago
      Thanks for bringing this to our attention! I've reached out to our video specialists in Kansas regarding the DRM tag. I'll follow up as soon as I have further details. -Becky, Cox Support Forums Moderator
      • sanch's avatar
        sanch
        New Contributor
        4 years ago

        Thanks, becky -- I'm also seeing the same issue in the Wichita area, and am anxious to be able to access subscribed channels again!  Please keep us posted!

  • testwerke's avatar
    testwerke
    New Contributor
    4 years ago

    Pissed off in Fayetteville too. Only getting basic cable channels on my cablecard now. 

    • donvandy's avatar
      donvandy
      New Contributor
      4 years ago

      Just saw this thread, I have same problem in Holiday Island, non local channels have audio and no video.   I have had similar problems before but usually somehow corrected in a couple days.  Cox support via txt seemed to stay away from the tagging of the content, but agreed to pass the issue up ???  Again tried to sell us on Contour.

      • Allan's avatar
        Allan
        Moderator
        4 years ago
        @Donvandy, We may need to take a closer look at your account. Please send us an email with your full name, address, and a brief description of this concern to cox.help@cox.com. -Allan, Cox Support Forums Moderator.
  • CoxOCcustomer's avatar
    CoxOCcustomer
    New Contributor III
    4 years ago

    Orange County CA had the DRM issue a few months ago and it was fixed after a few days.  If the DRM becomes a permanent thing, you probably have 3 options:

    1.  Start renting your equipment from Cox

    2. Revert to something older that will still work (we had a Win7 PC running media center with a Hauppauge 2650 that would allow us to watch/record even DRM channels)

    3. Get your TV elsewhere

    Between these frequent issues and the price increases, we found YoutubeTV (accessed by a PC browser or with a $25 Roku) to be a much better deal than anything available from Cox.   So far the 1.25TB data cap that Cox has on our continuing broadband service hasn't even been close to an issue with streaming tv.  Whatever you choose, good luck!

    • Maltz's avatar
      Maltz
      New Contributor II
      4 years ago

      You've misunderstood the issue.  It's not that DRM prevents these devices from functioning, though the people with HDHomeRun cards may not realize that.  DRM is the whole point of the cable card in the first place, and these devices should work with that DRM in place.  There is no analog or non-DRM digital content anymore and hasn't been for several years, so older Hauppage cards won't get anything at all.

      The root problem is that the Copy Flag is not set to Copy Freely, as it always has been in the past.  (At least for non-premium channels. I've never had any premium channels, so I can't say about those.)  See my link above to the Copy Flag info from Wikipedia.

      • CoxOCcustomer's avatar
        CoxOCcustomer
        New Contributor III
        4 years ago

        I think you may be getting bogged down in semantics here. Users of the HDHomerun (of which I was one) would run a channel scan and receive a list of channels received, with some being flagged with a DRM identifier. Those flagged with the DRM flag would no longer work with their external DVR. Cox's change meant that most/all non local channels would now have this flag and subsequently no longer effectively be viewable. DRM in this case is a broad term that those in this group are using in the more specific case referring to the copy-xxx definition you're citing. So whatever change Cox is making is generating the DRM identifier, hence the use of that term in identifying the problem here.

        On the issue of older Hauppauge products, the 2650 was one of the only cablecard units available and with Media Center was still able to receive and record these "DRM'd" channels, regardless of Cox's shenanigans with channel labels (at least it continued to work until we left Cox 2 months ago)

  • ChristopherC's avatar
    ChristopherC
    Former Moderator
    4 years ago

    Due to evolving use of the Internet to view and transmit video programming, Cox must make network upgrades to ensure its programming remains secure. If you are finding that you are unable to view or record select channels please be advised of the following:

     

    • If you are using a PC-based CableCARD-enabled device from companies such as SiliconDust (e.g., HDHomeRun Prime), ATI (e.g. ATI – TV Wonder) or Ceton (e.g. infiniTV) you must use equipment and software that is DRM-compliant to view DRM-protected channels.

      If you wish to record DRM-protected channels, these devices require that Windows Media Center (WMC) must be used to support copy protection.  Some of these devices may require WMC to even view copy-protected channels.  Unfortunately, Microsoft announced in 2015 that WMC would no longer be supported beginning with Windows 10. 

      Please contact your device manufacturer if you have additional questions about compatible equipment or software configurations. 

     

    • If you are using a TiVo and are unable to view or make recordings please contact TiVo. 

     

    After you have contacted the device manufacturer, if you are still having problems please let us know.

    ChristopherC