What is the best source, ie the way to get the most channels into channels DVR. Does something like an SiliconDust with a cable card allow you record and use all channels from your cable provider that you are subscribed to in channels DVR?
Cable Card is definitely the best way to use Channels if you are able to. It gives you the most amount of channels with the highest reliability.
- You need to ensure your cable provider will give you a cable card.
- You need to ensure your cable provider does not use copy-once DRM on their channels. Verizon FIOS and Comcast are good.
- You need to ensure you can get an HDHomeRun Prime (ebay)
If I'm using xfinity, any list of channels I could see that I would get or would I could I just assume they would all be available?
No, you'll just have to try it, or ask them. You can guarantee that premium channels will not work though.
And with Xfinity, some channels are IP only channels and can't be received with a cablecard tuner. You would need their settop box or use TVE if the channel is available there.
If you go CableCard and have Spectrum you are really rolling the dice. The current Spectrum is the result of multiple mergers. So about half of Spectrum seems to be almost all channels are DRM (excluding locals) and the other half of Spectrum is mostly open (not DRM) with the exception of premiums.
It seems to depend on if you local Spectrum was once TIme Warner (mostLy DRM). I have a HR-Prime on a fully DRM Spectrum but the Spectrum TVE package fills in what I can’t get because of the DRM block.
Edit: I missed seeing the mention about xfinity, but my information still applies to the general OP.
You can also use a firestick and the XFINITY Stream APP. I use it to record to the cloud in a pinch.
Yeah, but that wouldn’t be integrating into channels dvr, right? I’m just looking to consolidate all my channels into one thing. I’ve had it with the restrictions to streaming by tivo and xfinity. There has to be a way to stream out of my cable box IP, right? Then import into channels?