HDBaseT

I am trying to use HDBaseT to run video/sound from the Comcast cable box to a TV. I have found out that the SA and Cisco boxes do not support this. Any other box will work.

I called tech support and found out they have Motorola boxes at the Picket St location in Alexandria ,VA. I went there only to be told, sorry we can't help you because you have a business account.

Okay, sounds dumb, but they set up a truck roll for the next day. He shows up and says sorry we don't install anything but Cosco and SA boxes in this area because the other boxes won't work. When asked why do they have MOtorola boxes at Pickett St. he played dumb and stuck to his story.

Sooooo I call business support and get a great guy on the line who assures me that YES the Motorola boxes will work just fine, they will send another guy out with a note to bring a Motorola box. I just spoke with the tech (the courtesy call which I love) and he is telling me that the Motorola boxes won't work.

Who is telling me the truth?????

Responses

VBSSP-RICH

Advocate

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1.4K Messages

9 years ago

Hello Cathyfnp and welcome, Just for the general forum : " HDBaseT, promoted and advanced by the HDBaseT Alliance, is a consumer electronic (CE) and commercial connectivity standard for transmission of uncompressed high-definition video (HD), audio, power, home networking, Ethernet, USB, and some control signals, over a common category (Cat6a or above) cable with a standard connector (RJ45).[2] ". Please refer to this link ( http://www.cepro.com/article/comcast_beta_testing_custom_xfinity_integration_cxi_dealer_program/K296 ) regarding Comcast support of this standard Alliance implementation. It is my understanding that Comcast only supports this on their X1 cable boxes and this is a residential only offering at this time. Hope this helps you out.

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Cathyfnp

Visitor

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4 Messages

9 years ago

Thanks for response but I'm still trying to determine if in the Alexandria VA area if comcast has cable boxes that are available to business customers that are not cisco or scientific atlantic. Tech support keeps saying yes but the service guys who come out keep saying no, they won't work. Thanks again

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VBSSP-RICH

Advocate

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1.4K Messages

9 years ago

Per my last post, Comcast supports the HDBaseT on the X1 cable boxes, but these are only offered to residential customers at this time.

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Cathyfnp

Visitor

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4 Messages

9 years ago

Sorry, but we are still talking past each other. I'm not blaming you it could be I am not clear.

I am still trying to find out if in the Alexandria area cable boxes are available from a manufacturer other than Cisco or Scientific Atlantic besides the X1 which for some reason is not available for businesses. I have been told by Atlona, the maker of the HDBaseT products I am using any other manufacturer will work. I don't care if it is officially "supported" by comcast. Here is Atlona's explanation.

The issue is that Cisco and Scientific Atlantic set top boxes have-sub version 1.3 HDMI chips that do not support clock stretching, part of the HDCP handshake and can and will manifest itself as an HDCP issue.
If possible, see if the local cable company has a different cable box manufacturer such as Samsung, Motorola, Aries, Pace, ect. These should not have any issues with HDbaseT outputs.

Thanks!

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VBSSP-RICH

Advocate

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1.4K Messages

9 years ago

I presume you are a business class customer and I recommend that you contact 800-391-3000, use video technical option, and request a trouble call with a cable box of your choice that is available in your area. You might want to have the technical agent see if there is an available HDBaseT supported cable box, but as I have already indicated ,Comcast only supports the HDBaseT on X1 cable boxes not currently offered to business customers.

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Cathyfnp

Visitor

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4 Messages

9 years ago

Thanks for sticking with this!

Yes I am a business customer.

When we call business customer support they assure us other boxes are available for our area and will work. They make notations on the service call ticket requesting the tech to bring a box that is not SA or Cisco. Then the service tech shows up and claims no other box will work in this area, thus directly contradicting the customer service.

So I still need to know who is correct. Does anyone have a non SA or Cisco box in the Alexandria area besides the X1 which we are not allowed to have.

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VBSSP-RICH

Advocate

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1.4K Messages

9 years ago

From this article http://hdbaset.org/technology/ ,

" HDBaseT is a connectivity standard for whole-home and commercial distribution of uncompressed ultra-high-definition multimedia content. The cornerstone of HDBaseT technology is 5Play, a feature set that converges uncompressed ultra-HD digital video and audio, 100BaseT Ethernet, USB 2.0, up to 100W of power over cable, and various control signals through a single LAN cable for up to 100 meters/328 feet. The latest specification of HDBaseT also enables the transmission of audio & video, Ethernet, USB and controls over fiber optic, for even longer distances. "

In the research I have done on this topic, there is only 1 cable box that I found that generally supports the above description and that is the Comcast X1 cable box. In the specifications analysis of ALL business class cable boxes that I researched none support any total controlled LAN at all. Also, on a definitive basis, Comcast does not yet support ,especially the longer distance control via fiber optic. However, Comcast is currently in trial of up to 2Gbps internet speed using close to direct fiber optic interconnect (refer to this link : http://www.tech.slashdot.org/story/15/04/02/2127259/comcast-planning-2gbps-service-starting-with-atlanta ) and you should be hearing more regarding public proliferation of this in the future.

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