Sorry this is late, but I've been sick with the flu since Satruday night .  I was well enough last night to make a trip to Radio Shack and get a USB cable ($40, ).  Now I'm gonna need some help getting this Grove video uploaded if you guys want it any time soon.

I plugged in the USB cable expecting for something to pop up and say "new hardware detected", but nothing.  So far bad..off to a bad start.  Then after a few minutes the installer wizard pops up outta nowhere, but when I tried letting it search for the appropriate software to install the new hardware, no dice.

So that's where I'm at now.  Any suggestions??

Ok, I have Windows XP - Home, Service Pack 2.  And I have the firewire hookups (but not the cable, yet).

I mentioned above the model # DCT6416 III, the bottom of the box says DCT6416/2300.

Hey Video Gurus -

I researched this a bit and you can't record via USB but you CAN record to your PC via the firewire with Mark's DVR. It's a little annoying, in that you have to play the program on the dvr while it is recorded on the PC. I will try to locate some more detailed instructions.

Bye for now, Teilah

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=403695

Wow,
All this expert tech help reminds me of a control tower guiding a stricken plane into land.

Good luck to Bigshady and thanks for going to all this trouble for us.

wow, was that as tiring reading this post as writing it?

Part 1: Unzip the firewire.zip file

Extract (unzip) the contents to a folder, like c:\temp\naylia

Part 2: Install the drivers by connecting the cable box to your firewire card

From Naylia's post at http://htpcnews.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10499

My additions are in [brackets]

Additions from other sources are in {braces}

---------

Ώ) Set a System Restore point in Windows XP in case you want to back out of the installation later

   * Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore > Create a restore point > Give a description, "Create"]

2) Turn off your cable box and the PC  [Personally, I don't think this step is necessary, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to do it.]

3) Connect the firewire from the cable box to the PC. {IMPORTANT: The DCT64xx has 2 6-pin firewire ports. When facing the back of the DCT64xx make sure you use the firewire port on the right hand side (left side if looking from the front). I had problems using the other firewire port and many others reported problems trying to use that one. (replayguide note)}

3) Turn on the cable box

4) Turn on the PC

5) When Windows XP boots it should auto-detect some new hardware. Click 'Cancel' for all of them.

6) Open Device Manager...it can be found in the Control Panel -> System -> Hardware Tab -> Device Manager

7) You should now have some 'Unknown' Devices. Double-click AV/C Tuner [Or is it "Tuner AV/C Device"?]. Choose the 'Driver' Tab. Then select 'Update Driver'.

[If you don't see "AV/C Tuner" here, then maybe you should stop here and post what you see.

Hardware Update Wizard window: "No, not this time"

"Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)"

"Don't search. I will choose the driver to install."

"Have Disk"

Browse to the location in Part 1 above, where you extracted the files, like c:\temp\naylia

Select meistb.inf, then OK

You should see a compatible piece of hardware in the list. If not, try unchecking "Show compatible hardware". Choose Manufacturer Motorola, model DCT-6416 (or DCT6412 if the 6416 isn't listed?)

If it appears, ignore the warning about "Windows Logo Testing", and click "Continue Anyway"

"Finish"

]

8) This should successfully install the drivers for your cable box.

9) Back in 'Device Manager' right click on the other 'Unknown' Devices that appeared and Disable them.

(End of Naylia quote)

At this point, in Device Manager you'll have AV/C Tuner under Imaging Devices [check] and 2 Unknown Devices. We'll deal with one of the unknown devices later, once we get the basics setup.

Capturing using CapDVHS (from replayguide http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/#DCT6412_Firewire_mpeg2_capture_using)

"
DCT64xx Firewire mpeg2 capture using Windows XP

Now that the software and drivers are installed you are ready for some firewire captures. Note that you will capture whatever the DCT64xx is currently outputing - either the current tuner of any channel or playback of a previously recorded show. To capture the stream we can use CAPDVHS.

NOTE: You will only be able to capture channels/recordings without 5C protection enabled. To check for 5C protection on channels that you are interested in capturing from (or have recorded from), do the following:

[The following in blue is untested by me, since I don't have a 64xx. It is only a way to see if the 5C protection is turned on. Personally, I just do the capture and if it’s capturing correctly, then obviously the protection is turned off! However, if you cannot capture a certain channel/show, then you can do these steps to see if it might be because the cable company turned on protection, and therefore you can’t capture that particular channel/show.

You should be able to capture:
* All regular over-the-air broadcast networks and their HD counterparts
* Basic cable channels

It is unlikely that you will be able to capture:
x Any nonbasic cable channels, other than the High Def broadcast ones

]

    * Start with DCT64xx turned on and connect the firewire cable between the DCT64xx and your PC.
    * Tune to a channel you are interested in recording from.
    * Enter DIAGNOSTICS page on the DCT64xx as follows with remote: Press Cable, Power off, Select, Select.
    * Scroll down to: d11 INTERFACE STATUS and then click right arrow to enter that module.
    * In 1394 I/O DEVICE section you should see ACTIVE PORTS=1 (indicating the Firewire connection is active) and look at 5C IMPLEMENTATION value. If it is something other than 0 this means 5C protection is enabled and you won't be able to capture that channel.
    * To get out of the Status Page click left arrow with remote and scroll down to EXIT and click Select.

1. First step is obviously to connect the firewire cable from the DCT64xx to your PC/laptop if it's not already. As noted above, when facing the back of the DCT64xx choose the firewire port on the right side (left side if facing the front). If prompted to find/install drivers just click on cancel.

2. Run CapDVHS.exe and make sure the Motorola device is selected in the capture device list. Make sure you have the following settings:

Convert 188 bytes
Check PTS
Delete to SyncByte
Use .ts for all file extensions.

NOTE: If you get an error that capture device cannot be found when starting CapDVHS then exit CapDVHS, unplug the firewire cable, wait a few moments and then plug the firewire cable back in again. Sometimes it takes 2-3 times for the handshaking to go through properly and for CapDVHS to start without error. [I've never had this problem.] Once CapDVHS starts succesfully make sure to pick the Motorola device in the capture device list.

3. Select the Data Info tab so that you can see the capture take place. [When I start a capture, CapDVHS automatically goes to this tab]

[NOTE: If, on the Data Info tab you see no resolution displayed, then you are collecting nothing on your computer, even though the file will continue to grow. If you see this, try closing CapDVHS and unplugging the firewire cable from your computer. Wait a little, then plug back in. Try CapDVHS again. I had to do this once for HD even though SD was wo