# connect external hard drive to comcast dvr



## lstept (Dec 17, 2010)

i have a motorola dch 3416 dual tuner dvr on comcast network, a few support people have told me the firewire port is active. can i hook an external drive to the box and will the box format the drive so there are no drm issues. i don't want to hack the box.


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## hellter (Jun 28, 2010)

lstept said:


> i have a motorola dch 3416 dual tuner dvr on comcast network, a few support people have told me the firewire port is active. can i hook an external drive to the box and will the box format the drive so there are no drm issues. i don't want to hack the box.



No, Google DTCP to understand why, but basically the box will never see an external drive without being hacked. It would be illegal for Comcast [or any other content provider] to support such a feature.


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## lstept (Dec 17, 2010)

dear helter thanks for responding. actually other cable companies have gotten around the drm issue by when you connect the external drive the box gives you only two options, one to erase current coontent or 2 format the drive to only work with this box. then it will let you proceed to format.


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## hellter (Jun 28, 2010)

lstept said:


> dear helter thanks for responding. actually other cable companies have gotten around the drm issue by when you connect the external drive the box gives you only two options, one to erase current coontent or 2 format the drive to only work with this box. then it will let you proceed to format.



I'd like to know which ones. I know people who work for Cox, TW, and charter, and none of them claim they support any such thing without third party software aka hacking their boxes.


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## lstept (Dec 17, 2010)

sorry can't remember, found it when i searched google for the topic, not a major company however


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