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Does your cable box have a FireWire port?

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There is currently an FCC mandate in effect that requires all Cable companies to provide their customers a STB with a functional 1394 (FireWire) port on request. This mandate was agreed to by the Cable companies (yes they all signed it) and went into effect on April 1st, 2004.

Back then I tried to get one and let me tell you, it wasn't easy. Shortly after another Tampa resident called the CEO of Advance/Newhouse Communications, (the parent company of Bright House Networks) the boxes became available.


This box lead me to write the article "how to record via 1394 using Windows XP". Not too long after that I bought an HD TiVo and gave my SA3250HD with functional 1394 port back. Recently I discovered it was possible to use a 1394 equipped STB to record with Windows Media Center. I decided to give it a try so I could stream cable channels to my Xbox360. Before you ask, 5C ruined my plans.

I headed down to the Bright House Networks office to get a STB. I was disappointed by how difficult it was to get a STB with a functional 1394 port, even though it's been almost two years since the mandate went into effect.

Am I the only one or do all the cable companies make it this difficult?