I am looking for an open source project, community, or forum that
promotes legal de-scrambling of digital cable channels such as the
ones Comcast uses in the USA.  Ultimately I want to make a PVR out of
a computer that can recieve the channels above the typical analog
chanels recievable via the typical ATI All in Wonder Cards.

I don't know how to get the digital signals into the box.  I know it
needs a digital converter that perhaps has a built in filter for the
correct signal frequency.

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Clarification of Question by sooth-ga on 17 Sep 2003 14:25 PDT

PVR = Personal Video Recorder

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Request for Question Clarification by aht-ga on 17 Sep 2003 23:57 PDT

One obstacle you are going to run into is the legal aspect of
descrambling; because the encryption used for the digital channels is
technically a technology used to protect a copyrighted work, any tool
(hardware or software) that is not authorized by the copyright holder
or its agent (in this case, the cableco) would most likely be
considered a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

You may be best advised to purchase a digital cable PVR when your
cableco offers it, some time in the next six months. Motorola has just
released a digital PVR, and has announced that an HDTV-capable one
will also be released (hopefully in time for Christmas). I expect that
their competitors are hot on their heels, and that most cablecos in
North America will offer one to capture this growing demand.

Regards,

aht-ga