Motorola DVR 6412: Can I enable USB?
 

I am writing this on behalf of a family member. She has Comcast cable and now a Motorola DVR (probably 6412). Online, I found out that the USB ports on this device are not enabled. Motorola user forums say that the service provider must do the enabling (via firmware). Comcast says that they do not want to enable the USB ports to prevent piracy.

I want to use these as expansion slots, put movies on an external drive, etc.

Is there a way I can enable these ports without waiting for Comcast?

You're probably at the mercy of whatever the cable company (Comcast) wants to do -- or not do. Does this model have a Firewire port, too? I don't have an answer for this query, but I do have some possible places where you could start reading, to see if a solution has been found.

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_6412
- http://www.highdefforum.com/cable-pr...6412-hack.html
- http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/
- http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=403695
- http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/182132

Ethernet may be enabled, therefore accessible -- just maybe not via USB port.

This just happens to be something I'm not entirely familiar with. :(