I'm considering leasing a HDTV converter box from my local cable provider. Is it is possible to capture the HDMI output (to HDTV) to my PC (via a HDMI capture card like the "Black magic" card), or is there DRM aboard to prevent recording? The cable provider is Comcast (upper midwest USA) and their own tech support are unable to answer this one...

I simply wish to view content on my PC's 22" HDCP monitor AND be able to record favorite shows for future playback -- as I do now with their analog SDTV programming. Won't be upgrading to a HDTV for another year or so but want to enjoy HD content now.

this cannot work.

Never heard of HDCP??

I am certainly aware of the HDCP protection incorporated into movies on HD-DVD and BD discs; standard movie DVDs have protection as well. However, my cable company does not block or prohibit recording SD content from the cable box; I'm wondering if that applies to the HD content as well?

I thought there might be other HD cable subscribers here from the USA who had personal experience in this matter...

It's up to the cable companies as to whether they will implement HDCP on their box's. I have yet to read that is definite yet. It is your Video/Computer card that will cause the bottleneck if it is HDCP compliant. If the card is not compliant, and the cable box is not compliant I would certainly give it a try. HDCP is turn on when copyright protection is detected. Try it with a movie stripped of protections and one left intact. That will give you a definitive answer.

Turns out that the cable box's RBG (analog) HD output reportedly provides a usable signal without the HDCP restraints the HDMI could impose, and better yet, any non-encrypted HD content can legally (by FCC statute) be captured via the firewire port using a common DVR driver. It really depends on how much non-HDCP encryption is utilized by my local cable company -- some use very little while others protect everything but local broadcast stations.