[mythtv-users] MythTV File Formats and playing via the Hauppauge PVR-350

[Kevin]

	Okay, I now have MythTV running (sortof) on my VIA M10000 running Mandrake 
9.1 and using a Hauppauge PVR-350 with the ivtv drivers. I am able to 
capture something from the PVR-350 via MythTV although it is just noise 
right now. The problem I am having now is playing the video back to help in 
my diagnostics. When I try to play the recording back through MythTV I get 
the message "Couldn't find Xv support". After doing lots of reading here 
and at viarena I have a few questions on how MythTV interfaces to the PVR-350.

	1. When MythTV makes the recordings it uses the NUV (modified Nupplevideo) 
file type. My understanding was that if I was using a hardware encoder such 
as the PVR-350 that it would record directly to MPEG-2 format (eg. I can do 
a "cat /dev/video0 >something.mpg). I do have the hardware option selected 
everywhere. Does MythTV still convert to the NUV format?

	2. Is there a way that MythTV can play out using the PVR-350 hardware 
decoder (including the menus and such) so that I do not have to use the VIA 
decoder?

	3. I am guessing the answer to #2 is no so what do I have to do to get Xv 
Extensions working on my setup with the VIA hardware decoder and would it 
work anyway given #1 above? Please point me to a more appropriate list if 
necessary (There is currently lots of discussion on viarena regarding using 
the hardware decoder on the VIA but I have a feeling that is not via the Xv 
Extensions. I will be posting something there regarding this specific 
question though).

	4. It looks as though a number of people on this list are using the 
PVR-350. Are any of you running MythTV under Mandrake 9.1 on a VIA M10000 
(a stretch I know :-)? If so, did you encounter these problems and find 
solutions?

	Any help and/or pointers would be appreciated. Thanks.