[mythtv-users] Multiple Tuners/Digital Cable (Newbie)

[Mike Green]

On Saturday 11 October 2003 11:36 pm, Jarod C. Wilson wrote:

> when tuning in the lower channels on both cards. Mucking with
> controlling the cable box (which is sometimes slow, and you get the
> annoying OSD crap in your recordings on occasion) only comes into play
> if you want to record or watch something through MythTV that is on a
> higher channel.

Am I correct in my understanding that I can only a) watch the higher channel 
that is currently recording, and b) surfing the higher channels would 
prevent me from recording a higher channel?  In other words, since the 
higher channels have to "tune" via the cable converter, I cannot record and 
watch them at the same time (unless I watch it as it is recording)?

> > Have a third card with an mpeg2 decoder to view output on the tv.
>
> Don't get a 3rd card. Just substitute a PVR-350 for one of the PVR-250s
> to accomplish this.

Ouch.  I just went from approximately $300.00 to $480 for video cards :)  I 
wanted a decoder only card for viewing to save the expense of the a card 
with encoder and decoder.  I am assuming there are decoder-only cards that 
are cheaper than buying an encoder and decoder.  What I am aiming for is to 
keep the cpu requirements down, which will allow me to use some old retread 
boxes...  Then perhaps I could add another cheap frontend box upstairs to 
watch only...