[mythtv-users] dual tuner cards - ok to use same model?

[Joe Votour]

Jarod,

I am considering replacing the WinTV dbx card with a
PVR-350 - my logic here is get the PVR-350 for the
extra TV-out capabilities.  If it doesn't work now,
surely it will later, although some of the limitations
I've seen posted do turn me off from using one (things
like issues with previews, MythGame, and the current
DVD//MythVideo playback).  I just need to wait for a
bit of disposable income.  :)

I did notice a posting on the MythTV mailing list that
indicates that MythGame won't work with the PVR-350's
TV-out.  At the moment, I don't use MythGame (I think
that I broke something when I deviated from your
HOWTO), but after I reinstall everything with Myth
0.14, I plan on using it.  I was using it before with
MythTV 0.12, back when I was building everything from
source, so I kind of got attached to it (mainly
xmame).  I know that you recently got a PVR-350, have
you had a chance to try out MythGame with it?

At the moment, I can't complain too much about the
nVidia GeForce 4 MX440 TV-out, it works.

So, time will tell, I guess, I'll probably put in a
PVR-350, worst case, I use it only as a PVR-250.

-- Joe

--- "Jarod C. Wilson" <jcw at wilsonet.com> wrote:
> On Feb 1, 2004, at 6:28 PM, Joe Votour wrote:
> 
> > I don't see why there would be problems using two
> of
> > the same model at all.
> 
> Nope, not a problem. Plenty of folks run dual 250s,
> or one 250 and one 
> 350.
> 
> > Most people (Jarod included,
> > I'm sure) just picked up cards that were available
> to
> > them at the time.
> 
> Yep, grabbed two of the $50 M179s off eBay.
> 
> > Myself, I ran two bttv cards (a
> > WinTV dbx and a crappy Pinnacle card I bought
> used),
> > until I replaced the Pinnacle card with a PVR-250.
>  I
> > was planning on getting a second hardware card,
> but I
> > still not sure about whether or not the PVR-350 is
> > worth it, and I'm waiting for my tax refund to
> ccome
> > in.  :)
> 
> I'm inclined to think the 350 isn't worth it *yet*.
> At least, not if 
> you do much else besides watch TV with Myth. As
> support continues to 
> evolve though, it'll be well worth it. If you're
> planning to get a new 
> card anyhow, and are considering the 250, the extra
> $30-40 for the 350 
> is probably worth the investment, because it looks
> like divx and dvd 
> playback issues will get straightened out before too
> long...
> 
> > If you want the best picture quality, you'll
> probably
> > get that with a PVR-250.
> 
> Copy that.
> 
> > The image quality on my
> > WinTV dbx, when I crank up the resolution to
> 640x480
> > and the image quality to 215 (using RTJpeg) comes
> > close, but it's still noticable.  Not to mention,
> the
> > PVR-250 uses less than 5% of the CPU, and the
> WinTV
> > dbx uses 30%+ (with my capture settings).
> 
> Yeah, I could certainly tell the difference when
> using my AVerTV Studio 
> (bttv-based) card. A relative pile of junk...
> 
> > It depends on how fast of a CPU you have, however,
> > since you want dual-tuners, I highly recommend
> that
> > you get at least one PVR-250, so that you can set
> the
> > capture settings on the other card pretty high,
> and
> > have enough CPU power left to record and playback.
> 
> Sounds like a plan. Personally, I couldn't stand the
> huge variation in 
> quality between the AVerTV Studio and the PVR-250,
> which is part of why 
> I got the M179s in the first place. Their picture
> quality is 
> indistinguishable from the PVR-250.
> 
> 
> > --- Mike Jasper <e394td at comcast.net> wrote:
> >> I'd like to build a MythTV box with dual tuner
> >> cards.  I've read through
> >> the archives about the difficulties with PVR-350
> >> TV-out, so I'll
> >> probably stick with dual PVR-250s and use onboard
> >> video or an AGP card
> >> for TV-out.  Will there be any problem with using
> >> two of the same model
> >> card in the system?  I see that Jarod used two
> >> different brands in his
> >> Fedora box.
> >>
> >> If there is a cheaper and better solution than
> using
> >> dual PVR-250s, I'm
> >> all ears.
> 
> -- 
> Jarod C. Wilson, RHCE
> 
> Got a question? Read this first...
>      http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> MythTV, Fedora Core & ATrpms documentation:
>      http://wilsonet.com/mythtv/
> MythTV Searchable Mailing List Archive
>     
> http://www.gossamer-threads.com/archive/MythTV_C2/
> 
> 

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