[mythtv-users] PVR to the extreme!

[Michael T. Dean]

On 10/15/2004 03:44 PM, John Thomas wrote:

>On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 00:54:42 -0400, Michael T. Dean
><mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>On 10/12/2004 10:05 PM, Mike Vega wrote:
>>
>>>I know it's a WinXP software package but I just had to show you guys
>>>this.
>>>
>>>http://www.snapstream.com/Community/Articles/medusa/default.asp
>>>
>>>6, count them, 6 Hauppauge PVR-250BTV (aka Hauppauge "Roslyn" board) in
>>>one PRV machine.  If they can do it under WinXP, why can't we.  Any
>>>takers?
>>>      
>>>
>>Just installed 4 PVR-250MCE's in a friends Myth box on Tuesday.  Works
>>like a charm (Athlon XP 2000+, 512MB RAM).  He could get a fifth card,
>>but 6 is out of the question--the motherboard only has 5 slots.
>>
>>IvyTV will support up to 8 cards in one machine (assuming the machine
>>has 8 bus-master-capable PCI slots).  It used to support up to 9, but a
>>ceiling of 8 allowed simplifying the code, and since even with 8, the
>>DMA channel will probably be swamped, the driver was simplified to
>>support 8.
>>
>Is it just me, or is there anyone else out there that doesn't
>understand the need for over 4 tuner cards?  Is there really that much
>quality TV out there that there is always 4 programs scheduled
>concurrently that you just cannot miss?
>  
>
Definitely not that much TV.

>Maybe it's different for me because I don't have a full household. 
>It's just me and a girlfriends
>
Girlfriend*s*?  Hmmm.  No wonder you don't have time for more TV.  ;)

> that likes to record "America's Next
>Top Model". ;-)
>
>I have one PVR-250 right now, but am looking into installing a second
>for the holidays. Maybe I'm behind the times. It would be nice if some
>people could outline the scenerios when having a 5, 6, 7 tuner card
>system is handy.  :-)
>  
>
Actually, I have two tuners and that's fine for me.  Shane wanted 3 
because--for some reason that I can't understand--he actually watches 
LiveTV still, and he wanted two tuners for recording and one for 
LiveTV.  He hated Myth with only one tuner because he couldn't watch TV 
when it was recording something (yeah, I told him that he should then 
watch something he's recorded and record any show he *might* want to 
watch, but...).  I guess old habits die hard.

Anyway, when he was buying, he found a *very* good price on PVR-250MCE's 
(the store raised the price by $60 after he bought his) and forgot that 
I had just bought a second card, so he got an extra for me.  Since I 
have satellite, an extra card is useless to me without an extra 
satellite receiver (and I'm not paying for a 3rd sat receiver), so I 
can't use it.  Therefore, we installed it in his machine for fun.  The 
worst part is that looking at his schedule, he never has more than two 
recordings occuring simultaneously...

Probably when the next of my friends decides he/she wants a Myth box, 
Shane will sell at least one (possibly two) tuners.  But, if nothing 
else, it was fun to try it out...

Mike