[mythtv-users] OT: Comcast Chicago changing channel lineup, SCI-FI moving to digital only

[Lonnie Borntreger]

On Tue, 2005-08-09 at 15:13 -0400, Scot L. Harris wrote:
> But if I want to record two shows at once, as I can currently do, I
> would need two boxes.  It gets even more expensive if I want to have 3
> or 4 inputs (which is what I am aiming for to prevent recording
> conflicts, two inputs have eliminated most conflicts but still get some
> occasionally).  To say nothing about having a stack of cable boxes next
> to the TV just to be able to get the content you want.

Well, there is a workaround.... maybe.  Here in Bakersfield, CA, I have
a friend with digital cable (I don't), one box and three TVs.  It seems
that the cable company sends the analog cable signal along with the
digital ones.  So she is limited to the "extra" channels on one TV
(using the box) but has access to "expanded basic" (with ESPN, DISC,
etc.) on the other TVs.

So, if Comcast does the same, you could just go with one card set to
record digital channels (through the box), and the others to the analog
(directly to the cable as before).  You should be able to eliminate most
program overlaps that way, unless you end up recording a lot of digital
only channels.

> Is there anyone that is pushing digital standards so digital tuners are
> standard in TVs and can then be standard on capture cards?

Give it time.  It took a while after cable first came out to get an
analog standard (analog cable boxes didn't use to be compatible from one
provider to the next, either).

Lonnie Borntreger