[mythtv-users] MythTV with Digital Audio from my Sattelite?

[Jeff Artz]

  Ok, I'm not using MythTV in the living room **yet**.  I'm still getting it 
'perfected' for my environment.  I currently use a couple of Dish Network 
DP7100 PVRs -- the living room is connected with SPDIF audio to my receiver, 
the bedroom one is connected with standard sterio audio to my TV.

  Basically, I'm wondering if I have to sacrifice my digital audio from my 
Sattelite receiver if I'm going switch to MythTV and use the PVR-350 or 
PVR-250 for recording.  I say this because these cards do the mpeg 
encoding/multiplexing in hardware and don't accept digital audio input. 
(that I know of)  But if I use a "BT" series card (that ends up doing 
encoding in software), can I use SPDIF as an input and perserve the digital 
audio in the resulting recording?  Or is it just going to 'downmix' the 
SPDIF input to sterio anyways, and not really record it in digital form? 
Am I limited to just 'stereo' recording with non-HD capture equipment?

My current backend system is:
  Athlon XP 1800+
  Fedora Core 2
  768MB DDR 333
  PVR-350   (setup w/record only - not using TV out)
  PVR-250   (on order - should arrive today or tomorow)
  Pinnacle PCTV pro  (Bt878 chipset)
  ATI Radeon 9200 SE  (may swap out for an Nvidea with TV out)
  Adaptec AHA-2940U2/U2W SCSI controller
  18GB SCSI III drive for OS
  2x 50GB SCSI III drives for Video storage (still have to figure out how to 
setup LVD so they're seen as ONE drive... currently '/video1' and '/video2')

Note: My current backend setup doesn't have any SPDIF connectivity, but I've 
got a SoundBlaster Live! that's ready to go in for it.

So the final setup I'd like to have is this:
  Mythtv Backend
     PVR-350 <-- svideo & SPDIF <-- Dish Sat Receiver #1
     PVR-250 <-- svideo & SPDIF <-- Dish Sat Receiver #2
     Pinnacle PCTV Pro <-- RF <-- OTA Antenna
     Pinnacle PCTV Pro <-- Svideo & Audio <-- Another DP receiver, or 
whatever

  MythFrontend #1
     Svideo out -> TV
     SPDIF out -> Receiver

  MythFrontend #2
     Svideo out -> TV
     Sterio Audio (Analog) -> TV

  <and more frontends as time goes on...>

 Jeff