[mythtv-users] Documentation for sources.

[Nick Rout]

On Tue, 1 Nov 2005 17:07:59 -0500
Ted Manka <tmanka at gmail.com> wrote:

> Michael,
> 
> I was not offended one bit! Where are these lists? I looked on
> mythtv.org<http://mythtv.org>and it brought me to the email lists....I
> assume that you are talking about
> something other than the email lists?
> 
> Thanks,
> Ted

I think the point he was trying to make was "please keep the discussion
on-list, ie reply to the list address, not the individual"

as far as satellite is concerned, you can buy DVB-S cards that work on
linux and that will get you unencrypted channels off a satellite (I am
talking generalisations here, don't buy one without checking that some
one has got a signal off your satellite in your locality!)

encrypted programs will depend on whether you can either:

a. break the encryption in software on your myth tv box (which will
probably not be legal), or

b. get a dvb-s card that takes the little key card (looks like an ATM
card) that you normally put in your set top box to allow you to look at
the signal. I have no experience with this, I just know that I have
seen such cards advertised. 


Other than these options, you can look at taking the composite video
and left/right audio outputs from your set top box and feeding them
into a digitiser (or tuner) card in your mythtv box. You need to set up
a system where the mythtv box has an IR transmitter to change the
channels on your set top box, or if you are lucky there might be a
serial port on it that can be used for this. (Finding the specs for
that sort of thing is annoyingly difficult, easier to go the IR route).
Also you can only watch/record one channel at a time, unless you have a
second set top box. I am stuck with that situation.

You also need to find a epg source for your satellite tv provider -
this can be tough too in some places. They know that the reason you
want them is to avoid ads!