[mythtv-users] Did I get this right? (Set-Up)

Andrew Balmos abalmos at gmail.com
Sun Sep 4 20:05:33 UTC 2005


<sinp>
> Hauppage PVR x50 (500). It's not exactly cheap, but there is no cheap
> card that does hardware encoding. The PVR cards, however, are the best
> supported, so will take the least time to get running.

OK, thank you.

<sinp>

> Here's where you're going to have a problem with the box being behind
> you. S-video cables are not cheap, and DVI cables are even more
> expensive. I've never seen one long enough to do what you want to with
> it -- they're usually only around a meter long, and I've never seen
> one longer than about two meters. You're not going to be able to run
> an out to the TV from your Myth box with one of these unless the Myth
> machine is next to the TV.

I have the cables I need already, though I have deiced I would want to
build a dedicated box for MythTV.
 
> This also ignores audio, since DVI and S-vid (AFAIK) only deliver the
> video signal. You'll need another long cable to get the audio from the
> soundcard to your TV (assuming it supports audio-in) or to another
> amplification source. You'll also need a way to get the audio from the
> converter box into the capture card.
>
>  If you want to use coax, you'll need to look at the PVR 350 card,
> which does hardware MPEG decoding and supports coax out. A caveat,
> though: this card decodes MPEG 2, but not MPEG 4. You may have trouble
> playing compressed video (divx, xvid, etc) out of this card, and, as I
> understand, it is difficult to get X working properly. The 350
> (reportedly, I've never used one) has very good quality for live and
> recorded TV, but is problematic for playing back things that come from
> outside MythTV.

I never thought about the sounds from the cable box (I'm glad I asked
questions :), but could I not use the coax out from the top set into
the MythTV box and then composite from the MythTV box to the TV?

<sinp>
> Yes, but you'll probably want the IR blaster as close to the decoder
> box as you can get it, and even then there will be some delay when
> changing channels in live TV. But Myth is not built for channel
> surfing, and the ring buffer only contains the channel currently
> selected -- you can't switch channels and then rewind the new channel
> to a point before you switched.

Let me get this straight, the IR Blaster is part of the capture card
that will change the channel on my top set?  Also, you mentioned that
there will be some delay when changing channel, how long of a delay
should I be expecting?

<sinp>
 
> This doesn't have to be ridiculously expensive, however. I am still
> running my master BE/FE on a P3 700 that I bought used for $150
> (although I've added at least $400 worth of parts to it).
> 
> I really hope that this hasn't confused you too much, but it is
> essential that you go into this with solid planning, otherwise you'll
> end up spending more than you want it both time and money, and getting
> frustrated when things don't work how you want them to.
> 
> That being said, it is definitely worth your time because there is
> simply nothing else in existence right now that is as powerful and as
> flexible as MythTV in dealing with media over a network.
> 
> Feel free to get to me if you have any more questions.
> 
> Good luck.
> 

No I think I understand it all now, with the exception of the
questions above... Also, I read the required specs somewhere and I
can't seem to find them any more, I'm sure I'm over looking them...
But a PIII ~500Mhz, too slow for a master MythTV box? Also, what is
the lowest end video card that I could use before I start seeing
degradation?

Thanks!,
Andrew


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