[mythtv-users] DISH Network HD capture?

Calvin Harrigan charriglists at bellsouth.net
Thu Dec 7 14:06:23 UTC 2006


Cole Brodine wrote:
> On 12/7/06, Jon Hamkins <hamkins at alumni.caltech.edu> wrote:
>> Earlier messages on this mailing list indicate that there is not
>> currently a way to capture HDTV content from the output of a DISH
>> Network receiver (ViP211) with MythTV.  Is that correct?  The pcHDTV
>> cards, for example, want an ATSC (RF unencrypted HDTV) signal.  I don't
>> understand why this limitation exists, since the ViP211 has a HDMI
>> audio/video output that connects directly to my HDTV.  This is an
>> unencrypted, high-definition digital audio and visual signal, is it not?
>>   Are there any HD capture cards that take this as an input?
>>
>>       ----Jon
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> mythtv-users mailing list
>> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>
> 
> First off, anybody else step in here if I'm wrong, but here is what
> was explained to me.
> 
> The HDMI input can't be captured because it is already uncompressed.
> The processor power required to compress a HD signal is too much for
> current TV cards to handle.
> 
> The reason you can capture directly over the air, is that the signal
> is broadcast in a compressed stream.  Your TV card simply grabs that
> stream and makes a file with it.  Then your computer can uncompress it
> to output to a Monitor or TV.  Uncompressing takes significantly less
> CPU then compressing does, and is well within the capabilities of most
> PCs today.
> 
> Currently, the only way I know of to get an unencrypted, but still
> compressed signal from a DirecTV or Dish Network box is 169time.com
> (http://www.169time.com/).  The problem there is the expense.  The
> other company that does a similar thing is Nextcom with the R5000
> (http://www.nextcomwireless.com/r5000/home.htm).  That would require
> you to have a windows box as a go between, but it is significantly
> cheaper (although still pretty expensive as far as I'm concerned).
> 
> Basically, what most people have told me is that HD capture from a
> satellite system is POSSIBLE. But it isn't easy, cheap, or really
> feasible for most people.
> 
> Personally, I'll be waiting to see what we have on the Cablecard front
> in the near future.  It seems most promising to me.
> 
> Anybody else who knows differently, please step in here and correct me
> if I'm wrong.
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> 

Support for the R5000 in mythtv would be great, It does take a 
significant investment though.  It's like 500 bucks plus the vIP211 
receiver itself, subscription...
It was mentioned earlier on that the developers of the R5000 is mildly 
interested in helping develop a driver for Mythtv.  I would like to take 
on the task, but reality as it were doesn't allow me time to do so.



More information about the mythtv-users mailing list