[mythtv-users] Why FireWire makes sense even for those without HDTV displays

Yeechang Lee ylee at pobox.com
Mon Jan 2 12:41:20 UTC 2006


Alex Malinovich <demonbane at the-love-shack.net> says:
> I apologize in advance for my lack of knowledge regarding HDTV and
> FireWire, but could you give me some more details of the setup you're
> running? I've got an HD cable box

I have the Motorola DCT-6200 (two of them, actually, although I am
awaiting the second FireWire cable). As I understand it the
Scientific-Atlanta box also works (but see below). A question for
those who've done it; can the dual-tuner Motorola DCT-64xx DVR box
support two FireWire outputs at once? I'd love to get rid of the
second cable box if I can.

It's important to note that different cable providers have different
policies regarding what channels their boxes output on FireWire. Many
do not output the premium, copy-protected channels, but some do. It's
possible some providers' boxes only output the digital channels and
not the analog (generally those below 100) channels; my box outputs
both.

> and a great HDTV

I'm awaiting the delivery of the Westinghuse LVM-37W1, a 37" 1080p
(Woo-hoo!) panel from J&R (the one Jarod Wilson on the list has). In
retrospect I should've bought from Crutchfield; like J&R it offers no
sales tax unless you're in its home state (VA, versus NY for J&R) but
also offers free shipping on TVs and what I hear is a generous return
policy. J&R and its freight company totally bungled the shipping. I
got a very, very generous discount due to the mishap, but it's still
frustrating to have the panel be five days late.

> Could I use the FireWire out with channel switching (either via an
> IR Blaster or serial/USB interface)

The ATrpms and KnoppMyth versions of MythTV both support FireWire
signal input *and built-in channel changing output*, at least to a
DCT-6200. That's right; no IR blasters or anything else! (I am told
the Scientific-Atlanta box requires a blaster, but don't know for
sure.) Although wholly unnecessary, I still out of habit stop pushing
buttons on the IR remote when MythTV changes channels (old TiVo IR
blaster veterans will understand).

> to get channels from my cable box to my MythTV box and then put out
> the signal via DVI/Component to the TV?

This is exactly how MythTV (or any DVR) works, but I think you already
know that, and your main concern is the following:

> Would I still get the true HD signal out to the TV?

As mentioned I don't have an HDTV display right now, so I don't know
for sure, but I can tell you that the box still happily sends out
non-HDTV signals from its rear outputs. The same channel as whatever
the MythTV box has set the cable box to, of course.

I'd be surprised to find that HDTV signals don't behave that way, but
am open to being told otherwise.
-- 
Yeechang Lee <ylee at pobox.com> | +1 650 776 7763 | San Francisco CA US


More information about the mythtv-users mailing list