[mythtv-users] Newb Question

William Prochazka billprozac at gmail.com
Tue Sep 12 19:04:47 EDT 2006


On 9/12/06, Andrew Davis <andrew at nccomp.com> wrote:
>
> So... to see if I have this right... I would run the physical cable line
> in to the Cox DVR/tuner as I am now... then split the output... output A
> would go straight to the TV... say as Input 1 on the TV. Output B (of
> the split) would go to the input of the Myth box and the Myth box's
> output would then go out to the TV... say as Input 2. So from my TV's
> perspective, Input 1 is the Cox box and Input 2 is the Myth box, but the
> Myth box is seeing everything out from the Cox box and allowing me to
> record it all... so basically, I only use the Input 1/Cox tuner/Cox
> remote as the tuner (to get all my channels) and for ordering
> OnDemand/PPVs, but I use the Myth box as my DVR, DVD player, PC (web
> browsing), etc. Sound about right?
>
> I have another TV in the master bedroom that is just a regular (ie:
> non-wide) TV and a Cox tuner/DVR... basically there's no DVD connected
> and its not the primary/shared TV... so I'm thinking I'll get everything
> built and working upstairs first and if all is to my liking, then move
> it downstairs.
>
> Question on splitting things... obviously I need to split after the Cox
> box to get channels over 99. However, while I have true coax cable going
> into the Cox box, I'm running composite or s-video (I don't recall right
> now) out to the TV. Will I lose any signal quality or audio/video
> quality if I come out from the Cox box via coax and split the coax back
> to the TV and Myth box? I'm just thinking that splitting the coax
> connection is a lot cheaper than splitting an
> s-video/component/composite connection.
>
>
Well, sorta.  Ask youself this, how will mythtv change the channel to record
Oprah while you are at work?  You need an IR blaster or check to see if you
box has RS232/USB support.  This will allow myth to tell the cable box to
change channels.  So you tell myth, it tells the cable box.  This lets you
make use of Myth's scheduling features.

Also, I notice you are spec'ing a PVR500.  Great card, but if you are coming
out of the cable box and into the tuner, both tuners will get the same
channel while the box is on.  Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the
cable box will only send out a signal on channel 3/4 (whatever the box
uses).  When the box is off, most go into bypass so the tuners will get
normal cable and thus work seperately.  This may not be your intent.  I
personally have one PVR500 with direct cable for 90% of my usage.  An
additional pcHDTV5500 serves up high def content (from the cable) and an
additional PVR150 connects to the cable box for anything else.  I keep all
special channels available only on the PVR150 so I don't have to worry about
it being use recording a regular channel.

To answer your final question, depending on the quality of the splitters and
cable, you should see little no no degradation in quality.  Obviously from
my set-up mentioned above, I have alot of splitting going on.  I use a 4way
splitter to serve my PVR, HDTV, and Cable box.  Everything work peachy.
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