[mythtv-users] Newb Question

[Andrew Davis]

I'm starting to get the impression that I'd have a much simpler solution 
with my kid's room setup. We have Cox provided DVRs in the three rooms 
with their "digital cable" at each. The benefit of this is that all 
other rooms get the stock, basic cable so as long as I have a 
cable-ready TV, I can get the "basic cable" (channels 0 - 99) without 
paying Cox any extra. I'm gathering that a nice, simple solution would 
be to simply put the myth box I'm building between the cable feed and 
the TV in my kids room. Of course, that sort of negates the need for the 
nice box and such. Hmmm... perhaps I should rethink this before I drop 
over $2000 in h/w...

William Prochazka wrote:
>
> On 9/12/06, *Andrew Davis* <andrew at nccomp.com 
> <mailto: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.