[mythtv-users] Will Hauppauge PVR-150 work for digital cable?

[Tom Lichti]

Rich West wrote:
> Craig Hagerman wrote:
>> I want to set up a mythtv box for my parents. I already have a
>> Hauppauge PVR-150 I was going to use. I just found out that they had
>> been upgraded to analog cable a few months ago. (They live in Ontario
>> and I guess Rogers cable upgraded them for some reason. I don't think
>> it is HDTV, but I have no idea.) I had set up mythtv before on
>> whatever cable system we have used in Ontario previously. I am just
>> wondering if the PVR-150 will work with digital cable or not. (I don't
>> live there so want to find out what I need before I get there.) I
>> don't really understand how the signal is different from whatever
>> cable TV has been until now, but I suspect I would need a different
>> card. Is that so?
> 
> If they have digital cable, then they have a set top box.  The cable
> from the wall goes to that set top box, which decodes the signal, and
> sends the video signal out to the TV.
> 
> You would take the cable destined to the TV and plug it in to the
> PVR-150.  The trick, though, is getting the computer system to change
> the channel on the set top box, since that is where the real "tuner"
> is.  It entirely depends upon the type of set top box that they have as
> to how you will be able to control it.  In some cases, you can get a
> serial connection to the set top box and control the channel changes
> that way, and in other cases you need an IR blaster.  Once you find out
> the type (make & model) of set top box, you'll really know what you are
> dealing with.

Rogers pretty much exclusively uses SA boxes, I think mine is an SA3100, 
or something like that. Pretty low end stuff. This solution would work, 
but is less reliable.

Tom