[mythtv-users] MythTV/TiVo integration

Justin Hornsby justin at mythtvthemes.co.uk
Mon Nov 19 13:47:41 UTC 2007


Mike Perkins wrote:
> I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I was trying to get something for free. 
> I wasn't, I am a bona fide Virgin Media customer and am quite happy to hand over 
> the cash in return for services. Although I do grind my teeth every time Sky 
> puts up their portion of the price.
>
> However, I am a computer guy, and I run a Mythtv installation, and I can record 
> off my STB with a Scart-to-Svideo adapter cable and an IR-blaster. I just wish 
> it was possible to stick the end of the incoming cable into a card on my back 
> end and treat the input the same as the DVB cards I already have. This would (a) 
> give me better quality input than S-video, and (b) make channel changing a snap. 
> What's not to like about that idea?
>
> If there *is* a solution out there, there must be a fair number of UK Virgin 
> Media + Mythtv users out there who would take advantage of it.
>
> Mike Perkins
>
>   
There's plenty to like about the idea of putting VirginMedia cable 
directly into a mythtv box & working that way.  The problem is, 
VirginMedia forbids it.  Some UK cable users have already asked for help 
getting mythtv to work with a direct feed & developers have (rightly 
IMHO) refused to change mythtv code to allow scanning etc to work with a 
direct cable connection.

If people are that concerned why don't they contact Virgin Media (VM) & 
see about them changing their policy?  For MythTV to work properly with 
pay tv in the UK Virgin would have to 1) allow connection of 3rd party 
equipment to the cable and 2) make a suitable CAM available to allow 
decryption of subscription-based channels.  That would of course require 
one CAM per tuner card and probably an additional fee from VM.

All that may very well be something VM have already considered but 
haven't gone ahead with for legal reasons (such as existing provision 
contracts with content providers).  Nobody but VirginMedia are in any 
position to clarify their situation.  Of course they're likely to turn 
around and say "hey our own PVR is just what you need".


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