[mythtv-users] looking for an hdhomerun

[R. G. Newbury]

Larry K wrote:
> Yeah, it sounds like HDHR is the way to go if you want HD content, either
> from OTA or cable via QAM.  I was under the false impression it could also
> capture digital cable that is not HD.  Channels that are on the digital
> cable tier that are not available on analog to my PVRs.    This is why my
> interest was piqued.  Oh well.
> 
> On Jan 8, 2008 9:19 AM, Dan Wilga <mythtv-users2 at dwilga-linux1.amherst.edu>
> wrote:
> 
>> I have an HDHR and love it. But it will never be able to give me
>> encrypted content (even if I do pay for it), so I also have two Dish
>> receivers. That's because my cable provider encrypts almost
>> everything but content that is otherwise available OTA. All told,
>> this is still cheaper than getting an STB with "standard" cable. I
>> pay about $6 to the cable company and another $38 to Dish.

I will repeat myself.

TV streams are either analog or digital.
TV streams are either standard definition or high definition.
Analog streams cannot do high definition.
Digital streams can be SD or HD.

And HDHR is a digital tuner.
It tunes the the desired stream.
The stream may be an SD version of the same 'channel' which is being 
broadcast in HD. Many TV stations do that with OTA broadcasts: channel 
7-1 is HD, while 7-2 is SD.

Cable TV can be analog or digital. Digital streams are usually (North 
America) QAM256 encoded. In addition they can be encrypted. Whether 
unencrypted or not, the stream can be SD or HD. Generally, the 'premium' 
encrypted content is HD, but not always..the channel may generally be in 
HD but beoadcast lots of shows which are SD.

Whether an HDHR will receive anything useful from your cable depends 
upon your cableco. If in the US, you will at least receive the 'must 
carry' local broadcast stations (SD and HD versions), plus whatever the 
cablco decides to allow. In Canada, cablecos can set the encryption bit 
on every digital channel, and some do (Rogers in the Toronto area) while 
some do not (Shaw in Victoria did for a little while, but reversed itself).
When Rogers changed to encryption, I lost about 25 digital channels on 
the cable. I already had an HDHR...and I had an antenna mounted in about 
10 days! I now get 12 good OTA digital channels and will likely get more 
when I put the antenna on a tower (its in the attic now).

Geoff


       Tux says: "Be regular. Eat cron flakes."