[mythtv-users] minimum specs for PCHDTV-5500?

[Jesse Burt]

Mary Strimel wrote:

> Jesse,
> My problem is indeed the blocks random of colors in the middle of the screen
> that cover the picture, plus pausing and hesitating.  It does not happen
> when playing the signal through my cable box, so I assumed it's not a signal
> problem, BUT ... my cable provider did tell me at one point that my signal
> was "less than perfect" so ... is it possible that the HDTV-5500 requires a
> better signal than what the cable box does?

Indeed, or so it seems. I think perhaps the tuner circuitry in these 
cards just isn't quite as sensitive as those built into most cable boxes 
and digital TVs, or is just not quite as good in some other respect. I 
have found that both my 3000 and 5500 seem to "hiccup" every now and 
then like that on certain channels (usually FOX for me) and the signal 
strength is usually lower than most other channels (this is over Comcast 
cable), when the digital cable box we have here never seems to have a 
problem. I have found that I generally need at least 80% signal as 
reported by the OSD to have a stable picture.

Cheers,
Jesse