[mythtv-users] Dvico dual express success!

[DaveD]

I've been trying to get dual HD recording to work for some time, now, 
and finally found success with a single card!  The Dvico FusionHDTV7 
Dual Express works flawlessly!  I'm using it with cable (QAM256) and 
can't vouch for OTA, but I was able to record one HD channel, watch 
time-shifted live TV on a second HD channel and watch a previously 
recorded HD show on the other display, all at the same time!  The video 
got a little jumpy (just a little) when I started watching the second 
show, but the recordings were flawless!  I haven't tried the analog 
portion yet and probably wont, since I still have my PVR-500 for that.

I wanted to write up my experience for anyone who might have similar 
issues.  I have had a Dvico FusionHD5 in my system with a pcHD3000 for 
dual HD capability.  They worked fine as long as I didn't watch a HD 
show while both were recording.  I discovered that either card could 
record ok if it was installed so that its interrupts were shared with 
the Nvidia graphics card.  But the other card always had a different 
interrupt and that one would get corrupt (broken, blocky) recordings if 
I watched an HD show while it was recording, even if it was the only 
card recording.  They could record two shows simultaneously without 
problems as long as the video wasn't being worked.  Both cards had the 
same problem; when I swapped them, the problem moved to the other card.  
I always had to make sure the priority was set to a lower level on the 
card that didn't share the interrupt with the VGA and increase the 
priority on the one that did share with the VGA.

Any way, I pulled both of them out and plugged in the single, PCIE dual 
card and voila!  The new card has only one interrupt for both tuners and 
it just happens to be shared with the Nvidia.  Finally, I can quit 
*$#&ing around with the computer and watch some of the shows I've recorded!

DaveD