[mythtv-users] MythTV Wiki Recording Parameters

[Michael T. Dean]

<sending to list so others can provide input and/or benefit from the info>

On 09/17/2008 01:40 PM, Jerome Yuzyk wrote:
> Hi. Are you the Michael Dean that made the PVR-x50 entry in
>
>   http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Recording_Parameters
>   

Yep.

> If so, are the settings you provided still what you use?

I've switched my system to all OTA HDTV, so I don't even have the 
PVR-x50's installed (They're just 4 different flavors of paperweight, 
now--a PVR-350, a PVR-250, a PVR-150, and a PAL PVR-150.  :)

>  I have a PVR-550 and 
> I was thinking since you seem to be a Myth keener your settings would be Real 
> Good for me to use.

Thanks, but I wouldn't say those are good parameters to use (as a matter 
of fact, I just removed my anachronistic entry for that reason :).  When 
I was using those parameters, I cared more about quantity than quality.  
And, since at that time hard drives were /much/ more expensive than now, 
I got quantity through inordinately-low bitrate (which resulted in low 
quality).  The quality was VCR-quality or below, but it was good enough 
for me at the time (though once I upgraded to HDTV, I only watched the 
recorded SDTV versions of the can't-miss programs I watch and deleted 
the rest because it wasn't worth watching).

Note, also, that low-bitrate settings will work best if you use a 
digital STB connected to the PVR-x50 with S-Video.  I happened to be 
using DISH network (which is digital), so the source signal over the 
S-Video was very clean, meaning there was not a need for "extra" bitrate 
to handle the noise in the signal.  A friend was using the same settings 
with an analog cable connection and his quality was so low--noticeably 
worse than I got from my STB--(and his wife--and I, when I was over--had 
to suffer through it) that I eventually "forced" him to upgrade by 
donating enough of the needed pieces/parts for an HDTV setup and showing 
up with/helping him install an antenna in his attic so he felt guilty 
not just buying the rest (capture cards, HDD's, case, PSU) and upgrading.

IMHO, you'd be much better off with the default settings for a PVR-x50 
card--which, IIRC, are 720x480 (NTSC or 720x576 PAL) @ 4500/6000kbps w/ 
48kHz layer 2 audio @ (192kbps or greater).  Those settings would give 
you somewhere around 2.1 to 2.5 GB/hr (or 2 to 2.3GiB/hr).  And, since 
HDD's are cheap today***, get your quantity with extra/bigger HDD's.  As 
a matter of fact, because of the cost of storage, you may want to 
consider using a higher bitrate than the default, too.

HTH,
Mike

*** Ref:
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD103UJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard 
Drive - OEM for $134.99 (free S&H)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152102

Recertified: Western Digital Caviar GP WD10EACS 1TB 5400 to 7200 RPM 
16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive $109.99 + $8.55 S&H
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136293

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1 HD753LJ 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - 
OEM for $99.99 (free S&H)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152100

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard 
Drive - OEM + Free 4GB SD card for $99.99 (free S&H)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148134

Western Digital GP Caviar 1TB Serial ATA, 3 Gb/s Internal Hard Drive - 
OEM/Bare - WD10EACS $135.99 (free S&H)
http://www.buy.com/prod/western-digital-gp-caviar-1tb-serial-ata-3-gb-s-internal-hard-drive/q/loc/101/205083228.html

Western Digital Caviar GP WD7500AACS - 750GB - 7200rpm - Serial ATA/300 
- Serial ATA - Internal Hard Drive - OEM/Bare $100.99 (free S&H)
http://www.buy.com/prod/western-digital-caviar-gp-wd7500aacs-750gb-7200rpm-serial-ata-300/q/loc/101/205083227.html 

Seagate Barracuda 750GB SATA/300 7200RPM 32MB HDD (factory recertified) 
for $89.99 + ~$10ish S&H
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=ST3750330AS-R&cat=HDD

Seagate Barracuda 750GB UDMA/100 7200RPM 16MB HDD (factory recertified) 
for $89.99 + ~$10ish S&H
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=ST3750640A-R&cat=HDD

(Mentioning the geeks.com stuff because it's pretty much the only cheap 
UDMA I saw, and it's actually cheaper than the $100 750GB OEM drives if 
you buy multiple drives at once, as shipping the second and additional 
drives is much cheaper.)

And there are a bunch more.  Also, check other retailers.  If you choose 
to buy from any of the retailers mentioned, you are entering into 
transaction solely between you and that retailer.  I don't stand behind 
the retailer nor do I warrant their service, the quality of the hard 
drive you receive, or any thing else related to said transaction.  I'm 
not a lawyer, but if I were, I'm sure I could continue to say a bunch of 
things that really mean, "You choose.  You take responsibility.  I'm not 
involved." :)

(Yeah, I know.  Factory recertified.  Oh no!!!  I don't get the 5-yr 
warranty.  IMHO, sometimes recertified is worth it.  If you don't think 
so, feel free to pay more money for the same drive brand new and get a 
same-size recertified replacement when and /if/ yours fails during that 
5 year period, and I'll take the money I save and put it toward the cost 
of a 1TB or 2TB or ... HDD in 3, 4, 5, 6, ... years when/if the 
recertified drive I bought actually gives out.  I happen to be running 
Myth systems with 4 recertified Seagate 750GB HDD's (each >$70 cheaper 
than new at the time of purchase) from geeks.com and haven't had issues, 
but you have to decide whether the "insurance" is worth the cost to 
you.  Since there are some good sales on new drives right now, the 
decision will probably be harder for you than it was for me.)