[mythtv-users] Problems testing my card.

[Kevin J. Cummings]

Batshua bat Yehonatan wrote:
> Point of information, OP prefers female pronouns.

Sorry, I couldn't tell.

> (Please be patient with me, I've only been using Mythbuntu for about a 
> week.)
> 
> I am connected via coaxial cable to the converter box.  I live in Texas, 
> I use Time Warner Cable, which I have heard bad things about with 
> relation to PVRs.  Our cable is supposed to be digital as of a few years 
> ago.
> 
> My card is supposed to provide both analog and digital support.

Yes, but with separate hardware selection.  You have to program the card 
to read from the analog tuner, or from the digital tuner.

> By bypassing the converter box, I take it you mean I should connect the 
> coaxial cable from the wall directly to the PVR?  If I *need* a 
> converter box to watch TV, doesn't this mean that the PVR won't pick up 
> much of anything, or do I at least have the hope of picking up SOME 
> channels?

That is the general suggestion.  If your cable is indeed encrypted, then 
you won't find much except for your local broadcast channels which must 
remain in the clear (ie, not encrypted).  The rest is up to your cable 
company.  If they decided to encrypt everything else, then you won't 
find much.  I can't speak for TWC, I have RCN here in Massachusetts.
They recently encrypted all except for maybe 15-channels.  Just what I 
can receive OTA.  Everything else has 5c encryption and is not viewable 
on my pcHD5500.

If you need the converter box to watch TV, odds are you'll need the box 
to de-crypted the encrypted channels for your card.  Then the questions 
become:
	How do you hook your converter box to your card so you get the
		the best quality signal to record?
	How do you change channels on your converter box so your card
		can record for you?  (IR?  firewire?  serial?  manual?)

> Did I fail to answer any of your questions in such a way that you have 
> insufficient information?

You cleared some stuff up, but I suspect your answers are not here yet.

> Again, many thanks for your time.
> 
> Batshua

-- 
Kevin J. Cummings
kjchome at rcn.com
cummings at kjchome.homeip.net
cummings at kjc386.framingham.ma.us
Registered Linux User #1232 (http://counter.li.org)