[mythtv-users] Problems testing my card.

[Batshua bat Yehonatan]

On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 6:57 PM, Kevin J. Cummings <
cummings at kjchome.homeip.net> wrote:

> Batshua bat Yehonatan wrote:
>
>> Point of information, OP prefers female pronouns.
>>
>
> Sorry, I couldn't tell.


Don't blame ya.  :)

 (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?)


So, right now it's coax to converter box.  There's one coax cable going from
the wall into the box, and one coax cable going from the box into my tuner
card.  Is that the "wrong" setup such that I will have unsuccessful attempts
at finding channels?  Should I instead be using a coax splitter?  I imagine
then all I'll get is OTA, which sure is better than what I'm getting now
(literally nothing), but obviously, if the converter box will play nice and
let me watch, you know, Cable TV, that would be ideal.

 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.


I'm still in the very early stages of setting up.  The OS sees the tuner
card.  Everything is hooked up.  Am I starting in the wrong place by trying
to use scan?  Where should I be going from here?

Thanks y'all,
Batshua
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