No subject

I used Myth with one receiver for several months without (much*)
issue, using the directv.pl script
[http://www.pdp8.net/directv/directv.shtml] to change channels via a
serial port, capturing analog audio and S-video via a PVR-250.  I had
to experiment briefly with the script to work with the newer receiver.
 And rather than build the required cable, I purchased one from an
online source.  Once configured, the setup was rock solid - never,
ever missed a channel change.  Did occasionally get a bad recording
due to weather interfering with the satellite signal.

My receiver is several years old at this point, so I can't speak to
the availability of current equipment that includes the control port.
Unsurprisingly their web site doesn't make it easy to find out.  You
might have better luck dealing directly with a local retailer.
DirecTV is also becoming actively hostile to allowing new customers to
activate older equipment such as you might source from eBay or
elsewhere - especially for SD-only.  Absent this port, you're back to
the IR-blaster method.

At the time Dish and DirecTV had nearly identical pricing once we had
all the channels we were interested in (though Dish had less expensive
entry-level packages) so the ability to change channels via serial was
the deciding factor between the two.  YMMV.

(*The only issue I had was related to WAF:  my wife would pick up the
remote to find out why the receiver had changed channels, putting the
OSD up over the recording, and sometimes switching the channel back.
Since I was only in testing mode I couldn't complain much about this.
In production, I would have either used the option in the directv.pl
script to supress the info button, or, ideally, put the receiver in
the closet with a backend and used a separate frontend machine.  We're
now switching to OTA-only so the point has become moot.)

--=20
Russ D. Van Winkle