[mythtv-users] Myth 0.22 for Comcast Digital in US - how would you build?

[Johnny Walker]

On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 2:55 PM, jon <jheizermythtv at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 04/19/2010 02:39 PM, Kenneth Emerson wrote:
>>
>> Asking in ref:
>> - Tuner devices/cards to work (as best as possible) with whatever Comcast
>> box and link technology (firewire, composite)
>
> It depends on what you watch.  Using the stats supplied by mythweb, I see
> that 85% of what is recorded by my system is OTA.  I am fortunate that with
> a simple bow-tie antenna on my roof, I get excellent reception of NBC, CBS,
> ABC, FOX, and CW as well as PBS.  For this majority, I use a dual tuner
> HD-HomeRun which is almost unanimously recommended on this list.   For the
> other 15%, I have subscribed to my cable company's (MediaCom) digital
> service at a cost of $9.95/month which gets me one STB.  I did get this to
> work with firewire, but because of the 5C "encryption", the recordings were
> not 100% reliable, so I bought Hauppauge's HD-PVR to record the component
> output of the supplied Motorola STB.  If you do not have access to OTA
> (can't/won't install antenna or not close enough to transmitters), you are
> kind of stuck with the cable company's STB offering.
>>
>> - Does HD change the recommendation
>
> HD makes a difference when it comes to the size of the recordings and how
> you plan to play them back.  Most of the newer systems will play the HD
> content in mpeg format (HD-HR) (someone more knowledgeable can probably give
> CPU specs required here), but you will need a video card that supports vdpau
> to play back the H.264 from an HD-PVR.  The mpeg file sizes are about 3x
> what the SD recordings are (6 GB / hour).  The HD-PVR will produce at about
> half that at 720p resolution.
>
>>
>> - Does trying to make the Tuners and BE remote from FE change the
>> recommendation?  (IR and blasting)
>>
> I use an IR/RF converter to get to my remote backend and use the IR receiver
> from one of my PVR-350's that I still have installed.
>
>>
>> I'm asking because I'm really unclear what would be most "turn-key" and
>> reliable if budget and pre-existing equipment were not considerations.
>> TIA!!!!!!!
>>
> Turn-key?  That's not going to be the mythTV way, but I think you mean what
> is the best way with the least complexity?
>
>>
>> p.s. "screw Comcast" is a very viable answer, but not quite what I'm
>> looking for here...  ;-)
>
> From some of the responses on this list, you wouldn't be the first to thumb
> their nose at their cable provider (Comcast seems to get the worst press).
> Good luck!
> -- Ken E.
>
> Just wanted to agree on thinking about where you are recording from.  I have
> 2 PCI ATSC getting OTA that covers most of my recordings and a single HDPVR
> on a Dish HD receiver.  Cuts down on receiver rental costs a lot.  Just
> switched to this from analog comcast cable last week.  So far it is working
> great.
>
> Jon
>

And if the OTA recpetion is an issue for you (It is Dallas proper) you
can most likely supplement your HDPVR + STB setup with an HDHR that
can get at least your local channels using QAM on the wire of your
cable provider. I went this route since it's prime time and local
channels that are trying to put programs head to head.

-Johnny