[mythtv-users] Cable or dish

[jedi]

On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 03:11:29PM -0700, Mike Gibson wrote:
> On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 12:16 PM, jedi <jedi at mishnet.org> wrote:
> > On Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 12:12:57PM -0700, Mike Gibson wrote:
> >> Hi, I've been using MythTV for awhile on regular OTA for a while now.
> >> I'm currently using a pcHDTV HD-5500.  My setup is dead simple now
> >> with just an antenna plugged into the HD-5500.  I don't record analog
> >> anything.  It's all digital.
> >>
> >> My wife now wants to get some form of cable, dish, or some paid TV
> >> service.  I have absolutely no experience with this.  The only time
> >> I've had cable is when I lived in an apartment and it was provided via
> >> the "magic plug" on the wall.  I've never dealt with a set top box or
> >> anything like it.
> >>
> >> So I'm looking for any recommendations on what sort of service to get.
> >>  We're not picky, just want more channels.  What is going to make this
> >> process as easy as possible?  I'd like to just be able to unplug the
> >> antenna and plug in the "magic plug", update my channel setup and be
> >> off and running.  IR blasters and so forth scare me a bit so I'd like
> >> to avoid that.  A set top box is ok with me as long as it's easy to
> >
> >    DTV might have an edge here since there are a number of us that
> > subscribe to DirecTV and use the USB/serial port to control the
> > reciever instead of an IR blaster.
> 
> How do I go about recording HD this way?  Do I need more hardware?  I
> don't see any outputs on the DirecTV box that I can connect to my
> HD-5500 for HD even if I can solve the channel changing problem.

   Yes. You will need more hardware. A means to deal with encrypted HD
cable channels is a likely requirement regardless of what cable provider
you choose. For Satellite cable, you can use an analog HD capture box and
that will record whatever comes out of your reciever. (HD-PVR)