[mythtv-users] Multi-Input Cards

Tortise tortise at paradise.net.nz
Sat Sep 11 21:52:22 UTC 2010


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <mike at grounded.net>
To: "mythtv-users" <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 1:59 AM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Multi-Input Cards


>Yes, I am aware of this. I was sure that most cheap multi-input video security cards share the encoding.
It is not for a commercial application, it's that I would like to have multiple video sources as I have three satellite receivers, 
media servers, and several video cameras around the house. I'm trying to find a way to consolidate these things but in a way that 
gives me a nice high resolution solution. Currently, I'm just using a bunch of mono pico-macom modulators which doesn't do anything 
I own justice. It allows me to tune into what ever I need from anywhere in the house but doesn't give me full graphics.


I think your goals are similar to mine, which is HD video anywhere(s) anytime  {(s) = simultaneously like your (and my) RF 
modulators achieve}and HD security footage on same basis, probably with rolling records somewhere.

Some things I am considering are Ethernet based security cameras, which I am presuming will work somewhat akin to the HDHomeruns. 
One way to do HD security anytime anywhere is to multicast it somehow.  VLC will stream multicast as can a HDHomerun be set to a 
multicast IP.  Then any suitably specified box (Frontend) can watch, just like one does with SD TV's and RF modulation.

There has been some dev comment that at some point multicasting will be easy to add into myth,  however when that is I am not sure. 
Certainly I'd love to see it, however I also agree that a web based BE config 
(http://svn.mythtv.org/trac/wiki/TaskBrowserBasedSetup) would also be worthwhile as seems committed in the development pipeline. 
Thinking about it as I write I'd prefer the function before the web interface, however I expect that once the web interface is up it 
might well be easier to modify settings and things.

There are previous threads about this under different guises.  Multicast is one search phrase worth using.  It has its own set of 
issues, mainly around having switches up to the job and working its complexity out, not to mention WiFi needs special thought if you 
are using it, some WiFi devices can just turn off multicast, but then that might restrict intended options.  I was thinking to just 
avoid WiFi, but it seems that is superseded with the experience that myth can play HD over G grade WiFi, but N being desirable and 
better.

I have to presume your current security cameras output composite video.  One option is to use a rel low power PC with encoder taking 
a composite or USB security camera feed and use that to multicast, although it may be more economic (taking into account the hassle 
factor) to just use Ethernet based cameras.

A change to higher def security which is Ethernet (and maybe POE based) seems a sensible direction for me.  I've also noted that the 
WiFi cameras have an Ethernet port to configure the WiFi, so presumably will function over Ethernet also.  I like wired Ethernet. 
It almost always works.

Anyway I hope these comments also help and do keep us posted please how you progress it there! 



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