[mythtv-users] OTA/DTV tuner-card related questions, recommendations

[James Miller]

Simon Hobson wrote:

> Yes, SD DVB or ATSC is typically in the order of 2mbps, HD more but 
> still nothing you won't handle with a 100mbps network.

Glad to hear it, Simon. Thanks for interjecting that.

> Stepping back a bit in the thread, I'd suggest you have another look
> at what you are receiving OTA. Over here in the UK, most of our
> terrestrial is SD - HD is fairly new and transmitted with a different
> coding (DVB-T2) which needs new hardware. Whilst I'm not aware of you
> having any standards problem like that to deal with (ie like us
> needing DVB-T2 hardware), there is a big commercial incentive to keep
> to SD as you can fit a lot more SD channels in a given multiplex than
> you can HD channels.

Wow, great suggestion. How do I find out the characteristics of what I'm 
receiving OTA? Should my converter box display that sort of information? 
Or do I have to go to the web sites of the channels (there are really only 
2 that I'm most interested in) I'm picking up and search for information 
there? Not sure what "multiplexing" means in this context, but the 
following may be relevant: the two stations in which I'm most interested 
each have 4 or 5 of what I'd call, in my layman's nomenclature, 
"sub-channels." Does that help to determine whether they're broadcasting 
SD or HD?

> If a substantial quantity of what you can get (and want to watch) is
> only SD - then all the discussion about whether your system can
> handle HD is moot.

Good point, Simon. I'll see what I can find out about that. Just to 
clarify, it sounds like you're saying that we should expect SD to be 
around for a good long time now in OTA broadcasting, correct?

James