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Bryce Ostenson wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:181d65cc0805090732g2630aaa3t5c10f7222032cc61@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div>Hello all,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I'm working on my upgrade to HD and have found that selecting
the right technologies to be pretty complex. I think I've got a good
grasp on things but wanted to run my findings/thinking by people more
knowledgeable than myself.</div>
<p>What I have now:<br>
* A working SD mythTV system (quite happy with it really)<br>
* Enough CPU, hard disk, and memory to do HD (but not capture/video
card)<br>
* Combined frontend/backend, and a remote frontend that we can ignore
for now.<br>
* And I've added a Philips 42" LCD 1080p (Specs states it has QAM
tuner, no DVI, no VGA/D-Sub).<br>
* Comcast HD (no HBO/Showtime/etc)<br>
* A Scientific Atlanta Explorer 4250hdc STB</p>
<p>My goal:<br>
* Minimal cost, including both monthly costs and up-front costs.<br>
* Single HD tuner is ok, more are better of course! Would like to keep
my analog PVR-150 operational as a fall-back tuner.<br>
* Keep it simple - I've spent a lot of time getting my mythTV going so
far and prefer to stick with good, known solutions.<br>
* Would like to be able to record all/most of my HD content from
Comcast (again, no HBO, Showtime, etc).</p>
<p>-- Model 1: Comcast > mythTV > TV (NO STB)</p>
<p>This is my preferred model.</p>
<p>Problem: QAM from Comcast in 55401 seems isolated to local
channels. My Philips TV wasn't able to decode any of the other HD
content (or so it seemed). Please correct me if I'm wrong but I
believe this means that I won't be able to use an HDHomerun or other HD
tuner cards to decode SciFiHD and other non-local but non-premium
channels. I think this rules out this model.</p>
<p>Advantages: Simple. Would probably use an HDHomeRun and get an
upgraded video card that supports HDMI, DVI or component out.</p>
</blockquote>
No point in doing this, since you paying for something that's already
available for free.<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:181d65cc0805090732g2630aaa3t5c10f7222032cc61@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<p>-- Model 2: Comcast > STB > mythTV > TV</p>
<p>Advantages: Should be able to capture most anything. Would that
include premium channels (HBO)?</p>
<p>Disadvantages: IR Blaster? Potential quality loss from component
HD capture? More complex installation?</p>
<p>Unknowns: Can I even capture digitally from the firewire port on
the 4250hdc? Initial searching doesn't look good.</p>
<p>Hardware must be able to work via LAN (e.g. HDHomerun), a PCI slot
(open), a PCIe x16 slot (in use by my video card), or USB. I haven't
investigated this.</p>
</blockquote>
I'm assuming in model 2 you're talking about connecting your STB
through either a firewire cable or components cable. In this model I
would instead look into using the new Hauppauge HD-PVR 1212. This way,
you'd be able to connect you STB to the HD-PVR 1212 through components
cable. Now with this part I'm still unsure, but I believe the HD-PVR
and mythtv BE would communicate through network. In my mind it would
somehow work similarly the same way as the HDHomerun. Also instead of
using an IR Blaster to control the STB, I believe you could configure
mythtv to control the STB through firewire. Now I haven't done this,
but this is what I would try to do if I wanted to keep Comcast's STB.<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:181d65cc0805090732g2630aaa3t5c10f7222032cc61@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<p>-- Model 3: OTA HD > mythTV > TV</p>
<p>Advantages: FREE on an ongoing basis.</p>
<p>Disadvantages: Not as many channels; my LCD would be relegated to
most HD content coming from a to-be-purchased Bluray player.</p>
</blockquote>
Personally this is the setup I prefer and also plan to do. The biggest
advantage is that it's free and is a very simple setup. Obviously it
all depends how much TV you want to watch, but for me, so far, I really
enjoy OTA HD. In terms of hardware, you've basically got 2 options,
HDHomerun or internal PCI/PCIe card. Either option seems good and costs
about the same. It all depends how you want to set it up.<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:181d65cc0805090732g2630aaa3t5c10f7222032cc61@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<p>-- Model 4: Comcast DVR or Tivo or non-Myth Box > TV</p>
<p>Advantages: It just works? Sort of? Could stick with a simple
HDMI cabling scheme.</p>
<p>Disadvantages: Lesser interface, more limited options, potentially
spending just as much up front. And likely more on a monthly basis.</p>
</blockquote>
The it's goodbye to mythtv :-(<br>
<blockquote
cite="mid:181d65cc0805090732g2630aaa3t5c10f7222032cc61@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<p>Summary:</p>
<p>I guess my main decision points and questions are:<br>
* Is my QAM analysis in model 1 correct?<br>
* Will I be losing quality due to additional conversions to capture
from the STB? Any anecdotal comments on how much degradation I'll see?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help... And for making a great solution that I've
enjoyed working with!</p>
<p>Bryce</p>
<p>PS: Sorry for the lengthy email...</p>
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</blockquote>
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