[mythtv-users] Capture card with best tuner - BT8x8, SA713x or PVR-250?

[Joe V]

Reza,

I tried two signal boosters (that break off into four
ports each), one at a time, one that provided up to
7dB, one that provided up to 10dB.  With the 7dB
booster, I didn't get any noticable difference, with
the 10dB booster, it just amplified the noise and made
things worse.

The only thing I haven't tried is one of those
"satelite" signal boosters that supposedly connects to
the antenna or something like that - the only reason I
haven't tried one of those is because I'm afraid that
I'll blow something up since I'm not using a satelite.
 :)  If you can quote me a Radio Shack part number,
I'll look it up - the part I was using was 15-1197
(link:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F003%5F010%5F001%5F000&product%5Fid=15%2D1197).

As for the capture settings...  It's a Pinnacle PCTV
Rave (I believe), bttv auto-detects it.  I currently
use gbuffers=16, but I've also used 2 (the default), 8
and 32, without much of a difference.  My capture
settings are 352x480 (I get too many stutters at
higher), RTJPEG, quality 170, uncompressed audio.

-- Joe

--- Reza Naima <reza at reza.net> wrote:
> Try getting a signal booster -- got one from radio
> shack for like $20 or
> $30 that plugs into the AC and boosts the cable
> strength.  Worked great
> at clearing up the picture.  That's what your vcr
> might be doing.
> 
> What settings are you passing to the video capture
> card module/driver?
> 
> -r
> 
> On Fri, Aug 22, 2003 at 09:34:09PM -0700, Joe V sent
> me this...
> > In my continuing saga to get MythTV working with
> my
> > crappy cable signal, I'm trying to determine what
> > capture card best handles noise so that I don't
> drop
> > frames and get rebuffering due to said noise.
> > 
> > The management of my apartment complex has
> indicated
> > that they will look into the situation, but of
> course,
> > there's no guarantee that the issue will be
> resolved. 
> > It does appear that it is an issue with the signal
> > coming into my apartment (according to the Comcast
> > tech who came to my apartment yesterday).
> > 
> > What I have found is that if I connect put my VCR
> > inbetween my capture card and the splitter for my
> TV,
> > the frame drop problem goes away.  Additionally, I
> > swapped out the Leadtek Winfast 2000 XP Deluxe
> card
> > for a used Pinnacle PCTV Rave (I think, it was
> just
> > the card in a bag that I bought for $40) and even
> > without the VCR connected, the rebuffering has
> gone
> > down quite a bit.  It's possible that if I drop
> the
> > resolution down to 352x480 that the problem might
> go
> > away (I'm at 480x480 now), but with my hardware,
> I'm
> > certain that I should be able to easily do
> 480x480.
> > 
> > I'm guessing that this is occuring because the
> capture
> > code can't get the frame and compress it quickly
> > enough for it to be displayed (keeping everything
> in
> > sync) due to the extra noise in the picture.
> > 
> > So, that said, is there anybody else with marginal
> > cable signals coming in who have capture card
> > recommendations?  I'd rather not have to add the
> VCR
> > into the mix on a permanent basis.
> > 
> > I'm using analog cable by the way (I can't justify
> > digital cable), although I'm certain that would
> fix
> > the problem (but at the same time, cost me an
> extra
> > $40 per month, plus the hassle of setting up a
> > configuration for MythTV).
> > 
> > Any thoughts are appreciated.
> > 
> > -- Joe
> > 
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