[mythtv-users] PVR-350 - PAL-I Variant, for use in Ireland?

[Steve Dwyer]

> Steve Dwyer wrote:
> >
> >>Hi All,
> >>
> >>First post from a MythTV newbie, so go easy on me. :)
> >>
> >>I've just bought a Hauppauge PVR-350, with the intention of
> >>bulding a Myth-based PVR.  But it looks like I may have made
> >>a really dumb mistake, and bought the wrong version...
> >>
> >>I live in Dublin, Ireland, and I want to use the card with
> >>the local NTL cable service.  I bought the card over the web
> >>from a company in Germany.  At the time, I thoght that was a
> >>reasonable thing to do, since Germany and Ireland both use PAL,
> >>right?
> >>
> >>Well, now I can't get the card to work.  As I installed it,
> >>I noticed that the card has a label on it that says:
> >>
> >>   "PAL-B/G  48134  Rev J347"
> >>
> >>I think that "PAL-B/G" is the problem - it's PAL-I that we use
> >>in Ireland, it seems - at least according to this list of
> >>broadcast standards by country:
> >>
> >>  http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/WorldVideo.html
> >>
> >>(Wish I'd seen that *before* I bought the card.)
> >>
> >>I tried installing the card anyway, and installed the Windows
> >>software under Windows98 (It's a dual-boot setup, with Win98SE
> >>and RedHat 9 at the moment.)  The Windows channel-scanning
> >>application found 15 channels on my NTL Cable connection, which
> >>is correct - but when I try to view  them, all I get is
> >>a black screen.
> >>
> >>So far, I haven't started installing the ivtv driver or any
> >>other Linux software.  But when I run "lspci", the output now
> >>includes this, all on one line:
> >>
> >>00:0e.0 Multimedia video controller: Internext Compression Inc
> >>   iTVC15 MPEG-2 Encoder (rev01)
> >>
> >>So, I've got lots of questions:
> >>
> >>   Am I right in thinking that this card is a version
> >>   that works in Germany, but not in Ireland?
> >
> >
> > Yeah, The Tuner is Country Specific. If only everywhere would use the
same
> > tuner,
> > then we would be able to get the PVR-350 much cheaper shipped from the
USA!!
> >
>
> Ah, but that would be too simple, wouldn't it? :)
>
> >>   Is it possible that there's something I can do in software
> >>   (or firmware) that will make this card work with PAL-I?
> >
> >
> > I'm Not actually sure how the PAL Tuners differ from each other. But I
doubt
> > it.
>
> So do I, but we live in hope.
>
>
> >>   Does a PAL-I version of the PVR-350 exist, and where
> >>   would I buy one?  (I've seen the PVR-250 in stores here,
> >>   but never the 350.)
> >>
> >
> >
> > Yes they do, I bought one recently. I got it from www.savastore.com for
£107
> > exc. VAT
> > I believe amazon also sell them, the postage from them might be a bit
> > cheaper.
>
> This, along with Marc's reply, is making me feel better.
> But I'm still confused - I just checked www.savastore.com, and their
> specs for the 350 say "Analogue Video Format: PAL-B/G", just like on
> simply.co.uk.  Are you sure it's the PAL-I version you got?  I'm
> beginning to think that the UK websites are using incorrect specs.

Mine is definately PAL-I, it says so on the tuner and it comes up as PAL-I
when I 'modprobe tveeprom'.

>
> Can you (or anyone else) clear something up for me?  What exactly
> is the most commonly-used broadcast standard in the UK?  If I'm
> in England, picking up BBC1 with a rooftop antenna, is that going
> to be a PAL-I, PAL-G or PAL-B signal - and will it be on the
> VHF or UHF bands?  I'm assuming that 350's sold in the UK will
> be able to receive that signal, whatever it is...
>

Most common is PAL-I, I believe.

> On a happier note, savastore.com now have them slightly cheaper
> (104.85 ex vat).

I know, They put the price down just after I got mine! :(

> >
> >
> >
> >>   Has anyone got a PVR-350 (or 250) working with NTL's
> >>   cable service (the basic analogue package) in Dublin?
> >>
> >>   Does anyone want to buy a PAL-B/G PVR-350, as new?  :)
> >
> >
> > Just out of interest, How much did you buy it for?
>
> 209 euro, plus 20 euro shipping, from technikdirekt.de
> (209 euro is about £142.12 by my calculation, but that
> includes VAT.)  Not sure what I'd sell it for, but I'll
> see if I can get a refund or exchange first.
>
> Cheers,
> Lorcan
>
> >
> >>Any answers would be *very* gratefully received.
> >>
> >>Thanks in advance!
> >>
> >>Lorcan Hamill
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
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> >
> >
> >
>
>
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