[mythtv-users] Newbie question about channels

Jason Elwell elwell at smartlp.com
Mon Jul 5 19:24:19 EDT 2004


There are basically 2 types of cable TV (for simplicity sake). Basic 
Cable and Digital Cable. Basic cable generally does not require a cable 
box and requires that your 'cable ready' TV tune the channels. Basic 
cable contains less that 125 channels and does not does not offer 
premium channels like HBO, Pay Per View, etc.
If you have a cable box, then you have Digital cable. In other words, 
your cable company provides you with the box so that you can access an 
expanded channel lineup....HBO, Pay-per-View, additional cable channels, 
etc.

You can use MythTV either way... You can plug your capture card (via the 
tuner input) into the wall jack and have it tune the basic cable 
channels (limit 125) or you can hook up the capture card (via 
composite/s-video) to the A/V outputs on your cable box. If you use the 
latter, then you have to give MythTV a way to change the channels on the 
cable box. Some cable boxes allow you to hook up a serial cable to it to 
change channels, but the majority of the time you will be required to 
use some type of "IR Blaster" device. This device mimics your remote 
control and sends channel change requests to the cable box. The best way 
to do this is to make the IR transmitter device yourself. You can find 
instructions and more information on this at http://www.lirc.org.
This is the method I chose....See my IR transmitter:
http://www.htpcskins.com/pics/IRTransmitter1a.jpg
http://www.htpcskins.com/pics/IRTransmitter2a.jpg

I soldered together all the little bits, put it all in a pretty case and 
then prop it in front of my cable box and MythTV changes the channel 
whenever it needs to.

Hope this helps...
Jason Elwell
http://www.htpcskins.com

Jim Kannengieser wrote:

> Hi. I joined this list because I’m thinking of building a MythTV box 
> for my home entertainment center. Before I jump into the deep end, I 
> thought I would ask a question whose answer might seem obvious to 
> experienced MythTV users, but isn’t so clear cut to me.
>
> I subscribe to digital cable and have almost well over 125 channels. 
> Most of the TV tuner cards I’ve seen support 125 channels. Does it 
> mean that if I use one of these cards, I will only have access to the 
> first 125 channels in my lineup? Or can I use my cable box and change 
> channels on it?
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Jim
>
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