[mythtv-users] PVR 350, record from VCR

[Nick]

On 8/19/05, Jesse Guardiani <jesse at wingnet.net> wrote:
> Nick wrote:
> 
> >On 8/19/05, Jesse Guardiani <jesse at wingnet.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Hello,
> >>
> >>I have a PVR 350. Normally it's primary input is SVideo from my Dish
> >>reciever. However, I'd like to record some of my old VHS tapes to
> >>disk via the tuner input so I can throw away the old tapes and preserve
> >>their quality over time.
> >>
> >>I know I can switch inputs on the 350 via 'C', but what is the best way
> >>to go about recording a 2 hr VHS tape? Is this even possible from the
> >>LiveTV interface?
> >>
> >>Ultimately, I'd like these recorded tapes to show up under the video
> >>section, but my CPU is way underpowered right now and I can't
> >>decode mpeg in real time using software mplayer, so it would be better
> >>for them to show up in the TV section for now (this way Myth will
> >>make use of the 350's hardware decoder). But I'll need to label them
> >>somehow and preferably put them all under a specific category/show.
> >>
> >>Any ideas?
> >>
> >>
> >
> >You could setup a manual recording for the duration of the tape. I
> >would recommend using SVideo or composite to record from the tape
> >instead of the tuner as I've had better experiences of doing this.
> >
> >
> 
> Care to elaborate? I'm already using the svid input on my PVR 350, so
> unless I degrade the
> input quality by inserting an A/V switch, it makes the most sense to
> just hard wire the VCR
> to my tuner input. Was the quality bad for you, or was it more of a pain
> to get working,
> or what?

I find that the quality is considerably better on SVideo/Compositve
than on the tuner (less noise and interference for one). It's why you
get a better picture when you connect your VCR to your TV with a SCART
or SVideo cable than with the RF tuner (at least in my experience.)

If it's something that you want to setup once and then not have to
worry about (and the quality is OK for you) then using the tuner is a
good option. You can still only use one of the inputs at any one time
though (the 350 can only record one stream at once) which is why I'd
go for swapping them over (i.e. not using an AV switch for the 2
SVideo inputs). You could hardwire a Composite video connection from
the VCR, but then you will still need to swap over the audio signals.

A third option could be to plumb the cable box though the VCR and then
output it using SVideo in the 350. Loss of quality shouldn't be that
bad, and means you'd only need a single hardwired connection.

Setting up the tuner is a little extra work (esp if it's not already
setup) in MythTV. You just need to make sure the correct video channel
is being used. Apart from that, it should also just work.

Nick