[mythtv-users] S-Video capture card choices?

[Michael T. Dean]

Blake wrote:

> On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 23:26:09 -0700, Michael T. Dean  
> <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> wrote:
>
>> http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10383781&loc=101&sp=1
>>
>> No remote (it's the MCE version), but $63 and no rebates and free
>> shipping.
>
> Ooh. But buy it on a new buy.com VISA and get $30 off...that's nice.<s>

Yeah, but then you've got that new credit card showing as "potential" 
credit liability on your credit report for 3 years (assuming you never 
use it).  Still might be worth it depending on how many cards you have...

>> IMHO, being forced to use an IR-based RC5 remote is too much
>> of a hassle, anyway.  I have two PVR-x50 remotes I'm not using (one from
>> my PVR-350 and one from the PVR-250).  So, really, the tuner is not the
>> only part of the card I paid for but am not using.
>
> What do you use for for remote control?

I've got an ATI Remote Wonder.  I like the RF, but am still working on 
improving range/sensititivy (especially through walls).

> I'm going to need an IR Blaster  anyway (this guy sells 'em for $12+$3 
> S&H http://www.irblaster.info/),  which says to me that if I do it 
> right, I can replace my cable box with  some sort of MythTV remote. 
> All the better if whatever it is controls the  TV--though, come to 
> think of it, I guess I won't need to control the TV  much beyond the 
> volume if I'm watching everything (DVD, Cable, etc.)  through the 
> MythTV Box.

Volume can be controlled by Myth.  You set up your TV with the 
appropriate volume and then have Myth increase/decrease volume using 
your sound card's mixer.  Or, if you're using an external A/V receiver, 
Myth should output line-level audio and you can control the A/V 
receiver's volume with the IR blaster.

>> http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10385910&loc=101&sp=1
>>
>> If you really want the remote, $85, no rebates, and free shipping.  But,
>> you can build the serial IR receiver ( http://lirc.org/receivers.html )
>> for a lot less than $22.
>
> I have too many remotes as it is. I hadn't considered it until you  
> mentioned this, but if my MythTV box allows me to replace the three  
> remotes I need currently that makes it worth the cost of entry itself.<s>

Yep.  That's what I do.  Believe me, it was liberating to finally remove 
the batteries from my 5 remote controls!

I now have one remote--the ATI RW--which sends signals to the computer.  
The computer then sends signals to the components (using an "improved IR 
transmitter" - http://lirc.org/improved_transmitter.html ).  And I don't 
have to worry about "modes" (i.e. accidentally hit the "TV" button on 
the remote and now the "Play" button doesn't work).  Basically, I have 
one remote mode, but Myth/LIRC/etc. provide the smarts to ensure it 
knows what to do for each keystroke depending on where I'm at (recording 
playback, MythMusic, xine for MythDVD or MythVideo, etc.).

The only thing I can't control with the remote is the TV.  I have my 
Myth box in a different room (the ultimate in silent PC) with a hole 
through the wall for video and speaker cables.  Since I'm using an A/V 
receiver for audio, I control volume through it.  So, I simply hit the 
power button on the TV before sitting down for some Myth.  Thought about 
trying to mod the transmitter circuit to allow for another IR LED on a 
cable without over-driving the serial port, but I'd have the IR LED 
drawing power and the cable's resistance, so I decided it was easier to 
just hit the power button.  (Can't even do a separate simple transmitter 
because I only have one serial port.)

Mike