[mythtv-users] Can a pcHDTV record standard definition?

[Brad Fuller]

Brian Wood wrote:
> On Dec 12, 2006, at 8:13 PM, Robert Tsai wrote:
> 
>> On Tue, Dec 12, 2006 at 08:58:12PM -0600, Brad wrote:
>>> On Tue, 2006-12-12 at 18:49 -0800, Robert Tsai wrote:
>>>> You don't have to upgrade your cable box if you can get OTA HD
>>>> signals.
>>> But then when I recorded something off of cable my CPU would be
>>> doing the work instead of the card right?  I guess I could try to
>>> schedule cable shows to record on the PVR and shows available OTA HD
>>> to the pcHDTV.
>> The pcHDTV can record QAM, which requires a digital cable  
>> subscription.

In SF it requires only an analog subscription. I receive QAM256 with my 
std. analog subscription. Here, there are quite a few unencrypted channels.


>> The pcHDTV can also record OTA, which only requires OTA reception.
>>
>> You get to pick one.
> 
> It will only receive *unencrypted* QAM which, depending on your cable  
> system, might be anything from all digital signals to none of them.  
> In my case it is just a few digital video channels and a *lot* of the  
> digital music channels (with a video slate screen that changes only  
> when the song does).
> 
> Receiving unencrypted QAM signals without a subscription to Digital  
> Cable might be technically possible, but is probably illegal.

Gee, I don't know about "illegal." Maybe without a subscription at all.