[mythtv-users] Recommend an HD/SD tuner card?

[Kevin Kuphal]

Dorsey Graphics wrote:

>
> On Jan 12, 2006, at 11:17 AM, Steve Adeff wrote:
>
>> On Thursday 12 January 2006 14:04, Dorsey Graphics wrote:
>>
>>> That's the issue - it may be Comcast, it may be DirecTC. Probably not
>>> OTA, but I don't really know yet.
>>
>>
>> Comcast
>> Possible HD cable box firewire for HD capture
>> 5C could prevent lots of channels from being captured
>
>
> Is the 5C a digital cable box model? I love the idea of firewire out - 
> I have a Mac (imagine the possibilities!!!)

5C is the encryption put on non-broadcast cable channels by cable 
operators.  This prevents output to the firewire ports.

>
>> Possible QAM for HD tuner
>> limitied channels if it works
>
>
>
>>
>> DirecTV
>> No HD into Myth
>
>
> Interesting. So I guess that DirecTV is no longer an option.

Not entirely.  I don't know how or if it is supported but a quick google 
for DirecTV firewire will reveal an outfit that will sell you a firewire 
enabled DTV receiver.

>
>>
>> OTA
>> singal reception problems
>> only OTA channels
>>
>>
>>>    Is there a card that will work well for all?
>>
>>
>> no card that I know of does HD and SD together well. If you want to do 
>> QAM/ATSC, then get a cheap HD tuner card, ~$100 and if you want to do 
>> SD get 
>> a PVR-150, ~$70 or PVR-500 ~$150.
>
>
> What is QAM/ATSC? I am not familiar with these terms?
>
> Wikipedia sais QAM is "Quadrature amplitude modulation". I have no 
> idea what that is.
> Also, ATSC is NTSC for hi-def?
>
> Thank you so much!

QAM is the modulation/encoding used by cable companies on their 
channels.  IE: a QAM capable HDTV tuner can receive channels over your 
cable but only channels not encrypted by 5C.

ATSC is exactly what you said, the HDTV equivalent of NTSC.

Kevin