[mythtv-users] Myth HD - requirements?

[John P Poet]

On 7/18/06, Jeff_Mitchell at accessbusinessgroup.com
<Jeff_Mitchell at accessbusinessgroup.com> wrote:
>
> I hope this threads correctly -- I get the digest.
>
> First off, thanks for the responses.  I appreciate all the help.
>
> One of the things that came up in your responses was a bit troubling,
> however -- the encryption of the HD broadcasts.  Based on what I've read, it
> doesn't matter if I go the pcHDTV route or the firewire from a cable box
> route, neither one is a "free pass" to having Myth record the HD content
> that is available from my cable provider.  However, if I could get HD via an
> antenna, I wouldn't need to worry about encryption, correct?

Right.  OTA of the major networks (ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS) is not
allowed to be encrypted by the FCC.

> So let's say I'm interested in something like Discovery's HD content, or the
> Superbowl.  If I wanted to use Myth to record it, I'm at the mercy of the
> cable provider, and hoping that the stream is availale and unencrypted,
> right?

Superbowl would not be a problem as long as it is on one of the
networks listed above.  I cannot imagine it being broadcast on a
"cable" station, since that could loose them a lot of viewers.

Discovery HD would be up to your cable provider.  In some cities it is
"free and clear" if you have an ATSC tuner, in others it is encrypted.
 In some cities it may be encrypted, but available via the firewire
port of a cable box.

>  How does this situation differ with a PVR provided by the cable
> company?  (For purposes of illustration, only -- I like my Myth too much.)

I tried one of Comcast's SA8300HD DVR boxes for a whole week.  It
allowed me to record and watch all the HD content which Comcast
provides.  It was so painful to use, however, that it had to go.

I ended up trading the SA8300HD for a SA3250HD.  It is a HD box, but
does not have DVR.  I hooked it up to the s-video input of my PVR-500.
 I loose a LOT of resolution on the HD channels, but gain the ability
to use Myth to watch those channels.

I *LOVE* HD, and grumble about the loss of resolution, but for those
cable-only HD channels, it was worth the trade.

I have good OTA here, so I use that with some pcHDTV 3000 cards for
all the primary networks.

I may take that cable box back.  Even at a greatly reduced resolution
it looks better than the analog cable, but I am not sure it is worth
the extra money each month.

> Is there an easy way to tell what unencrypted HD streams might be available
> for my area?  Or is that a question for the Comcast help desk?

The Comcast help desk may not even be able to answer that question.

Have you looked at avsforum?  For example, there is a pretty good
thread for Albuquerque:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=43842

This site may also help:

http://www.hdtvpub.com/


> Thanks again for all of your help.
>
> -Jeff

HD is incredible, and well worth the effort.  Go for it!

John