[mythtv-users] Which HD card?

[stan]

Ivan,

Not enough info to make a decision between the two cards yet, but you sure
gave me a big education.

I get it.  It's a DIGITAL broadcast.  What are they then?  Are they standard
mpeg2?  Oh there was something about mpeg stream and mpeg direct or
something.  Are they a standard format that can be played by mplayer or MS
Media Player?

Thanks for the heads up on using the HD card as a second NTSC tuner!  I'll
look to a second PVR150 for a second NTSC tuner and expect to capture only
over-the-air HD with the new HD card.

I hope someone contributes more info differentiating these cards, but until
then thanks again for your reply.  It was very informative!

--stan 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org 
> [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Ivan Kowalenko
> Sent: Friday, July 28, 2006 3:36 PM
> To: Discussion about mythtv
> Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Which HD card?
> 
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> Hash: SHA1
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> 
> On Jul 28, 2006, at 15.10, stan wrote:
> 
> > I'm running Myth .19 under Fedora FC4 on an 800 MHz P4 box with an  
> > Hauppauge
> > PVR350.  Everything has been working great.
> >
> > The TV is SDTV, but I'm looking to add an HD capture card with  
> > goals of
> >
> > 	1.  Having it for the future when I get the new HDTV
> > 	2.  Use it now by viewing on my computer LCD monitor
> >
> > I've narrowed the cards down to the HD5500 and the 
> Avermedia A180.   
> > These
> > finalists were selected by the volume of information on this list.
> >
> > I'm hoping someone responds with "Hey, just get this one.  It's a no
> > brainer.", but barring that does anyone know....
> 
> Well, I've never used or dealt with HD hardware extensively, 
> but I'll  
> tell you what I know.
> 
> >
> > 1.  Do both of these cards have hardware encoding of HD?
> > 2.  Do they both output mpeg2 files?
> > 3.  Do they also record 5.1 sound if it's sent in the ATSC 
> signal?   
> > Will 5.1
> > sound be in the recorded file and available if a player can play  
> > it.  Does
> > anyone send 5.1 in an ATSC signal?
> 
> I'm grouping these three together since they deal with a common  
> misconception. Nothing is being encoded by your card. This 
> isn't like  
> analog feed where the computer wouldn't know what to do with the  
> signal (thus, needing to be digitized by a capture card). This is  
> *already* a digital stream. The HD spec chose MPEG-2, though 
> the Beeb  
> (BBC) has done trial broadcasts using H.264. All HD capture cards  
> simply take the incoming stream, and let your computer do whatever  
> with it (write it to disk, display it, etc.). The card doesn't alter  
> or edit the signal at all, it just passes it along.
> 
> > 4.  Can both cards be used as a second NTSC tuner (along with my  
> > PVR350)?
> 
> Only if they say they can, otherwise, I don't think so. Most of the  
> cards that say they can also do NTSC, though, will require switching  
> firmware, which isn't *exactly* like flipping a light switch, 
> so it's  
> not the most feasible (or economical) choice for NTSC capture.
> 
> > 5.  Will there be driver conflicts between either card and 
> my current
> > PVR350?
> 
> It's entirely possible, but I don't know from experience. Check out  
> the Wiki.
> 
> > 6.  It looks like the HD5500 has s-video input, but no stereo  
> > input. Is this
> > the case?
> 
> Again, don't know.
> 
> > 7.  Are there any quality differences in the captured media  
> > (resolution, bit
> > rate, etc.)?
> 
> Only as it varies when broadcast (see answer to 1, 2, and 3).
> 
> > 8.  Are there any differences in signal strength they can receive  
> > (i.e. will
> > one card receive more stations than the other with the same 
> antenna)?
> 
> The difference will mainly be in the tolerance they have for  
> interference, so, yes, this is a valid worry, but I can't tell you  
> which is better, or even if there is a significant difference.
> 
> > 9.  Does either card implement the "broadcast flag"?
> 
> Thankfully, the Broadcast Flag doesn't yet exist (in practice), so no.
> 
> > 10.  Are there any differences in difficulty of 
> installation?  Will  
> > I need
> > to recompile the kernel, update an assembler language driver to  
> > match the
> > kernel, and cut three traces on my motherboard :-?
> 
> Well, possibly just a kernel recompile, depending on what 
> modules you  
> already have compiled in.
> 
> > I've been everywhere from wiki to the HD5500 forums to this list.   
> > I've
> > found bits and pieces of information but no definitive 
> answers to the
> > questions.  Any information anyone has would be VERY helpful.
> 
> Well, I guess you came to the right place then! Just give it time,  
> hopefully someone with more HD knowledge than me will peep up.
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