[mythtv-users] General Set-Up Question

sschaefer1 at woh.rr.com sschaefer1 at woh.rr.com
Fri Jun 2 13:03:40 UTC 2006


It seems to me that all the responses have been in reference to having 
some sort of
frontend computer next to the television, which is fine... but I 
thought I might mention an alternative.

I set up a MythTV system, that has the backend and frontend on the 
same system. Using coax, I output the video from MythTV system to a RF 
modulator which converts the video signal to a television channel that 
is put onto the coax cable, which is then run to the television. As 
long as I'm tuned to the that channel on the television I can see the 
output.

I use infrared distribution in my house, which the hardware I use is 
 equipment for running signal over the coaxial cable. This 
way I can use the infrared remote to control the MythTV from where the 
television is.

In your case of describing only one television is super simple and 
barely would cost anything extra, especially compared to having a 
frontend computer. However, as an example of my setup, I 
have all the televisions in my home connected to the coaxial network, 
with includes the aerial antenna off the roof, which I use a RF low 
pass filter to block out channels above 47 and insert the RF modulator 
channels every other channel to 69. Since I'm not using any high 
definition
televisions yet, I record HDTV shows with a HD capture card from the 
antenna,
playing them back in a SD format so I can watch them on the SD 
televisions in the house.

Caveats: RF modulators don't have the same audio spectrum as a 
baseband signal coming directly from the computer or a DVD player, so 
you lose a 
little bit of quality... hard to describe, but NOT a big deal to me ~ 
which is on par to how the audio from a DVD movie sounds as opposed to 
when a local network station airs the same movie. Infrared 
distribution was a daunting task when I first looked into, but once I 
bought
the minimum of equipment and I realized it was really quite simple, I 
think the fact that I research things to death before buying equipment 
helped.. including downloading and reading equipment manuals. Similar 
experience with setting up a RF distribution.

One consideration I had when I setup my RF distribution, is rather 
than worry about, or have to trouble shoot, merging a set of RF 
modulator signals with the incoming antenna reception... I could 
simply put all the RF modulators on the coax cable without the antenna 
signals (and modulate on any channel I'd like), and run the antenna 
signal directly to the VCR and use the VCR to 
change channels on the antenna, but I would have to watch the 
broadcast shows on channel 3 which the VCR would broadcast on, because 
most VCRs have a built in cheapo modulator that can modulate on 
channel 2/3 or 3/4.

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert McIntosh <robert at pacificscreening.com>
Date: Thursday, June 1, 2006 3:57 pm
Subject: [mythtv-users] General Set-Up Question
To: mythtv-users at mythtv.org

> Hi,
> 
> Please excuse me for what may be an obvious question, but I am new 
> to 
> the PVR experience.
> 
> I anticipate setting up a PVR server in my basement.  The TV is on 
> the 
> main floor.  I have a cable jack next to the server, so it will be 
> connected to the TV service.
> 
> My question is, if the machine that is serving as the MythTV 
> server is 
> not located next to the television, will I need some sort of 
> device next 
> to the TV in order to control the MythTV server?  A thin client of 
> sorts?
> What would you suggest if I need a thin client?
> 
> Thanks,
> Robert
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> 










More information about the mythtv-users mailing list