[mythtv-users] System audio via PVR-350

[Joe Votour]

> On Sat 02 Sep 2006 at 12:28:41 -0700, you wrote:
>
>> The PVR-350 will only output sound from MPEG files that it is playing,
>> so
>> there is no way that you can have the system sounds be piped out through
>> the PVR-350.
>
> Thanks for stating that so clearly. It's not what I wanted to hear,
> though. :-)
>
>> What you'll probably need is a special cable (I don't know if one exists
>> or not) that will let you connect a graphics input and a separate audio
>> output, and have them sent to a SCART output for your TV.  - a SCART
>> combiner cable of sorts.  If it doesn't exist, it should be fairly
>> easily
>> to make one, if you have the skills.
>
> The trouble is, it would need to be a triple-split cable, with
> audio out from the PVR-350 to the sound card, then audio out from the
> sound card to a SCART connector, plus video out from the PVR-350 also
> to the same SCART connector.
>
> So, then I'd get something like this:
>
>       ____________
>       |          |
>       |    TV    |
>       |          |
>       ------------
>           /\
>          /  \
>       1 /    \_
>       _/     |\
>       /|       \
>      /    /|    |
>      \   / | 2  |  3
>       \ /  |    |
>        |  \|/   |
>      -------------
>      |           |
>      |     PC    |
>      |           |
>      -------------
>
> where 1 is Video Out from the PVR-350 to a SCART that plugs into the TV,
> 2 is Audio Out from the PVR-350 to the PC's sound card, and 3 feeds back
> from the sound card to the SCART connector going into the TV to bring
> the sound full circle.
>
> Does it really have to be this convoluted? Can such a cable even be
> made, with split audio and video out, plus an audio in, which must
> terminate in a SCART connector, along with the video out?
>
> I can't help but think that there must be an easier way. How do other
> PVR xxx owners get music and other system audio?
>
>> I've always hated SCART since I was introduced to it, and this kind of
>> situation doesn't make it like it any more.  Wish I could help more,
>> perhaps somebody who uses SCART (I'm in North America) has more
>> suggestions.
>
> SCART seemed like an improvement when it first came out, and I suppose
> it was, but since then, I've had a lot of trouble with it, since so many
> cables and devices don't use all of the pins in the same way.
>
> Thanks again for your help.
>
> Ian

Unfortunately, if you wish to use the MPEG-2 decoder in the PVR-350, it is
that convoluted.  Of course, the TV I had at that time had separate
S-Video and audio connectors, so I never had a problem connecting things
properly.  (But again, remember, I'm in North America, where SCART is only
on imported devices.)

As somebody else mentioned in this thread, you can use the Xv driver for
the PVR-350 and bypass the MPEG-2 decoder - then you wouldn't have to have
the loop from the PVR-350 to your sound card, as everything would come out
of the sound card.  However, that increases CPU utilization by a fair
amount, it really depends on how beefy a system you have.

However, to the SCART thing, because your TV doesn't support separate
audio in, you need to have some sort of cable that allows both devices to
be plugged into that SCART connector.  Or, you could buy a separate audio
receiver, as you mentioned you were thinking about.

-- Joe


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