[mythtv-users] Bitrate/quality on PVR-150

[Nate Bargmann]

* Scott Traurig <straurig at comcast.net> [2008 Aug 12 05:33 -0500]:
> I have done extensive testing of PVR-150 et al settings in the interests of
> better quality. I can confidently say that you should run it at 6MBPS
> avg/8MBPS peak for 720x480 capture. Any less and motion artifact gets bad.
> Any more and no improvement can be noted. The best way to test this is to
> watch the crawl line on CNN et al followed by some sports like basketball.

Thanks for the tip.

> Quite frankly encoder quality for Myth sucks compared to Tivo or STB DVR
> appliances. It is Myth's biggest weakness (after the fact that mere mortals
> need not try to set it up!)

Is this due to the state of Free Software not being able to implement
patented or otherwise encumbered algorithms or due to the consumer
grade hardware we have access to?

> Decoder quality is awesome as anyone can see
> from playing DVDs, but the PVR series of tuners and encoders are terrible.
> It's bad with straight video in from a STB (composite or s-video) and worse
> with the tuner. You might not notice if you've never owned a commercial DVR
> or DVD recorder but I have and the difference is dramatic.
> 
> Do we have any better choices for tuner/encoders yet?

How does Myth do with processing content from an HDMI port?

- Nate >>

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