[mythtv-users] Shouldn't have bought an HDTV

[Phil Bridges]

On Feb 10, 2008 9:30 PM, Doug Meredith <doug.meredith at skyridge.com> wrote:
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> I've been a MythTV user for over a year now, and the WAF has been very high.
> About six weeks ago I made the mistake of buying our first HDTV.  My wife is
> quite disappointed that everything looks "the same".  To be honest, I'm
> pretty disappointed too.  Even DVDs look amazing compared to my captures.
> I've been investigating my options for capturing HDTV, and have come up with
> the following:
>
> Over the air.  Not an option.  There are no HD broadcasts in New Brunswick,
> Canada.
> QAM capture.  I get four unencrypted HD stations and a number of digital SD
> broadcasts.  I have an HD Home Run but I'm nervous about deploying this at
> all due to reports of cable companies changing what is available unencrypted
> or changing frequency assignments without warning.  In any case, it isn't
> going to get me HD.
> Get a cable box and hope that I get what I want through fire wire.  Some
> people have difficulty making this work, it seems.  No guarantee there will
> be *any* unencrypted stations on fire wire, and if there are, no guarantee
> they will stay unencrypted.  I don't think I would risk this even if it
> would work now.  Better to never have HD than to have it and have to tell my
> wife we are going back to SD.
> Get a moded cable or satellite box.  The two options I have seen are
> Windows-only.  It isn't clear how easy or convenient it would be to tie Myth
> into there recording scheme.
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> Unless I'm missing something, there are *no* good options.  Option four,
> while expensive, looks the most hopeful.  I'm just not sure I'm willing to
> put in the time required to be on the bleeding edge with this.
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> We can dream about the encryption situation changing, but I don't think that
> anything is going to happen that will let me record HD in the next couple of
> years.  If anything, cable companies are likely to clamp down more and more
> on options two and three.  It really looks like option four may be my only
> hope.
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> Have I missed anything that should give me reason to be optimistic about
> being able to record HD in the (very) short term?  Personally I wouldn't
> give up Myth just to get HD.  But I worry greatly about the WAF.
>

I'm not sure I understand the reluctance to use the HDHomerun while
you're determining, for instance, what firewire channels you can
record.