[mythtv-users] Semi OT: Directv questions

Dewey Smolka dsmolka at gmail.com
Mon May 12 02:43:43 UTC 2008


Thanks for the link, Ken. I don't pretend to understand the dtails but
the big picture ispretty damn clear: splitting won't work.

On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 9:10 PM, Brad DerManouelian
<myth at dermanouelian.com> wrote:

>
> Yes, this is true. I get MUCH better picture after moving to high def
> boxes, but still using svideo output from it.

Thanks, Brad. Is is enough to swap the card to a new box or will I
also have to call to activate it?

>
>> 2) With a
>> PVR-500 (and add-on bracket) it would support two inputs from two
>> boxes over two S-Video ports and two audio-ins, right?
>
> Yes. You need to use the extra card it comes with. It takes up a PCI
> space on the back of your case, but it doesn't take up a PCI slot on
> your motherboard. It plugs into the PVR-500 and sits next to it to
> give you the extra s-video/audio ports you will need.

Excellent. My problem here is an ongoing beef with Compaq (although
this system was inherited rather than designed). It isn't so much a
lack of PCI slots, although I would consider three as a precious few,
as much as Compaq's decision to include an AGP circuit on the board, a
slot for AGP on the rear, but no actual AGP riser. So I've got an
fx5200 in the first slot, a TB Riviera audio card in the second (on
board audio isn't so hot) and a PVR-250 in the third. I can rearrange
these and have the PVR-500's breakout in the AGP slot and we're
golden. But how much do you really save by not including the damn
riser? $0.05? Is it worth someone never, ever, buying or recommending
Compaq again?


>> 3) I currently controlling the Directv box via a frankenstein
>> serial->9-pin gender changer->null modem->serial-USB adapter cable.
>> But I don't have a second serial port, neither for another
>> frankencable nor for my Myblaster (which is now in a box). How does
>> one control a second box? Is adding another USB-serial adapter at the
>> backend an option?
>
> Yes. I do this with my motherboard. Along with some udev rules to make
> sure I'm controlling the right card, it's all good. I eventually plan
> on controlling 4 DirecTV boxes this way.

It's good to know it can be done. I'll be back here when the time
comes if I can't get my Google mojo working.

>> I won't ask the one the one has been beaten to death with no clear
>> answer yet. I won't ask when the wondrous new Hauppage HD capture
>> device will be supported, or what the playback requirements will be. I
>> won't ask whether or not my horribly outdated P4 2.5 will support the
>> native H.264 format when the thing is fully Myth-compatible. But if I
>> were to ask, would anyone have any answers?
>
> There are no answers about the Hauppauge device until they've shipped
> and some kind dev looks into supporting it. Since there are no
> drivers, there's no way to tell if/when it will work. However, you can
> download sample H.264 content and see if your box can handle it. My
> guess is no, but it's been a really long time since I've used a
> pentium machine.

My guess is also that it won't work. I can do OTA HD or QAM HD via an
HDHomerun, but only with XvMC. I highly doubt I have the juice at the
moment to handle H.264 without help from the video card.

Anyway, thanks for the insight.  I'll probably end up getting hold of
an HD box from my landlord and picking up a PVR-500. But chances are
it will be a while before I'm able to justify another major H/W
purchase. Certainly not before the Hauppage HD PVR device is out and
supported.

Thanks again for the advice.


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