[mythtv-users] Server/adding new card dilemma, HD/hardware questions

[Paul Gallaway]

On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 10:03 AM, Kevin Kuphal <kkuphal at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 7:21 PM, Bobby Gill <bobbygill at rogers.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Well, yes.  But even now most analog is echoed on the SD multiplex.  In
>>>> my
>>>> area, digital gets me what I need.  Maybe with cable it's different but
>>>> I
>>>> would suspect that getting an analog tuner set up and running will only
>>>> give you a few weeks of use at best.
>>>>
>>>> --Yan
>>>>
>>> Pretty much same thing going on here. The only one that for me has
>>> different programming on analog is the local PBS station.
>>>
>>> Richard
>>>
>>
>> Okay, lost me here. Are you saying that if I get a card that captures
>> Digital TV only (no analog input), and I just have regular analog cable TV
>> right now, I can capture it fine? ie., Digital is kind of "backwards
>> compatible" to grab analog?? I think this area confuses me most lol.
>>
>> FYI I am using Rogers Cable TV (regular cable) in Canada. Family room has
>> a Rogers Digital box (that I don't use as part of Myth; frontend is desktop
>> PC in bedroom).
>
> Your "analog" cable TV can carry digital QAM (or clear QAM - unencrypted)
> digital channels.  For most cable providers, these will be at a minimum of
> your over-the-air analog stations currently.  For some it may be a more
> complete lineup.  This is *not* the same as your cable provider providing
> digital service which is not QAM and requires their Set Top Box (STB) to
> tune.  So, what you have is:
>
> 1.  Analog tuner: Can tune any analog cable station (until your cable
> provider goes digital which is *not* the same as the broadcast stations
> going digital in December/January.  This can also capture analog output from
> a STB using s-video, etc.
>
> 2.  Digital QAM/ATSC tuner: Can tune any QAM cable station (which is likely
> on your "analog" cable service) as well as any digital broadcast stations
> (these are the ones you get via antena before/after Dec/Jan)
>
> I hope this helps.  I have basic cable from Comcast near Chicago.  I get 12
> stations tunable with a TV or PVR-150 type device.  But at the same time I
> get almost all those stations (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, PBS, etc) via QAM on the
> same cable service with no extra cost or package that I capture using my
> AverMedia A180.
>
> Kevin
>
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>

Bobby,

Rogers encrypts all digital channels with the exception of the music
stations and the Rogers On Demand video rentals (you can watch movies
your neighbours are renting, including when they pause and rewind!).
This means you can't record any of the [useful] QAM channels other
than those I just listed (there may be some variation across the
province but those listed appear to be all that's available to the
majority). You would need to record from a STB with an analogue tuner
or STB to a Hauppauge HD PVR for HD recording since the firewire
recording methods are only good for clear QAM channels (which as
discussed essentially do not exist). Unfortunately there is no
regulation by the CRTC to mandate that the basic cable channels be
available as digital channels as they are in the U.S..
http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/rogers.htm

As a result, unless you plan on recording over-the-air (OTA)
broadcasts with an antenna then I'm sorry to report that it's not
worth your time getting a digital tuner to record from cable TV
(unless you *really* love galaxy radio). As such, an SD hardware
encoder like the PVR-150 you have is a good place to be right now for
cable. But for OTA broadcasts, see the forum below to check what
people in your area (or the area you are moving to) are getting OTA
and what the antenna requirements are. In Toronto proper I understand
it's not too difficult with an indoor antenna. Out the Niagara way you
may get Toronto and Buffalo channels without much effort.
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=0d89e7aa5c2bb0dabfc61d25b66d3de0&f=129

For PCI tuners with QAM/ATSC and hardware NTSC mpeg2 encoders there is
only the Hauppauge HVR-1600. There are other dual tuners without MPEG2
encoders; you want ones that will support NTSC (SD) and ATSC/QAM (HD
and digital):
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Category:HDTV_capture_cards

The Canadian blackout for analogue OTA signals isn't until August 31,
2011. I imagine cable operators will be looking to do the same but I
haven't found any info indicating when the cable operators will (if
ever?) get the OK to cut of their analogue channels. Would appreciate
the info if anyone has it. I assume it will coincide with the OTA
analogue black out even if not actually stated. Personally, I'd like
to see a rule in Canada that requires at least the basic cable
channels be available digitally in the clear as they are in the U.S..
-- 
~pAul.

        all good things. all in good time.