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

[Bobby Gill]

On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 2:49 PM, R. G. Newbury <newbury at mandamus.org> wrote:

> Bobby Gill 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).
> >
> > Thanks
> > Bob
>
>
> You get Rogers Cable. That is analog. You also have, at least, some
> digital capability. Think of these just like different radios: AM and
> FM. Can't listen to AM on the FM radio and vice versa.
>
> Digital is NOT backwards compatible with analog.
>
> Rogers no longer even offers an analog basic package, so the writing is
> on the wall, that it will (eventually) move all the analog channels to
> digital streams only.
>
> At the moment, you record off the cable with a PVR-150. It has on-board
> hardware compression, and does only Standard Definition TV.
>
> EVERYTHING which Rogers sends as a digital signal is encrypted. Rogers
> used to transmit about 35 QAM encoded, unencrypted channels, but stopped
>  that about June 2007. Now everything digital is encrypted, which means
> you must use a set top box to unscramble the signal.
>
> It is clear that Rogers wants to suck as much as possible from the
> customer, and CONTROL the customer's capability to record, as much as
> possible. And there are no 'must-carry' rules in Canada from the CRTC as
> there are in the US from the FCC.
>
> Your digital set-top-box, MAY have a firewire output (but I don't think
> anyone has confirmed that wrt Rogers supplied boxes). If so, you can
> record the digital stream using a firewire input on your mythbox. ( I am
> fairly sure you can buy firewire capable STB's which work with Rogers.)
>
> The only other choice at the moment, is the new Hauppauge HD1212 which
> takes (analog) component video output from the set top box and encodes
> to to digital, which you then record. The STB must have component
> output. Only the most basic (cheapest) STB's do not have component.
>
> HDMI generally does not work for output because it is crippled to only
> talk to HDCP recognized devices, like your LCD TV but to never allow a
> digital stream 'into the wild' so to speak. In other words, it is DRM
> crippled. (I don't know of any TV's which will pass through an HDMI
> sourced signal, and strip it. The only not-so-reasonably priced unit
> which was advertised to strip HDCP from a HDMI/DVI signal was made in
> Germany and is apparently no longer available: the Spatz DVIMagic box
> amd it was listed at 400 euros.)
>
> The next problem either way is that you need one set top box per channel
> to be recorded: that is, one set top box, plus firewire/HD1212 input
> (plus an IR blaster for channel changing) is equivalent to your PVR150
> in terms of tuning the channel and recording a stream.
>
> If you want more channel recording capability at present, you could add
> another PVR150. That would be the cheapest route to add extra capability
> for the foreseeable future. Best guess is that Rogers will not force a
> changeover until Canada goes all-digital in August 2011 (although there
> will probably be some changes in February 2009 when the US changes). So
> you can get good use of a $60-75 purchase. If you do not have a spare
> slot you could change to a PVR500 for 2 tuners, or add one of the
> Hauppauge USB analaog tuners.
>
> If you want to future proof yourself, then you have to think about the
> digital route.
>
> And HDHomeRun is a great little unit, but it only works with unencrypted
> QAM cable signals, or OTA. I have one connected to my antenna (in
> Mississauga, south of Lakeshore) and I get 23 channels ( ignoring SD
> versions of HD feeds). So unless you are able to put up an antenna this
> box is not for you. The antenna installed cost me less than $200 with
> all parts, and coax cable, but I did the installation.
>
> So far I have said nothing about HD. If you get HD channels on your STB,
> then the same questions arise. You need firewire or another form of
> output from the STB to feed your mythbox. Once you are digital the
> definition level makes no real difference on the input side. The
> differences are all on the output side, in terms of what your screen can
> do, and your hardware provide. But what you have will be fine for
> standard def for a couple of years.
>
> Geoff
>
> --
>

Holy crap, you guys are amazing! Been reading the thread now and trying to
let it all sink in. Lots of new info for me :)

So now with the explanation of the Rogers digital box, I'm curious. Let's
say I get another Rogers digital box (same as one already in family room).
Now if I want to use it exclusively with Myth, I would what-- plug it in to
my server? ie., Connect it to the PVR-150 and my PVR-150 now captures from
the digital box?

With the Rogers box having its built-in Guide and all that, how would that
affect my desktop PC as frontend? Would I have to have the digital box
plugged into my desktop PC as frontend? Or can I just use my mythfrontend as
is?

I am edging closer to another PVR-150 or 500 for now but just want to be
sure and not waste $70-$80 if it makes more sense to spend a bit more and
improve things.

Thanks a TON!
Bob
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