[mythtv-users] MythTV with Sky+ or V+ (UK)

Mike Holden mythtv at mikeholden.org
Wed Dec 16 16:50:42 UTC 2009


We currently subscribe to Virgin Cable, SD only, but with the arrival of an HD TV next
week (early Xmas present to ourselves), I am looking into HD sources for our TV.

I know that Freeview now carries HD channels (ok, only 1 for now), but that there is no
hardware available at the moment. I'll look into this when it arrives, along with
appropriate drivers.

Freesat is also an option, but currently only carries 2 channels, and ITV HD requires
pressing the red button when watching the main channel, so sounds a bit clunky for an
unattended PVR.

I know that both Virgin and Sky have HD services, but in both cases they supply a
decoder box which is also a PVR complete with internal disk drive. Both services include
multiple tuners so you can record 2 or 3 different channels at the same time.

Ok, here's my question: has anybody integrated this multi-tuner external disk technology
into the MythTV system, maybe via some IR sender to get the PVR to record programs and
later playing them back via the PVR instead of MythTV, or possibly by treating it as a
single-tuner simple cable box using someting like an HD-PVR and capturing direct into
MythTV? The first option loses a lot of the Myth integration (no access from FE, only
from the original box), and is much more limited on disk space as you are limited to
whatever the PVR has, and the second option loses the multi-tuner capabilities.

Any other methods I haven't thought of? Serial control, firewire?
-- 
Mike Holden

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