[mythtv-users] USB IR Blaster: close but no cigar

Yeechang Lee ylee at pobox.com
Mon Apr 19 03:26:13 UTC 2010


On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:10 AM, Greg Woods <greg at gregandeva.net> wrote:
> I do know one way: rent another "real" STB from Comcast and get
> another HD-PVR (then I get the deal with the fun of trying to keep
> multiple firewire devices straight for channel changing).

Despite the up-front and monthly cost this is indeed your best
bet:

* It is 100% future-proof, no matter what cable or satellite provider
  you switch to in the future
* You're already familiar with the HD-PVR
* FireWire channel switching is 100% reliable unlike IR blasters, and
  uses GUID so the two boxes would always be distinct
* Writing a udev rule to give the two HD-PVRs distinct /dev node
  labels is easy (took me about 15 seconds to figure out how to do so
  for the first time)
* You get HD-quality access to every channel you pay for already

Of course, there's always the alternative of getting another PCI USB
card. (Sorry. I'm just mocking the two people who advised you to get
one despite your specificially saying you couldn't.)

-- 
Frontend/backend:	P4 3.0GHz, 1.5TB software RAID 5 array
Backend:		Quad-core Xeon 1.6GHz, 6.6TB sw RAID 6
Video inputs:		Four high-definition over FireWire/OTA
Accessories:		47" 1080p LCD, 5.1 digital, and MX-600


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