[mythtv-users] possible to set device priority for each channel?

[Yeechang Lee]

Andrew <mythtv at heathsworld.com> says:
> They are on the same video source because I think my cable company
> has made all the channels "digital" on the cable regardless of SD or
> HD.

Andrew, you and Mike Dean are talking past each other; as he says, in
your case you need a second video source in mythtv-setup. I can't tell
from your messages how many cable boxes you own, so I'll discuss
several scenarios.

TWO CABLE BOXES
SchedulesDirect "Mediacom" lineup:
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO
* 7 PBS

MythTV "Cable" video source within mythtv-setup, linked to "Mediacom":
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via FireWire or QAM; just component video
* 7 PBS

The MythTV HD-PVR capture card within mythtv-setup is linked to
"Cable" within Input connections. MythTV will use the HD-PVR for all
recordings.

You add a second cable box. Since you only have one HD-PVR, you add a
FireWire capture card in mythtv-setup. You also link this card to
"Cable." The scheduler will, *all else being equal*, record from the
HD-PVR first as it was created first, and use FireWire
second. However, recordings from HBO via FireWire will fail because
MythTV hasn't been told that HBO is inaccessible.

You can tell MythTV so by unselecting HBO from the SchedulesDirect
lineup, or by making it non-visible in mythtv-setup's channel
editor.[*] Either way, however, also means that MythTV won't try to
record it with the HD-PVR.

The solution is to create a second video source:

MythTV "Cable 2" video source within mythtv-setup, linked to "Mediacom":
* 2 ABC
X 4 HBO # X=marked as non-visible
* 7 PBS

Link this source to the FireWire capture card within Input
connections. MythTV now knows to not use FireWire to record from HBO.

ONE CABLE BOX
SchedulesDirect "Mediacom" lineup:
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO
* 7 PBS

MythTV "Cable" video source within mythtv-setup, linked to "Mediacom":
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via FireWire or QAM; just component video
* 7 PBS

The MythTV HDHomeRun capture card within mythtv-setup is linked to
"Cable." MythTV will use the HDHomeRun in QAM mode for all recordings,
which means any HBO recordings will fail. You thus mark HBO as
non-visible in "Cable":

* 2 ABC
X 4 HBO #Not accessible via FireWire or QAM; just component video
* 7 PBS

You buy a HD-PVR, and want to use it to record HBO. You thus create
the "Cable 2" video source, linked to "Mediacom":

* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via FireWire or QAM; just component video
* 7 PBS

You add the HD-PVR capture card and link "Cable 2" to it.[#] MythTV
will now use both capture cards, preferring the HDHomeRun over the
HD-PVR except for HBO, which it will only record via the HD-PVR.

ONE CABLE BOX, SIMPLIFIED
If you are happy with the HD-PVR's recording quality and reliability
and have one cable box, this is the way to go.

SchedulesDirect "Mediacom" lineup:
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO
* 7 PBS

MythTV "Cable" video source within mythtv-setup, linked to "Mediacom":
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via FireWire or QAM; just component video
* 7 PBS

The MythTV HD-PVR capture card within mythtv-setup is linked to
"Cable." All recordings are made with it.

TWO CABLE BOXES, VARIATION 1
SchedulesDirect "Astound" lineup:
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO
* 7 PBS

MythTV "Cable" video source within mythtv-setup, linked to "Astound":
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via QAM; just component video or FireWire
* 7 PBS

The MythTV HD-PVR capture card within mythtv-setup is linked to
"Cable" within Input connections. MythTV will use the HD-PVR for all
recordings.

I add a second cable box. Since I only have one HD-PVR, I add a
FireWire capture card in mythtv-setup. I also link this card to
"Cable." Since Astound believes in satisfying its customers and thus
permits HBO to be recorded via FireWire, the list of channels
accessible from each capture card is identical and I don't need to
create another video source. (This might not hold if one of the
capture cards is a HDHomeRun using QAM. I've never been foolish enough
to rely on QAM[!] but believe this is the source of Mike Dean's
"Analog and digital channels are always tuned differently, so can
never share a video source" comment, which confused you.)

TWO CABLE BOXES, VARIATION 2[$]
SchedulesDirect "Astound" lineup:
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO
* 7 PBS

MythTV "Cable" video source within mythtv-setup, linked to "Astound":
* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via QAM; just component video or FireWire
* 7 PBS #Not accessible via FireWire due to broadcast flag; just
        #component video

The MythTV HD-PVR capture card within mythtv-setup is linked to
"Cable" within Input connections. MythTV will use the HD-PVR for all
recordings.

I add a second cable box. Since I only have one HD-PVR, I add a
FireWire capture card in mythtv-setup. Since PBS is not available via
FireWire due to the broadcast flag, I can't also link it to "Cable."
create a second video source, "Cable 2":

* 2 ABC
* 4 HBO #Not accessible via QAM; just component video or FireWire
X 7 PBS #Not accessible via FireWire due to broadcast flag; just
        #component video

I link "Cable 2" to the FireWire capture card. Now, MythTV will use
either device to record from ABC and HBO, but only the HD-PVR for PBS.

[*] I strongly recommend the second method.
[!] I have better things to do with my time than to have to rescan
channels weekly.
[#] Since you only have one cable box, you also need to create an
input group and tell add both the HDHomeRun and HD-PVR capture cards
to it so MythTV won't try to record from both at the same time.
[$] My situation.

-- 
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