[mythtv-users] How to best deal with Comcast's "Improved" Lineup?

[Craig Huff]

On Mon, Jul 12, 2010 at 9:40 PM, Scott <pickle136 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> The DTA and the basic STB only have analog cable output. (although there
> may be more variants, sounds like there are)
> I managed to snag an HD STB 6200 which had the firewire.
>

Must be nice.  The clerk at the local office snarled "NONE of our
boxes have firewire.  Never have.  Never will."

What I was "allowed" to get was a DCT2524/1612 STB and the DTAs were
DC50Xu devices about the size of a deck of cards.

After getting them home and doing an inspection, both raise questions.

1) The STB has a standard TV F-connector on the back along with RCA
jacks, at least for audio (admittedly, it was a quick inspection over
cereal this morning).  If I am correct in thinking there is some kind
of baseband video connection -- RCA jack video (composite?) or
S-Video, would that make any significant difference in the picture
quality, given that whatever form it takes, it's going into a PVR-500
for capture and will be displayed on good, old-fashioned, CRT
televisions, since that's all we have.  Hey, they work "good enough"
and I'd rather invest in MythTV than in a new display that, from what
I hear, won't last as long as the CRT, uses more power, and will cost
a bundle.

2) The STB has what looks like a serial port on the back.  I don't
remember the exact label, but it was something like "Data Port".  Is
this something that can be used in place of an IR blaster, and is it
better, worse, or just as "interesting" to use as the IR blaster
option?

3) The DTAs have an accessory 3.5mm - 1/8" jack for connecting a
supplied IR receiver to support putting the DTA out of sight behind
the TV.  What about using a patch cable or a modified one with an
interface circuit (optoisolator, maybe?) to directly connect my MythTV
IR blaster output to the DTA's IR receiver input?  Would that be more
reliable?  Worth the effort to develop the interface?  Note I'd need
to do it 3x for the three DTAs I'll be connecting to my MythTV system,
along with the STB.

Craig.