[mythtv-users] PCIe analog capture card recommendations

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Tue, Feb 10, 2015 at 9:18 PM, Karl Newman <newmank1 at asme.org> wrote:
.....
> Yes, Comcast, but they insist on continuing to give us HBO free so I want to
> have the ability to capture from the STB, which is currently done by the
> PVR-500.

The "common" solution to HBO from a STB is a HD-PVR (which also
gets you HD, should you care).

> In the near term I'm going to keep the Pace DTA so I can record 2
> channels. As I mentioned, I'm looking for a foundation for a long term
> solution which will include an OCUR/CableCard device, but I'm waiting
> (patiently... over 2 years...) for the promised transcoding HDHomeRun Prime
> from SiliconDust. Although now I read that Comcast is trialling h.264 so
> maybe that will soon be moot?

I am not privy to SiliconDust's plans, but there are hints that a
4 tuner transcoding OCUR device may by further out than anyone
had initially thought.  The rumors have included that the vendor of
one of the chips had their (entire?) inventory committed to
another manufacturer (the chip is used in many devices), and now
a chip vendor has been bought, all delaying things.  And now, as
you say, Comcast (and others) have suggested that they will go
H.264, so the question of whether a transcoding model makes
sense (from a ROI perspective) is unknown (and the transcoder chip
was 4 streams). The current rumors suggest a 6 tuner OCUR device
RSN (by "summer" time?)  But SD has been (reasonably) gun-shy
about promising any dates, since the process includes CableLabs
certification, which can take some time.

I would say that I would be surprised if Comcast managed to
roll-out H.264 across their footprint faster than 12-18 months
after they make the decision to do so (although since such
decisions are not public until they start rolling things out, your
point of view of the timeframe may differ).

One can wait forever for the ideal solution.  If one of the existing
OCUR devices can meet 85% of your needs, I would go with it
now.