[mythtv-users] NTSC USB tuners: which ones are out there?

[James Miller]

On Thu, 26 Mar 2015, Devin Heitmueller wrote:

> Depending on your cable system, it's likely that NatGeo, History,
> Channel, etc are broadcasted *only* in encrypted digital form (i.e.
> not in ClearQAM, nor in analog NTSC).  As a result, your only options
> for receiving those channels would be an HDHR Prime with Cablecard
> (assuming for a moment that the channels are copy-freely), or an
> HD-PVR in conjunction with a cable box.

Thanks for your response, Devin. I actually still have my old MythTV 
system running, and it has a couple of old capture cards (PVR 150 being 
one) in it that can still record the stations in question. That's why I 
believe they are still--for who knows how much longer--broadcast in NTSC. 
I thought about buying the HDHR Prime when I was considering new hardware 
but went with the HDHR4-2US on the (faulty) assumption that stations I 
wished to bring in were broadcasting in clear QAM.

> Encryption sucks.  Blame your cable company.

I definitely will. I don't think they'll give a hoot, but they're 
definitely to blame for this mess, in my view.