[mythtv-users] questions about DCX-3200M + HDPVR1 + Shaw

[Jerome Yuzyk]

I'm preparing to get a Motorola DCX-3200M "HD Box" from Shaw Cablesystems. It will pull in all the SD channels that went digital a couple years ago, plus about 30+ HD channels, according to Shaw once I could get someone to tell me what I'd actually get. It will add to the PVR-500 now grabbing from analog. I already got a barely-used HDPVR1 (1212) with all cables for a pretty good deal.

This leads me to some questions, pardon my ignorance(s). Things were so much easier when there was just a stretch of coax going into a card...


#1: Managing Line-ups: I will have two SchedulesDirect Lineups: Cable and CableDigital. Cable has the "Basic" (analog) channels I use now, going to the PVR-500. CableDigital will have digital feeds for all the Basic channels, plus "Classic" and "Digital" and about 30 "HD Basic" channels that replicate some Basic and Digital channels.

So that's a lot of channels split over 3 tuners. I see some juggling of recording rules in my future. :) Any tips from those with something similar?

If I schedule the News on my local channel 2 (available from analog or digital tuners) will the MythTV scheduler "just figure out" which tuner is available? 

Is there some way to schedule for "best available" from HD, digital, and analog? 

How do you folks juggle this?


#2: How good is USB at putting the HDPVR data stream on disk? My Myth box probably has only USB 2.0 (not sure how to find out). Any limitations I should be aware of?


#3: ir-blasting: Do I blast the HD Box from my MCE receiver and the HDPVR sits as a passive converter? Or signal the HDPVR over USB which will then blast the HD box? Anyone on Shaw using Firewire with the DCX for channel-changing?


#4: Stability: I've seen the stability problems with the HDPVR, requiring resets. Is there some merit to maybe do this in a cron job proactively? Or is the box's stability mostly subject to its wobbly power supply and heat sensitivity and I just need to solve those? Any DCX-3200M stability issues? I'll be putting both boxes on a UPS.


#4: Channel-changing: Anything special needed for the DCX-3200M? 

Is https://www.mythtv.org/wiki/LircChannelChanger a good script to start with?

#5: Setup: Do I need a TV to be able to configure the DCX or can I do it with LiveTV?


[1] http://tinyurl.com/pwcspvg
[2] http://tinyurl.com/pkkjuda

-- 
A little of Jerome's MythTV World: http://mythtv.bss.ab.ca