[mythtv-users] Not your everyday newbie questions

[R. Stavros Bezas]

Robert,

I appreciate your quick response, analyzing this setup is aggravating  
me as much as it excites me. I always love a good challenge.

To address a few of your replies:

Upon looking at costs/feasibility/implementation I am leaning more  
towards Comcast. The ability to potentially use that firewire  
connection really appeals to me. I hope someone with more experience  
with the firewire can answer this question :

Will I be able to capture all content from the cable box (SD,HD local  
and HD encrypted) through the firewire cable? Will I also be able to  
change channels via it or will I need an IR blaster?

Without the firewire connection am I correct in assuming that there  
is no way to capture HD encrypted content like HD Espn, HD TNT, HD  
Discovery, etc? Is this a blanket problem or are there ways around it?

In regards to the "1:1 pixel mapping" idea you suggested: Do you have  
any more information regarding this so I can look further into it, I  
am curious to find out more about it.

I appreciate the good luck, I am looking forward to learning all  
about how to create this and have no real time frame nor other  
constraints to apply stress to the situation. I have *nix experience,  
while not Linux I believe it will greatly help me in installing  
everything on the software end. (Plus KnoppMyth is a great solution  
too I hear)

Thank you again.


On Oct 11, 2005, at 1:38 PM, Robert Denier wrote:

> On Tue, 2005-10-11 at 12:51 -0400, R. Stavros Bezas wrote:
>
>> For the last few weeks I have been browsing every single website I
>> can possibly imagine that deals with creating your own HD PVR HTPC.
>> Without owning a HD set or service presently I find myself a touch
>> limited when it comes to specific hardware connections/setups. I am
>> well versed with the signals themselves but none of the company
>> proprietary things that will definetly impact how you set up your  
>> box.
>>
>> I'd like to lay out my understanding of how to setup a system
>> (backend and fronted in one box to start) so I can see exactly what I
>> need to make my decisions on as well as to help out others in my
>> position in the future. Please add any input you can.
>>
>> Starting from the signal itself. I plan to get DirecTV but may resort
>> to Comcast if tree cover is an issue. Let's just assume DirecTV is
>>
>
> You might give a closer look at comcast.  There is a chance that a  
> cable
> box is available that has firewire that may even work with myth.  This
> is likely the best quality video you can get, if its available and it
> works.  I've never looked into the details as cable is not available
> here.
>
>
>>
>> available. The signal will come into through the wall via RG6 and I
>> am assuming I will need to terminate it at their Satellite box.
>>
>
> Yes.
>
>>
>>  From the Satellite box which method do I use to bring it into the
>> MythBox?
>>
>
> Typically you will use a hauppauge pvr 150(captures 1 signal) or pvr
> 500(captures 2 signals).  This adds
> 1) A Digital/Analog conversion in the sat box.
> 2) An A/D conversion in the pvr card.
> 3) Some additional losses recompressing the video the mpeg2 video.
>
> This is why getting the signal in its original mpeg2 native form  
> from a
> cable box has some value.  Of course I'm not sure how well, or if this
> really works..
>
> You will also need either a serial connection to the satellite  
> receiver
> to change channels or an ir blaster.
>
>
>> My first thought would have been through Component/DVI or
>>
>
> Nice try :) Afaik no cards exist that will do either.  A talented
> electrical engineer might build a card, given enough time and  
> money, but
> well, I find it likely that attempting to sell such a device would
> resort in some kind of legal issue.  Also, if your talking hdtv, you
> would need a _VERY_ fast machine to compress it from the raw data, or
> additional hardware on the board to deal with real time mpeg2
> compression.  All in all the creation of such a card while technically
> probably feasible, is just not likely to happen anytime soon.
>
> There are cards that receive over the air compressed hdtv signals that
> work with myth, but then your limited to those channels.
>
>
>>
>> other video transport methods but reading through I find myself more
>> confused as talk about Firewire comes into play as well as inputting
>> the signal directly into the box. All sorts of questions about
>> encrypted signals now come into my mind. This topic is very important
>> to me as I can't seem to get a straight answer.
>>
> Sorry, I'm not expert on firewire as the solution does not apply here.
> I use dish network with an ir blaster.
>
>
>> (I plan to be purchasing a Samsung 61" DLP (HLR6167W) which contains
>> almost every sort of connection available and the rest of the
>> equipment has not been purchased so the sky is the limit when it
>> comes to type of setup)
>>
>
> I wonder if that tv can do a 1:1 pixel mapping from your computer  
> via a
> dvi cable.  It might be something to look into..  Of course, if your
> only watching video it doesn't matter so much.
>
>
>> After I have the signal into the MythBox (for simplicity let's assume
>> just one tuner card, although the software side of multiple cards
>> perplexes me as well!)
>>
>
> Multiple cards are for picture in picture or recording one program  
> while
> watching another/etc..  Also of course it allows multiple stations to
> see a picture..
>
>
>>  it obviously needs to get to the television.
>> This is where a video card that supports a HD-OUT method (component,
>> HDMI, DVI, etc.) comes in.
>>
>
> I'm not sure any cards support hdmi out.  I have a dvi->hdmi cable,  
> but
> the vizio l32 I have doesn't really support any usefull resolutions  
> that
> way.  I'm returning it for a winbook 32 inch though.
>
> At any rate you want dvi/hdmi, if possible.
>
>
>> This sounds quite simple to me, but again,
>> I believe firewire has entered the mix and that just confuses me as
>>
>
> Firewire as it was originally used is for motion jpeg compressed video
> from a DV camera.  There is also mpeg2 over firewire which I think  
> is a
> standard, but I could be wrong.  Directv had a receiver that did mpeg2
> over firewire, but I think that was something non standard and not
> useful.
>
>>
>> to how that could interact. If you do use firewire on either input/
>> output, would I still need a tuner card or video card?
>>
>
> Well in theory you would just need a firewire port on your backend  
> and a
> video card (suggest nvidia) with dvi on your frontend.
>
>
>>
>> Other issues of note:
>> As I've said I've done some research and come to see that the pcHDTV
>> card does not decode NTSC (SD) signals. Does this mean I will have to
>>
>
> I've no idea, but it is a trivial problem.  Just put a 150 card in as
> well.
>
>
>>
>> have multiple cards to get the full spectrum of channels from my
>> service? Is the control seamless through the Myth interface?
>>
>
> I don't have two cards in yet, but I would assume so..
>
>
>> My goal
>> is to make this box operate as simply as possible. I currently use
>> ReplayTV with a basic analog signal, it could not work more simple.
>>
>
> I'm not sure myth is at the point of simple.  Maybe once you get
> everything figured out...
>
>
>>
>> When it comes to installing my Satellite service, is there a certain
>> box or features I should request that would simplify the task of
>> creating this PVR? Also, same question for Comcast or other cable
>> providers if Satellite falls though.
>>
>
> Well there is little point in paying for pvr fees from your satellite
> provider if those boxes are going to myth.  Probably you want ordinary
> satellite receivers for the ones that go to myth.
>
> On the other hand dish network does have two hdtv receivers.  One even
> has a built in pvr.  If you are looking for simple and done, with the
> absolute best picture possible, well its going to be hard to beat that
> one, especially when myth doesn't have a way to record non over the  
> air
> hdtv channels unless you can somehow get them through firewire from  
> your
> cable systems.
>
>
>>
>> The software side I have yet to address as that can all be handled
>> once I have the hardware in place. I anticipate that to be relatively
>> painless compared to creating the box up to and including IR  
>> blasters/
>> serial connections,etc.
>>
>
> Good luck.  It is all doable.  It really depends on your patience and
> your knowledge of linux.  I believe there are guides around for  
> fedora ?
> from red hat.  It can take a great deal of time though...
>
> -Robert
>
>
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