[mythtv-users] CableCard???

[Adrian Allan]

On 11/13/06, Greg Ferreri <gferreri at gmail.com> wrote:
> I can't subscribe to any encrypted HDTV channels and expect to be able to
> watch them through my Myth box.

I'm sure that the purists will flame me for this, but I accidentally
found a pretty simple solution to this problem.  I was in the middle
of hooking up firewire to control an external HD cable box (SA3250HD).
 For testing purposes, I hooked up the S-Video output of the cable box
to my PVR-350, and was working on getting the channel changing script
to work when I discovered that I was getting a pretty decent picture
when recording from an HD channel.  I also found that if I upped the
bit rate a little, it even looked acceptable on my 720p DLP in 4:3
Zoom mode.  I know that it is nowhere near to true HD, but it is
significantly better than regular SD (no side bars).  In fact I now
use this as my preferred way of recording under Myth.  The way I see
it, I am saving a lot of CPU effort by avoiding transcoding to make
smaller files.

Now if only the zoom mode could be automated...

Adrian