[mythtv-users] (no subject)

[michaelachandler at cox.net]

> There are basically three ways to get HD into a Myth system from a  
> cable TV source:
> 
> By unencrypted QAM, if your cable operator is kind enough to transmit  
> HD programming in unencrypted form, which is not too likely and even  
> it it's happening you can't count on it continuing. Basically this  
> will only be the stuff you could get off-air anyway, with some  
> exceptions.
> 
> Get one of the cable STBs that output an MPEG stream via firewire.  
> Again this only works for unencrypted programming and only with  
> certain STBs and only if the cable operator has enabled the F/W port  
> (or more likely neglected to disable it). Yes, I know they are  
> supposed to enable this feature for the basic broadcast channels but  
> try explaining that to the customer service rep.
> 
> Spend upwards of $50,000 on a Lucent or Tandberg HD encoder that will  
> allow you to encode the component output of a STB into an MPEG stream.
> 
> Any other alternatives I'm all ears to hear about.
> 
> This will all of course change with time. There are some HDMI capture  
> devices that look promising and are relatively "cheap" (ie: under  
> $5000) and there are some HD camcorders that apparently have encoder  
> chips/chipsets in them that can apparently encode 1080i for well  
> under $1000.
> 
> But essentially it's the "Hollywood" types who insist on protecting  
> their "premium content", and are making things difficult for  
> everyone, including themselves if they could only figure that out.
> 
> It's not really a technical problem at this point, it's an economic  
> and legal one.

Thanks Brian, I'm sure you meant well, but your answer is way over my head. I am just wondering if that card will work or not, using a standard cable hookup.  Seems lots of folks are using it. HDTV is available in our subscription.