[mythtv-users] Premium Content

[Michael T. Dean]

On 03/27/2007 02:26 PM, Cole Brodine wrote:
> Depending on who your local cable company is, HD may be a good option 
> with their service.  It all depends on if they broadcast HD using the 
> QAM signal, so that you can use hardware like the HDHomerun or a PC card.

TTBOMK, all US cable companies use QAM for digital TV--just like ATSC 
requires the use of 8-VSB modulation.  QAM is just Quadrature Amplitude 
Modulation and simply specifies how the data is conveyed in a given signal.

>   If you end up having to use Firewire, there seems to be a whole 
> other bunch of problems that may or may not arise.  Depending on the 
> cable company, you may have all, none or just some of the channels 
> unencrypted.

Note that the encryption exists in the transmitted content (i.e. the 
data is encrypted before being transmitted using QAM).  Therefore, if 
the cable company encrypts the signal, you won't be able to record it in 
Myth using pcHDTV, HDHomeRun, Firewire, or any other capture 
device--with the sole exception of using NTSC (standard definition) 
output from your set-top box to an analog capture card.

Mike