[mythtv-users] Fwd: Advice on TV tuner for use on Comcast cable in Minneapolis

[David Schlenk]

On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 9:02 AM, James Crow <james at ultratans.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 2008-07-22 at 14:38 +0100, Gordon McCrae wrote:
>> My friend was over on Scotland recently and loved my MythTV setup, now
>> he's back home in Minneapolis he's looking to build his own system.
>>
>> Server and Linux wise I have that covered, however I have no idea about
>> connecting up his Comcast cable TV.
>>
>> He tells me that he currently has an analogue solution, and simply tunes
>> his TV stations to each of the cable stations, however when he called to
>> get a second feed, they've told him it will need to be digital and will
>> come with a tuner box.
>>
>> Any pointers on the best way to integrate this with MythTV, and what
>> tuner cards would be required.
>>
>> I had thought a simple PVR-250 would be fine for the analogue feed, but
>> even then he'll only have one channel available at a time to tune / record.
>>
>> Also, if the digital feed is do-able, what would he need on the PC
>> hardware side to control channel selection?
>>
>> Cheers
>> Gordon
> Gordon,
>
>  If he is planning to stick with SD feeds he could get a PVR-500
> (essentially two PRV-150s in a single card) and connect the s-video
> output of the digital box to one input of the PVR-500. The second input
> of the PVR-500 could be connected to his analog cable. That would give
> him two inputs in a single card. The PVR-500 card is quite long though
> so make sure his case has room if you go that route. What setup is
> required for controlling the digital box depends on what type of box it
> is. Some can use serial cables, others need ir blaster devices and I
> think some can be controlled over firewire though I have no experience
> with that.
>
> HTH
> James
>
>
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I live in MPLS (well, brooklyn park, but close enough) and have
comcast. I have two analog tuners (150s) that I use for cable channels
below 100. I have two ATSC/QAM tuners but I actually pull OTA with
those because comcast craptifies HD to a lower bitrate and it looks
like shat. I have yet to set up a blaster to record from one of my HD
STBs because there isn't a lot of good HD programming that isn't
either on all the time, available on demand or available OTA via ATSC.
Also because I haven't had time to do it. And I don't own a 1212 so
i'd be using one of the analog cards to capture s-video so again, not
really worth it. I haven't tried firewire yet but both my STBs have
firewire ports. They also have USB and ethernet but according to
comcast they don't do anything.. I haven't tried to do anything with
them. Whenever I'm at my local sub I always ask if they have any
"HDMI" boxes, not because I need one but just because I'm curious what
the newer ones are. But anyway. Have him email off list if he wants
any more details.

Oh and them trying to force him to get digital cable is probably BS.
Even if it isn't, at this point everything below 100 is still
available via analog.  Last time I changed packages (March?) they
still said something to the effect that TVs without boxes would get
channels below 100 and didn't mention an EOL for that service, so I
haven't heard of any plans for them moving to digital only, but I
suppose its probably inevitable. MPLS was the first comcast market to
get 50Mbps internet, so if that's already available and we can still
get analog TV perhaps we'll be spared that travesty. If it does happen
it will no doubt coincide closely to
the time that I jump to Dish. In an even more off-topic subject, I'm
nervous/excited to see what tru2way will mean for myth. Seems like it
could be awesome if its open enough to allow homebrew stuff like myth
to get content but more likely its probably just going to cement the
need for a 1212 type device and relying on the analog hole. Anyway.
I'm done now.