[mythtv-users] Can Myth 'tune' these 'free' converter boxes?

Mark Knecht markknecht at gmail.com
Thu Feb 5 19:55:40 UTC 2009


Hi Jeff

On Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 11:34 AM, Jeff <junk_inbox at verizon.net> wrote:
<SNIP>
>> >>   Comcast is giving me 3 of these 'free', low-end digital converter
>> >> boxes. Instead of using them on TVs I was wondering whether Myth can
>> >> tune them and I'll used them as a digital frontend to my PVR-150's. Is
>> >> this possible?
>
> Yes - You would feed the S-Video and Sterio Audio outputs into your PVR-150

Coax actually but I get the idea.
>
>>
>> >>   These boxes have no USB or 1394 interfaces. There is an IR
>> >> connector for attaching a remote IR receiver if that helps. If you
>> >> need more info let me know but there isn't much more to these small
>> >> boxes.
>
> I don't know the specifications on the port, but you could put IR blaster
> 'eyes' on each box.  Where it gets a bit tricky is that all the boxes will
> respond to the same IR codes, so you'll need multiple instances of lirc, one
> for each box, to control them.
>
>>
>> <snip>
>
>
>>
>> The one I got was a Pace:
>>
>> http://www.pace.com/americas/home/index.asp
>>
>> I don't see the model on the website. It's really, really low end but
>> it does work.
>
> What is the model number???
>

DC50X. IT doesn't seem to be on the Pace site.

>
>>
>> <snip>
>> > If you don't use them for a front end, I guess the only way to use
>> > them to record for myth is to use a IR Blaster to change channels. Is
>> > that a plan of yours?
>>
>> I don't know about the IR Blaster. What is it? If it's some IR
>> transmitter that Myth can control, and if Myth can control multiple IR
>> Blasters, then I suppose I could paste an IR Blaster over the IR input
>> of the converter and maybe that would work. Doesn't sound all that
>> reliable and certainly would be ugly.
>
> I use IR Blasters with Dish network receivers.  They are reliable - I
> haven't missed a channel change in 2+ years.
>

Good to know.

>>
>> Better in my mind would be a cable going directly from my backend to
>> the IR input port on the back of the converter. No actual IR but
>> sending the same data over a serial or analog cable. Is that possible?
>
> Probably, but without specs on the receiver and/or the port, I can't say for
> sure.

Yeah, I completely understand.

- Mark


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