[mythtv-users] Mythtv users with Comcast HD cable boxes (Chicago?)

[Kevin Hill]

Johnny wrote:
>> I'm using Comcast cable QAM + a SD cable box going to a pvr 500 with Comcast
>> near Chicago. I'm getting tired of losing 1/3 of my resolution watching
>> letterboxed shows on SD channels. If I get an HD cable box, can it
>> downconvert 720p and 1080i content to 480i widescreen svideo output I could
>> record with the pvr 500 and at least reclaim a full 720x480 pic on
>> widescreen content?
> 
> I am not sure that I follow your reasoning here. Are you displaying
> this on a 16x9 HDTV or on a 4x3 SDTV? I will assume you are using an
> HD set. Are you saying you are frustrated by the fact that on SD
> channels they often use 16x9 footage and then letterbox it for the 4x3
> SD, so it ends up letterboxed and pillarboxed on your HDTV?

Right. Just to add a few more details. I'm specifically watching tv on a 
Philips widescreen CRT, which does 480i,480p, and 1080i. So basically 
480p is about the best you can really discern on the picture tube anyway...

  So your
> plan is to get an HD cable box and then tune into HD channels and then
> have the box output 4x3 S-video? In that case it would still be
> letterboxed. Or are you hoping that the cable box will support a 16x9
> anamorphic widescreen (720x480 is not 16x9) over the S-video. Having
> the option to do 16x9 over S-video would depend on the specific STB. I
> believe some of them do, but many of them only do 4x3 over the
> S-video.

I'm hoping it has a 4:3/16:9 setting like most video game consoles/DVD 
players that do HD do, so I can get a full screen output on 480i/svideo.

> But the 2nd part of your problem would be the PVR-500. They only
> capture 4x3. So the question is would it just take the 16x9 anamorphic
> as is? I would guess it would but it wouldn't have the 16x9 flag that
> they use for anamorphic widescreen DVDs etc. In that case you fix it
> during playback by changing the aspect ratio. I haven't tried that but
> it might work. Maybe somebody else here has.

Yeah, the pvr-500 just records whatever it sees coming in. It can be set 
to mark it as 4:3 or 16:9 as the case may be. I forget if this is in 
Myth or needs v4l2/ivtv settings directly, but I'm pretty sure I 
remember playing with widescreen on the pvr-500 before while testing 
stuff when I first got it... just would like to get confirmation that 
the cable box can do this. May get addicted to HD on-demand regardless 
while waiting for 0.22 and the hd-pvr anyway :)


thanks,
-kevin