[mythtv-users] Moving to HD

[John P Poet]

On Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 6:21 PM, Thom Paine <painethom at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> HDMI, and component are the two that I think will work for HD. I
>>> realize I will need to buy an HD card. Do they come with HDMI inputs
>>> on them? I kind of assumed they did.
>>
>> No, there are no HDMI capture options for MythTV.  Your only option is to
>> get an HD-PVR, and capture via component video.
>
> Ahh, ok. I'll see what I can find for a card tomorrow.

HD-PVR is a component capture device that Hauppauge makes:

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/HDPVR

Typical price is around $210, so it is not cheap, but considering what
it does, it is well worth it.  It takes raw HD component video,
compresses it into H.264, and feeds that to your computer via USB.

The H.264 video that the HD-PVR produces is single sliced and
difficult to decode in software, so you would likely need a VDPAU
enabled video card to do the decoding for you.  An nVidia GT220 is
fairly cheap, can do Advanced 2X deinterlacing, and can handle the
HD-PVR stuff with ease

The HD-PVR is is the *only* device currently available that allows you
to record HD from a STB (Set Top Box).  The STB can either be one from
you cable company, or from any of the satellite providers.

Personally, I use a HDHomeRun to get all of my "local" channels, and a
HD-PVR to record the non-local channels.  The HDHomeRun can record HD
via an antenna or from your cable company -- but it can only record
channels that are not encrypted, which for 99% of the USA means just
the "local" channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, CW).


John
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