[mythtv-users] hdhomerun vs. capture cards: is it even a contest?

[Andre]

On 24 Jan 2011, at 21:52, James Miller wrote:

> Since I've started grappling with some HD-related issues and my trailing-edge hardware, I've become aware of the HDHomeRun device. Now that the nature of this device has sunk in a bit further, I'm beginning to wonder whether the struggles involved in getting traditional capture cards set up and working under myth might become a thing of the past. Before going too far toward arriving at that conclusion, though, I just want to ask for a few clarifications on the device and its workings.
> 
> First of all, I understand that the device gets hooked to a broadcast source (e.g., cable television or an antenna) at one end, as it were, and then to a computer network on the other. From that point, it can grab and display scheduling information and, more importantly, can stream the broadcast signal over its network connection to networked computers that have the ability to display and/or capture the broadcast (e.g., mythtv). Have I understood more or less correctly what the device is and what it does?
> 
> Whether or not I've understood properly the way these devices work, I'd be interested in hearing what other users see as the pro's and cons of the hdhomerun vs. capture cards.

An electronics Engineer friend who has one wasn't very impressed by it's adjacent channel rejection, he got better results from a cheapo USB tuner! That was pre- analog switch off so those kind of problems shouldn't be so common now.

I live in a DVBT territory so interference problems are not so significant as with the 8VSB system used in the USA, (I'm guessing you are USA by the use of Antenna rather than Aerial ;-) if you are planning it for cable that problem shouldn't be significant.

Andre