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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:34 pm 
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It's all about (High Quality) Content

I've been using a MythTv system for a couple of years on a crappy TV. Well, I finally updated to a 1080p LCD TV. Now, I'm looking into improving the video quality that I'm getting in...

With all of the research I've done, it seems fairly bleak. My question is, is my assessment correct or is there “another way�?

I have OTA HD that is probably available in my house (about 9 miles from a major city center). This is network TV.

I have basic analog cable and the same network TV stations available in digital form (not sure if they are HD, though).

Through basic analog cable, I get most of the stations I want, but the picture quality is really bad on the 47� LCD.

After all of this rambling, my question basically is:

What is the best way to get a high-quality (preferably HD) picture on MythTv? I know I can get a card for OTA HD and QAM HD. But this represents very few channels. How can I get the best picture quality from the other channels? I like the digital route, because its pretty much all or nothing. With anolog, I just get a crappy picture.

What makes this most mystifying, is that I can download fantastic quality DivX files from every show under the sun. I don't want to download shows, but how were these shows captured? Even shows on “premium� channels.

Is satellite better than cable for this? Is a cable card necessary and that is not available for MythTv systems for the moment? I don't mind using a cable box with Irblaster or whatever, but would that even work? Seems like cable and satellite companies have locked things down so tight that most content is only available through means that they provide. It seems I may have to use a crappy HD DVR from my cable company (or pay too much for a Tivo) and just use the Myth box for downloaded and ripped content. That seems like a shame. Am I missing something?

Sorry for the long ramble. Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:56 pm 
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Location: spencerport, ny (USA)
You can use the OTA or QAM and get the "in the clear" channels. It'll look beautiful. There's no way to make the non-HD channels look great. They're not great.
There isn't a way that I know of to record premium content like Sopranos. But if, for example, your cable company puts DiscoveryHD on clear QAM (unscrambled), you can record that.
The CableCard mob is squeezing homebrew DVR out of that market. So there's currently no way (nor a good outlook for the future) to be able to rent a CC from the cable co and plug it into Myth to get premium content.

As for me, I have 3 ATSC tuners and an antenna, and I get CBSHD, NBCHD, ABCHD, PBSHD, FOXHD, and CW (standard def) all digital OTA. It's great, and I haven't paid a cable bill in two years. I borrow American Chopper from the library, and rent Sopranos on Netflix. So I don't miss cable at all.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 4:55 pm 
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thornsoft wrote:
I have 3 ATSC tuners and an antenna, and I get CBSHD, NBCHD, ABCHD, PBSHD, FOXHD, and CW (standard def) all digital OTA. It's great, and I haven't paid a cable bill in two years. I borrow American Chopper from the library, and rent Sopranos on Netflix. So I don't miss cable at all.


That sounds awesome. What tuner card(s) are you using?


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:08 pm 
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Thanks for the reply, thornsoft. Sounds like my assessment is pretty correct, then. I will probably keep the basic cable, but that is much less expensive. (around $11 a month I think). That way I can get FoodNetwork and HGTV for the wife, and Comedy Central and a few others for me. There are just a few stations I'd also like, but I guess its just not worth it to shell out the extra $$$ per month, and not be able to utilize it all via MythTv, which is a really great system. Basically, they are locking it down so much that I can't get what I want--they are going to lose a sale. I'd be willing to give them more money for more stations!!!!

Oh well... Maybe things will change once people realize that they should send out the content for free and monetize it via ads and other tie-ins... Maybe Joost, Democracy, or some other internet-distribution channel will shift the tides.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:13 pm 
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Location: Philadelphia, PA US
There is also the CableCo HD STB with firwire output to MythTV. I have been noticing some postings over at MythTV lists about CableCo dropping 5c encryption from their firewire ports which would allow ALL the channels to be recorded.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:36 pm 
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I haven't tried this, but I've read on a few message boards while researching this that many are locking the firewire ports down to just SD channels that are available OTA. Sounds like they used to be pretty free with that, but not now.

But, maybe things have changed back. Its worth a try. That would be ideal.

spalVl wrote:
There is also the CableCo HD STB with firwire output to MythTV. I have been noticing some postings over at MythTV lists about CableCo dropping 5c encryption from their firewire ports which would allow ALL the channels to be recorded.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:33 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 9:22 am
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Location: spencerport, ny (USA)
toronado455 wrote:
That sounds awesome. What tuner card(s) are you using?

In order of purchase:

PCHD3000
Air2PC 5000
K-World 110

I have trouble with the Air2PC 5000 on two of my stations, so I use priorities to ensure that those stations are recorded on either of the other two cards.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:18 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:07 am
Posts: 1532
Location: California
kverde

While there isn't any way that your analogue SD recordings will ever look as great as digital, HD recordings, one thing you may want to re-visit is the resolution and bitrate you are recording at for the analogue recordings. When I had an old non-HD 32" TV, I would record at 352x480 @ 2400kbps and I was satistied with the results. When I moved to my 50" HDTV I had to migrate to 720x480@3400kbps to achieve an acceptable result.

Some other thoughts:

1. You will get the best result if you connect to that LCD flat panel by it's DVI/ HDMI input. When you do this, you will need to deinterlace the analogue recordings. Be sure to use "bob2x" deinterlacing.

2. Many operators will simulcast the SD channels in digital format. Comcast calls this Analogue Digital Simulcast, or ADS for short. I have found that the ADS version of most channel looks great! If you get a QAM tuner card, you can capture those channels.

A quick edit: I realize I failed to point out one other impact factor. The same clear QAM tuner card that you use to tune in the 5-6 clear QAM HD channels that are available on your cable network will also tune in any ADS channels your operator offers. When I purchased my card i was (pleasantly) surprised to discover than in addition to the 5-6 HD channels, I was also able to tune in another ~40 ADS channels with that same card.

Good luck!

Marc


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 3:14 pm 
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Marc, thanks so much for the insight. Very helpful.

My LCD only has HDMI. My PC has DVI. I used an DVI-HDMI cable, but it looks like the output is the same as the RGB input that my LCD has....
I haven't changed any other settings. And I believe that I probably do not have my resolution setup the best it can be on the TV.

Rgarding ADS... The only reason I know I have digital channels (not sure if they are HD), is because when I do a scan on my TV, it scans cable and finds 50+ analog and 7 digital. Would those ADS show up also with a tuner card? Or is 7 all the digital love that I get?

Again, thanks for the help.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 8:14 pm 
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Location: California
kverde:

I can't say for sure what will happen for you, but in my case my TV set was only able to tune in 2 of the digital channels that were active. Both of those channels were hidef. When I installed a QAM tuner card in my myth box, I found 6 hidef channels and 46 ADS channels, all in the clear.


Marc


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 Post subject: FireWire test pending
PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:43 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:34 pm
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I was in the same boat, spent a few days reading up. Found this link: http://replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/
for capturing from the firewire ports on the DVR provided by my cable company, which is comcast. I'm going to go this way and see how it works. The instructions on that page focus on windows, but from what I understand I can get the ieee support under many linux distros.

My major concern is how much content will be encrypted and therefore not portable to the PC.

I'll post my results when I have em.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 6:19 am 
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Which capture card are you using to capture the ADS channels? Will any QAM capable capture card do it? (Like the 5500 or the Homerun)

marc.aronson wrote:
kverde:

I can't say for sure what will happen for you, but in my case my TV set was only able to tune in 2 of the digital channels that were active. Both of those channels were hidef. When I installed a QAM tuner card in my myth box, I found 6 hidef channels and 46 ADS channels, all in the clear.


Marc


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:28 am 
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Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 2:07 am
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Location: California
I use the Airstar-HD5000 purchased from the great folks over at StormLogic -- http://mythic.tv/product_info.php?produ ... 77d212e207

My guess is that the ADS channels can be tuned in by any clear QAM card, but I can say for sure since my experience is limited to this card. You also need to make sure your local service provider transmits ADS in your area. My understanding is that this is fairly common these days.

Marc


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