I am building a new box for use at my school as an event recorder and video server. I used two HVR-1600 cards. I followed the instructions here:
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Hauppauge_HVR-1600#Output_Messages
This generally worked fine. However, it would load one, and then the box couldn't load the second and also couldn't start X. If I disabled the cards, X came back. Typing cat /proc/meminfo showed that there wasn't enough vmalloc memory for both cards, or even one card plus X (cecil - perhaps future adjustment is needed.)
Remedy for the memory issue was ti increase it. I added the following to /etc/lilo.conf under the entry for Linux:
append="vmalloc=256m"
After saving I reran /sbin/lilo which updated lilo. Then at boot time it allocates 256mB of vm, giving enough space for both cards and X to start.
For info on someon who went further than me and configured the IR stuff, which I did not, see here:
http://members.shaw.ca/paulsid/pages/knoppmyth+hvr-1600+asus-m3a.html
I don't understand why he enabled the PVR-350 output, but otherwise he seems to be working.
MY REMAINING S-Video PROBLEM:
Card is recognized and I can view and record, but I only have s-video input so it seems to be supported automatically. I don't know about the simultaneous recording - haven't tried it yet. However, I have a weird problem with S-video still. If anybody can help, please do:
When recording or watching live TV through the s-video port, every 67 frames, it jumps ahead the equivalent of one to two frames. It isn't dropped frames - it is like the 67 frames are recording a smidge too slow, and at the 67th frame it jumps 2/30ths of a scond to catch up. It is 67 frames like clockwork (I ran through recordings frame by frame.)
It affects both cards on S-video. Don't know if it applies to over the air because I have no over the air inputs. Can't tell if it is the card, or the software. If I run "cat /dev/video0 | mplayer -" it sends the output directly to the screen with no other processing, but it is so choppy I can't tell if it is doing it or not.
-B