[PLUG] Want to build a Linux based PVR...

[Jim Beckett]

Michael Robinson wrote:
> I'm trying option 4, use a network based tuner that is compatible with
> Linux and Windows and Mac OSX.
>   
Michael,

I see in the other message thread, I see that you are looking at this 
device:

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16815327005

It should work nicely (with some caveats)

If by option 4, you mean to use the (usually feature-limited) playback 
applications that come bundled with the device you purchase (whether it 
is this, or some other device), then that can work, but usually they are 
lacking a lot of functionality, and I was thinking that you might like a 
more full-featured solution, thus the TV/PVR suggestions I mentioned.

If you don't want a full-featured TV/PVR solution, there's nothing wrong 
with that, so forget I mentioned them.


Regardless of what device you end up purchasing, and what application 
you use to view the recorded shows, there are some considerations in the 
channel tuning arena that would be good to bring to your attention, if 
they haven't been discussed already.

Do you plan to tune in free, over the air, channels using an antenna?

Or, do you plan to plug the device into the cable outlet?

Or, do you plan to connect the device directly to the cable box?


Antenna:
If you are going the antenna route, then you should not have any 
difficulties receiving, and watching HDTV on whatever platform you 
choose, other than missing channels that your antenna can't pull in for 
you (due to location/obstructions/weak signal/etc.).


Cable Outlet:
If you are plugging the device into the cable wall outlet, Comcast (if 
that is your provider) uses Virtual Channel Tables to remap channels to 
different frequencies, which adds some complexity to getting the channel 
setup right, and can be quite a pain, but there are software tools that 
make it easier for certain applications. Specifically a program called 
scte65scan (which is what I use to get the channels setup in MythTV).

In addition, you will only have access to the channels which come in 
unencrypted - which for me is thirteen channels that are not public 
access, or shopping channels (i.e. I currently get the standard local 
channels, and WGN, USS, DISC(pacific feed), and KOPB (which is different 
from the local HD broadcast version for non-prime time programming), 
which are pretty much subject to Comcast's whim of whether they send the 
signal encrypted, or not).

If you want to receive all of the channels that you pay for, you need a 
cablecard built into the tuner(which really increases the complexity, 
and, as far as I can tell, availability is limited, to non-existent, 
depending on whom you ask, and how you plan to use it).


Cable Box:
If you are plugging the device into the cable box to receive all the 
channels available to you by subscription, then the device will need to 
read analog data, which I don't think the HDHomeRun can do, then you 
would need one cable box per tuner, and you will need to manually change 
the channels on the cable boxes as needed. An alternative would be to 
setup an IR Blaster, or similar solution, to change the channels on the 
cable boxes at the right time automatically.


Anyhow, I hope this information is useful to you, and if not, maybe it 
is useful to someone else on the mailing list.

- Jim