Questions for HTPC owners

[charlie21]

I really want a HTPC with PVR functionality. I have a Samsung 50" DLP w/DVI, component, and VGA inputs on the back. The DVI looks so much better than everything else, that I want to run everything through DVI.

My HD Time Warner cable box has a DVI out, but I can't find a card with a DVI input. Actually, I finally found one, but it doesn't have HW MPEG2 compression, and I don't have a 6Ghz P4 to encode HD with . I can't win.

Plus, with an cable box, I would have to have the cable box on whatever channel I wanted to record. I don't have many HD channels OTA here. Any way around this?

Basically, I'm looking for ideas on how to hook everything together. What kind of setup does everyone run?

Yes, I've been to avsforum.com, and I'm now more confused and full of questions than ever.

 

[kaizersose]

i dont know that many (if any) mainstream cards do HD encoding yet. you do realize that HD video takes up almost 10 times as much space as regular NTSC res video?

 

[Todd33]

Myhdtv is one I think. If you cannot get the answers at avsforums, then you won't likely get them here. Also see htpcnews.com.

 

[arod]

there arent any devices to record HD from cable yet, there are many for OTA stations but cable co's use a different compression scheme.
For what you want the HTPC to do I would hold off right now and keep browsing AVSForum until your a little more versed so you know what to do and can expect.... HDTV PVR is still a very new tech even for TIVO/DISH have very recently brought out their solutions.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: kaizersose
i dont know that many (if any) mainstream cards do HD encoding yet. you do realize that HD video takes up almost 10 times as much space as regular NTSC res video?

Broadcast HD is about the same bitrate as uncompressed NTSC (a little less actually) however, the output from the STB using firwire is uncompressed which is why you're having a hard time finding a card. PC HD cards are for OTA broadcast ATSC HD, which is encoded already and broadcast in a transport stream and either decoded by the card (using the janus chip) or by software (using a hefty rig).

There "is" a non-trivial method of capturing from a HD decoder box using firewire, try AVSforums for the info..good luck there.

 

[JebC]

One thing you might want to think about too, is that at least here in Austin Time Warner hasn't enabled the DVI output on the cable boxes. I've got one of the HDTV recordable ones, and I've been told that the DVI port will be enabled sometime in the future.

Regards,

Jeb