I currently have a PVR150 and I’m looking to add an Airstar HD5000. I’m trying to plot out how I’m going to hook this stuff up. I’ve thought of 2 different ways. I have Comcast Digital Cable in NJ, which the option of watching digital cable via the box, or just hooking up regular cable.

1. Trade in Cable box for HD cable box. Connect Airstar to cable box and use IR blaster. Connect PVR150 to regular cable.

Pros: It should work

Cons: PVR150 only gets analog cable signal. Would Airstar only tune to the HD channels outputted by the digital cable or would it read all of the channels? If it only tunes to HD, then I would lose the ability to watch the high-numbered channels in this model.

2. Connect Airstar to regular cable. Connect PVR150 to cable box and use IR blaster. (In theory, I won’t need to upgrade to a digital box.)

Pros: Both tuners would be recording a digital signal.

Cons: Does Airstar receive all of the HD channels that it normally would? I don’t have HBO, etc, and I don’t watch ESPN. I guess I’m only looking for CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, and INHD1/INHD2. Would I be able to tune to all of these channels on the Airstar through the regular cable connection?

I’m guessing #2 is the way to go.

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Currently running: R5.5, HD5000 x 2, PVR150, Athlon 64 3000+, Chaintech VNF4, 1GB RAM, 2 x 250GB in LVM, MSI NX6200TC -> AA 9A60 -> HDTV

either #2 or a combination of 1 & 2 is the way to go, but you do not want to hook your 5000 to the digital box. With some work you should be able to get the 5000 to get qam straight off the cable, but it will not record hd, or most likely anything if it is connected to the cable box. but you still might want to get the digital box and add firewire into the mix. that's what I have.

comcast in nashville. 1 pvr250 connected to cable with no box gets all analog channels. 1 firewire connected to the hd box gets all analog and digital/hd channels. 1 pchdtv3000 connected to cable with no box gets unecrypted qam hd.

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Xsecrets

I am running a similiar configuration to X's in California. My cable provided is Comcast. I use a PVR-250 to record analogue channel. Like X, I connect the cable directly into the PVR-250. I use a firewire connection to comcast's digital box and can record both HD and SD channels over the firewire connection. No IR blasters are needed.


Marc

That sounds like a good setup. Do you have any issues recording two HD channels at the same time? I guess the firewire connection doesn't need to process/alter the signal, it just writes directly to the drive itself...and the HD3000 should do the same.

I think I'll pick up the Airstar, hook it to the analog cable, and connect the PVR150 to the digital box. Then, if I can get firewire working, I'll hook the PVR150 to the analog cable and just use it as a third tuner.

Not that I use it often, but is there any way to use On Demand VOD in this configuration? I'm guessing the only way to use it is to pick up a second cable box. I only use it once in a blue moon, which is why I am reluctant to invest in an additional cable box, but it is nice to be able to order a movie on a Saturday night. Could I just tell my Myth to watch live TV and then control my VOD via the cable box? (assuming of course that nothing is set to record via the firewire input.)

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Currently running: R5.5, HD5000 x 2, PVR150, Athlon 64 3000+, Chaintech VNF4, 1GB RAM, 2 x 250GB in LVM, MSI NX6200TC -> AA 9A60 -> HDTV

I have a pIV 3.0G and I can record two highdef and a standard def all while watching a recorded high def with no problems.

_________________
Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets