On Thu, 2005-10-06 at 19:17, Scot L. Harris wrote:
> >
> > > Got some side questions.... Does this system have the ability to record
> > > HDTV?
> >
> > I don't think anything you can buy for a PC will record HDTV from cable
> > systems - at least in the US.\
>
> There are HDTV cards available but as you imply I believe these are for
> over the air broadcasts. I would think that would include at least some
> of the channels sent out over a cable system.
>
> http://pchdtv.com/hd_3000.html
> http://wendy.seltzer.org/mythtv/
No, in fact the mandated digital tuner that will eventually be
required in all US TV's won't work with the digital encoding
on the cable systems where nearly all of them will be
connected either.
> As I mentioned in another message I believe I read that cable companies
> must provide a firewire interface for digital content. Not sure that
> includes the HDTV content or not but would suspect that it would.
Yes, it does. I have Comcast and the Motorola DVR and have been
able to get HD out the firewire and view it with videolan client
but it is very inconvenient since it only plays in real time
as the same thing shows on the video outputs.
> Of course I also read that as of July 2005 they have passed laws making
> it illegal to make HDTV cards that don't support broadcast flags.
>
> Suspect there will be a big battle over this in the next year or two as
> HDTV becomes more common and people find that they are unable to record
> and time shift shows.
Oh, it isn't that you are unable to record - you are only allowed
to use certain equipment to do it. The DVR itself does basic
timeshifting, and the firewire output is usable even with
protected content with D-VHS tape drives - just not generic
computer equipment...
--
Les Mikesell
lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx
