I just upgraded my HTPC probably to the point of overkill (at least for how I'm currently using it). I'm far from a GBPVR newbie, but I'm definitely not a very techie user like quite a few of the long-time users. I currently have one Hauppauge PVR500 and a Hauppauge PVR150 (for a total of 3 tuners). My HTPC is hooked up directly to a 42" plasma HDTV by way of a DVI to HDMI cable, and I also use two MediaMVP's on a 60" DLP HDTV and a another 42" plasma HDTV. I just recently moved to a new home and had Comcast cable forced on me. To get any HD programming you have to pay extra and go through a STB. Since most of my family doesn't really appreciate the difference, I only subscribed to one STB that's hooked up to the same 42" plasma as the HTPC.
Now....I've searched, I've read, read again, searched again, read again...and now my head is spinning. So I'd like to humbly pose some questions to those more knowledgeable than me:
1. Should I switch out one of my analog TV cards for something like a Hauppauge HVR1600?
2. Would I be able to even use it with Comcast (I'm hoping other Comcast customers will know because every Comcast tech I've talked to seems to know less about Comcast than I do). I'm admittedly confused by what each cable provider actually provides in terms of HD broadcasts and what cards can actually tune in.
3. Is the config/channel listing a pain? It seems to be a lot more complicated than my old analog PVR cards, but I can't get a good grip on all that's required.
4. How are recordings handled in a mixed system like that? Say I have a PVR500 and a HVR1600. How many tuners total would that give me (3 analog and one HD or ???), and would GBPVR get confused about recording HDTV versus regular? For example, would GBPVR recognize that I only have one HD tuner installed, so if I schedule two HD shows to record at the same time, would GBPVR report a scheduling conflict or how would that be handled?
5. Regarding the HVR1600 itself -- as I understand it, it has one HD tuner and one analog tuner, correct? So, if I bought and installed two HVR1600 (replacing my PVR500 and PVR150), would that give me two HD and two analogy tuners? I guess I'm confused by what "analog" means when its describing what I thought was an HD tuner. Is it a separate analog tuner that just records regular TV or does it still only record some form of HD?
Playback questions:
1. Can I playback HD recordings over the MVPs? I don't care if it's really HDTV or not at the MVP end, but just want to know if it can play it.
2. I'm confused by HD playback in general. Do I have to play it back through the HVR1600 (and therefore have another direct connection from my HTPC to the TV) or would it just playback over the DVI to HDMI connection that already exists?
I hope I'm making this more complicated than it actually is. It would be great to know that I've just researched it too much and ended up confusing myself. I thought I was a fairly technical guy, and I've been able to follow most posts here without too much of an issue. But this HD thing is just giving me all kinds of mental problems. I just don't know if it's worth it or not for me to get the HVR1600 and start dabbling with HD. If it can't be used with Comcast, then it would be pretty much worthless to me, because I know that we get little to no OTA HD channels. I think that as long as it's less complicated than I'm making it out to be, I could probably get everything up and going. Afterall, I've solved quite a few of my own GBPVR problems in the past, so it's not like I'm the retard that this post is probably making me out to be. Haha.
So...if there's anyone with more knowledge (and a little patience) who can square me away on this issue, I'd greatly appreciate it. And sorry this post is so long.
Now....I've searched, I've read, read again, searched again, read again...and now my head is spinning. So I'd like to humbly pose some questions to those more knowledgeable than me:
1. Should I switch out one of my analog TV cards for something like a Hauppauge HVR1600?
2. Would I be able to even use it with Comcast (I'm hoping other Comcast customers will know because every Comcast tech I've talked to seems to know less about Comcast than I do). I'm admittedly confused by what each cable provider actually provides in terms of HD broadcasts and what cards can actually tune in.
3. Is the config/channel listing a pain? It seems to be a lot more complicated than my old analog PVR cards, but I can't get a good grip on all that's required.
4. How are recordings handled in a mixed system like that? Say I have a PVR500 and a HVR1600. How many tuners total would that give me (3 analog and one HD or ???), and would GBPVR get confused about recording HDTV versus regular? For example, would GBPVR recognize that I only have one HD tuner installed, so if I schedule two HD shows to record at the same time, would GBPVR report a scheduling conflict or how would that be handled?
5. Regarding the HVR1600 itself -- as I understand it, it has one HD tuner and one analog tuner, correct? So, if I bought and installed two HVR1600 (replacing my PVR500 and PVR150), would that give me two HD and two analogy tuners? I guess I'm confused by what "analog" means when its describing what I thought was an HD tuner. Is it a separate analog tuner that just records regular TV or does it still only record some form of HD?
Playback questions:
1. Can I playback HD recordings over the MVPs? I don't care if it's really HDTV or not at the MVP end, but just want to know if it can play it.
2. I'm confused by HD playback in general. Do I have to play it back through the HVR1600 (and therefore have another direct connection from my HTPC to the TV) or would it just playback over the DVI to HDMI connection that already exists?
I hope I'm making this more complicated than it actually is. It would be great to know that I've just researched it too much and ended up confusing myself. I thought I was a fairly technical guy, and I've been able to follow most posts here without too much of an issue. But this HD thing is just giving me all kinds of mental problems. I just don't know if it's worth it or not for me to get the HVR1600 and start dabbling with HD. If it can't be used with Comcast, then it would be pretty much worthless to me, because I know that we get little to no OTA HD channels. I think that as long as it's less complicated than I'm making it out to be, I could probably get everything up and going. Afterall, I've solved quite a few of my own GBPVR problems in the past, so it's not like I'm the retard that this post is probably making me out to be. Haha.
So...if there's anyone with more knowledge (and a little patience) who can square me away on this issue, I'd greatly appreciate it. And sorry this post is so long.
Chris
GBPVR system info intentionally left blank because I'm personally
insulted that you can't remember it from previous signatures.
GBPVR system info intentionally left blank because I'm personally
insulted that you can't remember it from previous signatures.