MVP setup... wondering about HiDef

[moymike]

Only a few weeks ago I was introduced to my first WinTV-PVR-150... then GBPVR, to be followed by a second PVR-150 and a MediaMVP.

My MVP has composite out, S-video out, audio L+R, and SPDIF (which seems to be undocumented). I have a standard TV set (USA, NTSC) and have a network cable run between the computer and living room.

I subscribe to standard cable. (non-digital)

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My question is... if I where to purchase a plasma hi-def television, how would my system change?

It sounds like I would need to subscribe to digital cable to get a hi-def signal, and then my 150's would need to each be connected their own cable boxes via S-video with the IR blaster, in order to record. If this is true, sounds like it would make more sense to just get the cable company's two tuner DVR leave it at that.

... So, if anybody is running a hi-def plasma with their MVP, would like to know how it's setup and working.

[Fatawan]

MVP's don't work with high def.

[zed]

...
It sounds like I would need to subscribe to digital cable to get a hi-def signal, and then my 150's would need to each be connected their own cable boxes via S-video with the IR blaster, in order to record.

This would work only if the cable boxes could down-convert the HD to SD. The 150's won't record HD. And if you have to down-convert you may as well stick with what you have or go with SD digital.

And, as Fatawan said, the MVP doesn't do HD.

If you want to record HD from cable, you'll need to something other than GB-PVR...it won't do it. I don't think any other PVR package will either. You can do over-the-air (OTA) HD but not cable. For recording HD from cable your best (and likely only) bet is to use the cable co's DVR.

[wtg]

I use my cable box's DVR to record the HD programming and my PVR to record the analog. While the STB DVR is ok, GB-PVR is much better. I miss it when I have to use my cable company's box.

[groover km]

Tipstir, allow me to gently pull your leg a little...

(1) Plasma... depends on the gas / glass you have? Huh???

(2) Do you own significant stock in Radio Shack?

Enquiring minds wish to know....

[moymike]

With this cable I also get analog channels for PVR-150s 5 tuners.. It works nicely.

Just curious about the 150's... I bought a 150, then I added a 500. (dual tuner model) Well, the 500's tuners sucked so bad that I sent it back... got another on (10 days later) and although it worked, tuner #1 looked like crap. I talked to Hauppauge, and they emailed me some beta drivers. The result was a clear picture on both tuners, with diagonal lines running thru.

I sent the 500 to Hauppauge, and they assure me they will send me back one that works as well as the two 150's it supposed to be.

Meanwhile, I picked up a second 150 to hold me over. I'm real anxious though about the 500. I'm afraid that it wont hold a candle to the 150 on reception.

I have only 2 free PCI slots, otherwise I'd just have them ship me 2 more 150's in place of the 500 and not sweat it out.

[moymike]

I don't understand why they're playing around with the drivers they had.

If I understand it correctly, the WinTV-PVR-500 is now using a new tuner (Samsung?) that is smaller. (and probably cheaper) The beta drivers had a LRU (?) option that allowed this tuner to almost work.

I spoke with Haup TS, and he told me the new 500 they send me wont require the beta driver, so I am praying they fixed this issue.

[Azimuth]

OK. At the risk of getting flamed:
My current setup uses 3 HD STB's with which I only output via the composite jacks and into PVR150's.

I KNOW ITS NOT HD!

BUT I do see a difference in image quality between SD channels and HD channels, even on the MVP.

I also noticed that SD channels look better using the HD STB's than using the old STB's.

[troutct]

I don't have a plasma but I DO have a 62" widescreen JVC DLP that I use w/ GBPVR, an MVP, and DirecTV.

I have an HD DirecTV receiver input to a PVR-250 via SVIDEO and controlled by GBPVR. When I record HD content and playback via the MVP, the picture is pretty darn good. It's MUCH better than watching non-HD DirecTV content from the HDMI-connected DirecTV satellite receiver but not as good as watching HD content from that same receiver. Aspect ratio of the GBPVR content displays properly as I have aspect ratio set to 16X9 in CONFIG.

The key is recording from HD channels...I've done tests and recorded NFL games from the standard definition channel and then switched over to the same game on HD channel and the resulting recordings are night and day...even though the PVR-250 isn't HD and it's only connected via SVIDEO the recorded content is SIGNIFICANTLY better off the HD channel.

I'd love to have HD capture and and HD MVP for playback..but until then, this works pretty well.

Note: I'm recording at the default recording quality as bumping it up doesn't seem to make much of a difference anyway..the limitation in the whole setup is probably the SVIDEO connection on both ends.

[moymike]

OK. At the risk of getting flamed:
My current setup uses 3 HD STB's with which I only output via the composite jacks and into PVR150's.

Forgive my ignorance... HD STB = ? (guessing HiDef Set Top Box [ie HiDef tuner])

If this is the case, you have the PVR150's all using a blaster to control each box? Without IR conflicts? I assume that's 3 rented boxes from provider?