So I have Comcast digital cable and an original ReplayTV. Works nice, but I want to go HD. HDPVRs are all expensive and subscriptiony, so I thought I might buid a Myth box since I happen to have a spare power sipping AMD64 3000+ laying about. I could go with a pci cable card tuner, but then I'd be paying to make the cable box redundant. I can just use the firewire on the digital cable box for basic cable and channel changing, and it also has a nice dvi output just asking to be captured. All I would need to get is a dvi input card and and one of those ati video cards that supports a component output adapter. (I have an old component only HDTV)

But... google didn't come up with much. Any ideas on where to source a 720p capable dvi-d input card? Maybe with rca audio input as well.

Actually, If I can get a cable card HDTV tuner to work with Myth cheaper than a dvi-d input card, that would be okay too.

I can assure you that you will not be capturing DVI directly anytime soon.

You can, however, capture HDMI: http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/
Unfortunately, the colorspace it uses is different than what is normally used for home theater, so you won't see the full color information. It also doesn't work in linux at all yet.

Okay, I'm coming up empty for cable card HDTV tuner cards as well... please tell me that in 2007, recording HD digital cable on a Mythbox is a common thing. I thought this was being done years ago now. Am I overlooking some easy method of doing this?

All I would need to get ....are a number of things which you are currently unaware of. I suggest you do research into uncompressed capture (This is a FAQ). Bottomline: It is NOT a plug and play activity for a variety of technical and financial reasons...believe me, you (as a very typical newcomer to this idea) have vastly underestimated the requirements. I'm not going to spell it out, because I have done so too many times over the last several years and recently swore off doing so again...sorry.

.. google didn't come up with much. Any ideas on where to source a 720p capable dvi-d input card?hmm, I know of a couple off hand. The usual linked to is the Foresight AccuStream 170 (pci-x)

Actually, If I can get a cable card HDTV tuner to work with Myth cheaper than a dvi-d input card, that would be okay too.Might be something coming. See: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=791631

Unfortunately, the colorspace it uses is different than what is normally used for home theater, so you won't see the full color information.Apparently they are going to be broaden support for the AD's full capabilities via a firmware/driver update soon.

Okay, I'm coming up empty for cable card HDTV tuner cards as wellcable card is the a whole different ballgame ... think vista and crap like that.
please tell me that in 2007, recording HD digital cable on a Mythbox is a common thing.unencrypted channels, yes.
I thought this was being done years ago now. yes...albeit only unencrypted channels
Am I overlooking some easy method of doing this?yes.

Okay, sorry for the n00b, haven't read the FAQ question. Clearly I stepped into something more complicated than I realized... I just looked into the whole state of the CableCard stuff. What a steaming pile. 2007 and it's *still* not ready?!?. WTF?

I want to build an HD myth box, but I want my (encrypted) speedtv. :( Since that's SD maybe i could just record that over s-video and everything else over firewire. What a pain just for one channel.


Might be something coming. See: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=791631

Hey thanks for that. A reasonably priced component capture card. That would be perfect. That plus firewire to control the cable box would be the ideal solution. Maybe I'll just hold off for that.

Okay, sorry for the n00b, haven't read the FAQ question. Clearly I stepped into something more complicated than I realized... I just looked into the whole state of the CableCard stuff. What a steaming pile. 2007 and it's *still* not ready?!?. WTF?

I want to build an HD myth box, but I want my (encrypted) speedtv. :( Since that's SD maybe i could just record that over s-video and everything else over firewire. What a pain just for one channel.

You can thank the network providers for encrypting the programs.
Hint: If there is a will, there is a way to make it work regardless. 'nuff said.

Since I timeshift almost everything, I was looking into Tivo 3, but it costs $800 plus monthly subscription fees of $100/year or more. Since you already subscribe to Comcast digital, I'm not sure if you'd have to pay the $56/month additional for their HD Digital Classic or if that's your digital package, but their HD-PVR rental is only $10/month more. I only subscribe to their analog cable, and they'd charge me $56 + $10 additional to get HD with the HD-PVR. It adds up to almost $800/year. The Comcast HD-PVR only has 15 hours capacity, and the Tivo 3 has 30 hours.

I've decided to build a MythTV HTPC instead and it's looking like I can build a Core 2 Duo E4300 box with single HD tuner and 400GB drive (good for 57 hours recording) for about $600.
My MythTV Box Build Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9835602#post9835602)

SpeedTV (for Formula 1 and other road racing, not NASCAR and the rest of the BS programming these days) is about the only reason I subscribe to cable other than for cable modem. I wasn't aware that Comcast offers it in SD, but I plan on recording it from analog cable.