multiple tuners?

[disgust]

I'm a bit confused as to how multiple tuners would work (if they'd work at all) if you run the input from the output on a cable box- is there really anything you can do to be able to record multiple channels at once via a cable box?

and in general, for recording, how much is pushing it too far? can it handle recording two shows at once? recording two at once and watching another?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by disgust

I'm a bit confused as to how multiple tuners would work (if they'd work at all) if you run the input from the output on a cable box- is there really anything you can do to be able to record multiple channels at once via a cable box?

You can get more than one cable box.

You can use one card for the cable box, and the rest for analog cable.

and in general, for recording, how much is pushing it too far? can it handle recording two shows at once? recording two at once and watching another?

I don't know, I know it can handle recording 5 shows at max quality and IIRC playing a few back (I believe mdmint is the one who tried that). I believe there are setups out there with 10 or more tuners.

[disgust]

if one card is using the cable box and the other is using analog cable, will it auto-determine which tuners to have record what?

and if you had multiple cable boxes, how would you make, say, the USB-UIRT control the right one?

how particular are cable boxes? do certain ones only work with certain cable companies, or are they universal? can I just buy one (so I don't need to pay a monthly fee) or do I need to go through my cable company?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by disgust

if one card is using the cable box and the other is using analog cable, will it auto-determine which tuners to have record what?

Yes, you'd configure one with a digital lineup, and the other (or others) with a basic or analog lineup, from that Sage will record wherever it can find the show.

and if you had multiple cable boxes, how would you make, say, the USB-UIRT control the right one?

Well there's two possibilites, 1 is that your boxes support serial control, so you'd run a serial cable to each. Otherwise, the UIRT support 3 zones, so you'd use the extra IR blasters and build IR "forts" around the boxes so each blaster controls only one box.

how particular are cable boxes? do certain ones only work with certain cable companies, or are they universal? can I just buy one (so I don't need to pay a monthly fee) or do I need to go through my cable company?

I think you need to go through your cableco.

[disgust]

hm. I never tried serial control, but I just realized my box has a port for that. what do I use to control that exactly?

[stanger89]

Hopefully built in support from Sage, if not, do a search, hopefully someone has figured it out already.

[disgust]

oh, sorry, what I meant was what do I plug that in to on the pvr end?

[stanger89]

One of your com ports.