What are my options to integrate a Comcast box (with HDTV) into Sage?

[metropole]

It seems that the only reasonable way to watch HDTV programming is going to Cable or Satellite. In my case I decided to upgrade my Comcast analog cable to Digital with HDTV. I have some questions about my integration possibilities with Sage. Until now I used a Hauppauge 350.

Q1: Is there any quality degrading if I input the signal from the cable box (I assume SVideo) into my card? And then out again?

Q2: How about 5.1 sound on digital channels. Is there any way not loose it (with Sage as a recorder)?

Q3: I will get some kind of HDTV capable box from Comcast. Should I use USBIRT to blast it? Or are there other ways to control it?

Q4: I assume I can't record HDTV but I assume I can use Sage's program guide to control the box. Will Sage know that it always has to record on the non-HDTV channel number?

Am I missing something?

[NEOSG]

Check out the STB via firewire threads

[Opus4]

If you are recording the output from the box via the 350, you will be recording SD quality with 2-channel audio. If firewire works for you, that would do what you want.

Originally Posted by metropole

Q4: I assume I can't record HDTV but I assume I can use Sage's program guide to control the box. Will Sage know that it always has to record on the non-HDTV channel number?

In Channel Setup, just disable any channels you don't want SageTV to record from. But, if you are using the svideo output to the 350 & the box can output the channel that way, you should be able to record it.

- Andy

[metropole]

Thanks. Is Firewire from the Comcast box the only known option to capture 5.1 sound? I assume there would be a change for HDTV tuner cards with QAM tuning (whenever this would be ever possible)?