Sage with both digital & non-digital cable...

[TySoft]

I just ordered 2 PVR-250MCEs for my new sage based htpc.

I have my cable split: 1 connection will run through my STB and one will run directly to the other 250MCE.

2 questions:

1. I will be using an IR blaster to control the digital cable box. When Sage tunes to a channel to record with the non-digital tuner, will it be smart enough not to try to change the channel via IR blaster (can I associate the IR blaster w/ one tuner source?)

2. Am I able to delete certain channels from the non-STB card? The channel numbers are the same on both, but the digital box obviously has a bunch of extra channels, would hate for Sage to try to record those w/ the non-STB card.

Looking forward to this.

Thanks for any input!

[kny3twalker]

I know I can help and I hope you like what I have done
first run the analogue cable to both cards and setup the card using analogue cable only as your primary recording card
that way as long as it is an anlogue braodcast you want to record it will use the analogue one first leaving the one with analogue and digital to use
and of course you can setup the analogue and digital channels seperately
and pick and choose the channels you want for both analogue and digital

you will probably want to use svideo plus RCA audio for outputting from the STB
(cable box)
if no svideo then use all RCA
coxial output will give poor blacks and mono only sound
using RCA audio will give stereo

you can use the tuner of course except when it is being used for recording unless you wish to cancel the recording

by using the analogue only tuner since you are not using two STBs you will leave the one with both analogue and digital open more and you will have more freedom of recording what you want without conflicts

I could be wrong about setting up the second card for both analogue and digital if you get all the analogue channels digital

in my case I get my locals in analogue only
so both tuners can record my locals (which cause most of my conflicts)
and the second card handles the digital recordings and the analogue recordings that are not gotten by the first card
also the ir blaster is integrated into sage (well the usb UIRT and actisys 200L are )
and sage should know whether to use the blaster or not
Sage also will notify you if something is being recorded and you want to go to a channel that is only available from that tuner


I some of this helps

[TySoft]

Wow, thnaks for the long response. It does help!

In my case I see analogue channels on my digital box too. So I was just planning to run SVideo/RCA audio > Card #1 and run the Analogue(Coax) > Card #2

Sounds like I'll just be able to set the analogue as primary recording, which will be the answer to my big question. And sounds like the IR-Blaster thing won't be an issue (have a UBS-UIRT).

Thanks!

[kny3twalker]

no sure about the duplicate channels
I only set up one for TBS then deleted because I never watch or record from it
but as long the analogue only one is the primary recorder then should not be an issue

also use the STV from mlbdude and it will tell you if something is recording on the main menu and you should be able to figure out what tuner is available quite quickly from that
rather than going into the system info or recording schedule etc.....

[Scriber]

Originally posted by kny3twalker
you will probably want to use svideo plus RCA audio for outputting from the STB
(cable box)
if no svideo then use all RCA
coxial output will give poor blacks and mono only sound
using RCA audio will give stereo

FWIW on my STB the svideo output PQ to either my 350 or direct to my tv is significantly worse than the coax so I stuck with coax. Didn't even look to see if it had composite. I guess YMMV.

[kny3twalker]

wow you only get mono sound that way though
sorry your svideo is bad
have you tried to color calibrate it after connecting the svideo

but most people do not have that problem though

[Scriber]

I was surprised that the Svideo quality was worse too -- contrary to my understanding. Its kinda looks like it has poorer "reception."

The sound is no biggie to me though as I just use the TV's output anyway.

Might try my other STB to see if that's consistent.

[kny3twalker]

sounds like an STB issue or svideo cable issue

[TySoft]

New question: is it possible to deny recordings from trying to use a tv-tuner? I'd like to have one tuner for livetv, and use the other primarily for recording. I don't care too much about recording conflicts as a result. Any way to do this or trick it into never recording on one tuner?'

Thanks!

[kny3twalker]

no if there are conflicts it will always try to use the second tuner connected to the STB
the tuner only card will get hit for recording first (as long as you set it up this way) but any conflicts and sage uses the second tuner

just watch something recorded
I do that alot more than watching shows live

[stanger89]

You can always override a recording with LiveTV AFAIK, not sure I've ever tried as I to just always watch stuff Sage has saved for me.

[Opus4]

Yes, you can override a current recording to watch live TV. If it is an Intelligent Recording, live TV will start, canceling the IR show w/o warning. If the recording is a favorite or manual recording, then you will be asked for confirmation. That way, you can let all the recordings go unless you decide to interrupt things.

I, too, think watching prerecorded shows is more convenient, however.

- Andy

[kny3twalker]

I agree that you can override a recording and watch LiveTV but I think he understood you could do that
but you also will cancel the recording
Sage will try to schedule recordings with the second tuner was my only point