PVR-500 modification

[mr_milo]

Does anyone know of a board modification that can be done to separate the two tuners on a PVR-500? I really want two different inputs, instead of two tuners for the same input. I have a Shuttle PC with only 1 PCI slot, so another board is not an option. I know the USB2 is a viable option, but I'm also cheap I couldn't find anything on Google, but I am new to the HTPC market.

[mike1961]

I don't understand what you mean. The WinTV 500 has two input slots for all kinds of connections coax, composite, Svideo or any combination.

Mike

[mr_milo]

The PVR-500 has only 1 coax input and an internal splitter that routes it to 2 different tuners. I don't have a STB, so those other inputs are useless to me.

[blade]

Why would you need them separated? Just curious, but what are you trying to accomplish? If people know what you're trying to do they might be able to offer some suggestions.

[mr_milo]

2 different inputs, each with it's own tuner. I live in a city where the cable service is delivered on 2 physically separate cables. Think of it as cable and satellite with different content on each cable.

[dbfresh23]

I highly doubt that you'll be able to do this, you'll need a different card - would have been better off with 2 PVR150s.

Ahh, i just read ALL of your initial post instead of skimming, maybe a 150 and 1 usb2...

[ToxMox]

You could always rig a VCR to act as an STB for one of the inputs and use the RCA outputs on the VCR to connect them to the card and the coax for the other input. You would just need to find a way to control the VCR though.

[blade]

Originally Posted by mr_milo

2 different inputs, each with it's own tuner. I live in a city where the cable service is delivered on 2 physically separate cables. Think of it as cable and satellite with different content on each cable.

PVR-500 can't tune a satellite signal a STB is required. I get your point though.

I don't think you're going to have any luck separating the tuner's inputs.

I've never heard of a setup like that. How do you input the 2 signals directly into your TVs? Do you use tuner A and tuner B on the TV? If so how do you connect cheaper or older sets that only have 1 tuner? Can the signal not be combined into just one cable before inputting into the 500 or do they use overlapping frequencies?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by mr_milo

2 different inputs, each with it's own tuner. I live in a city where the cable service is delivered on 2 physically separate cables. Think of it as cable and satellite with different content on each cable.

I don't see how this would work either. If your house had 1 TV how would you use this? What guide would you pick to supply your EPG data? Is one a public cable feed and one a private cable feed that the building provides? And neither one provides all the channels? You're probably better off going the USB-PVR2 route.

Gerry

[digitalgm]

Originally Posted by mr_milo

2 different inputs, each with it's own tuner. I live in a city where the cable service is delivered on 2 physically separate cables. Think of it as cable and satellite with different content on each cable.

The city I used to live in had the same type of setup with the 2 coax feeds and I successfully ran amy SageTV install there. It went like this

STB-1 --> PVR500 S-VID IN #1
STB-2 --> PVR500 S-VID IN #2

Then I used a USB-UIRT to send IR signals to the two STB's. This worked like a charm.

AdamR

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by mr_milo

The PVR-500 has only 1 coax input and an internal splitter that routes it to 2 different tuners. I don't have a STB, so those other inputs are useless to me.

And that's why it didn't make sense what he is trying to do. He is trying to do it without the STB. If he had his 2 STB he could accomplish this immediately.

Gerry

[mike1961]

Well, I'm confused also - if there is no STB and just two coax cables then how does he change the channels on the coax? I'm assuming it would be done through a VCR or something. But, if that is the case, then he could just as easily hook up only one of the two coax cables into the WinTV 500 and set up the two video sources from one coax cable and then it will work just fine. In other words - just because he has two cables, doesn't mean he needs to use both of them. Just hook either one of the cables into the Win TV 500 cards and he will have two tuners. You don't need a VCR at all for the second cable - just don't use the second cable at all but you will still have access to two tuners with one cable going into the WinTV 500 card.

Mike

[blade]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Well, I'm confused also - if there is no STB and just two coax cables then how does he change the channels on the coax? I'm assuming it would be done through a VCR or something. But, if that is the case, then he could just as easily hook up only one of the two coax cables into the WinTV 500 and set up the two video sources from one coax cable and then it will work just fine. In other words - just because he has two cables, doesn't mean he needs to use both of them. Just hook either one of the cables into the Win TV 500 cards and he will have two tuners. You don't need a VCR at all for the second cable - just don't use the second cable at all but you will still have access to two tuners with one cable going into the WinTV 500 card.

Mike

He's saying that each coax is bringing a different feed into the house, which means they have different content. If he only uses one then Sage won't have access to all of his channels.

[digitalgm]

Originally Posted by blade

He's saying that each coax is bringing a different feed into the house, which means they have different content. If he only uses one then Sage won't have access to all of his channels.

Well, how could you have two coax cables and no STB? I doubt a cable company would actually expect you to connect 2 coax cables directly to the TV?!?!? When I had this at my old residence, there were two coax cables that would feed directly into the STB. The first one contained analog cable channels 1-60 unencrypted and thus could be plugged directly into a cable-ready TV. The second one had all the "expanded lineup" and was encrypted so it had to go into a cable box.

[SHS]

Sorry mr_milo but you only have few option is
1: 2nd PVR device
2: VCR
3: Cable STB
4: Cable TV Converter that use for TV or VCR that is not cable ready.
And as digitalgm point out one of two lines is most likely an encrypted cable so there for you need Cable STB no if or but.

[mike1961]

Honestly - that turns into the BIGGEST NIGHTMARE with Sage. Why....Because Sage will NOT allow you to disable channels on individual tuners. How will he be able to tell Sage to enable the lower channels on one tuner and enable the higher ones on the other? He can't. This does not sound right to have one set of channels on one coax and another on a different coax.

If he selects the Comcast lineup in Sage for both coax cables (both tuners) then he will need to both sets of channels and that becomes an impossible nightmare on Sage. How can you then tell Sage to use Tuner 1 for the analog channels and Tuner 2 for the digital channels (regardless of how you hook up your cables with one or two tuner)? You can't and encoder merit will not work either. So it does not matter if WinTV 500 has two coax inputs or even if he had two cards. It won't work. Frankly, I wish Sage had the ability to disable channels for different Tuners but it cannot be done.

If he has a different set of channels for each coax cable, he has to find a way to select a different EPG lineup and I doubt ComCast or any other provider has that. Something does not sound right about two seperate cables and there is probably an upgrade or something from his provider.

(EDITED: digitalgm Yes - but that is with an STB to decode the second coax cable and that would not be a problem because most if not all STB's have a composite and/or Svideo out. He is saying he has two coax cables and no STB so I cannot see how they would provide him a different set of channels).

Mike

[mike1961]

Let's face it...when using the same provider (ie: DTV, Dish Network, etc), Sage wants all tuners to have access to the same channels. One thing is for sure, it makes it easier to setup.

Mike

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Because Sage will NOT allow you to disable channels on individual tuners. How will he be able to tell Sage to enable the lower channels on one tuner and enable the higher ones on the other?

In general, you just pick two lineups. For example pick the "basic" for one tuner and the "expanded" for another tuner. As near as I can tell, they all contain the same channels but with different default selections.

[digitalgm]

Originally Posted by mike1961

(EDITED: digitalgm Yes - but that is with an STB to decode the second coax cable and that would not be a problem because most if not all STB's have a composite and/or Svideo out. He is saying he has two coax cables and no STB so I cannot see how they would provide him a different set of channels).

Mike

I agree with you but I just have never heard of a situation where the provider will do this. In all cases I have ever heard of (even my own), there is a always a STB to merge the channels. IMO, this is likely the case of the provider not giving the user one or the user not knowing that one should be available.

Of course a better question would be; how does he connect these 2 coax feeds into his current television? Is there an A/B box in the picture? Mr_Milo?

AdamR

[blade]

Originally Posted by digitalgm

Well, how could you have two coax cables and no STB? I doubt a cable company would actually expect you to connect 2 coax cables directly to the TV?!?!? When I had this at my old residence, there were two coax cables that would feed directly into the STB. The first one contained analog cable channels 1-60 unencrypted and thus could be plugged directly into a cable-ready TV. The second one had all the "expanded lineup" and was encrypted so it had to go into a cable box.

I have no clue either. I assumed it was as you described where one would require an STB and the other wouldn't. Since he said he didn't have an STB I took it as he didn't require one. I assumed he knew if it required an STB to work with the TV that it would require one in order to work with the PC tuner card as well.