Use a satellite/cable box with the PVR
| This page was written by Pluto and imported with their permission when LinuxMCE branched off in February, 2007. In general any information should apply to LinuxMCE. However, this page should be edited to reflect changes to LinuxMCE and remove old references to Pluto. |
How to set it up
In Pluto admin choose wizard, devices, AV equipment. You'll see that the PVR capture card within the media director is listed just like any other AV device. Add the satellite or cable box to this page and edit the audio/video pipes. Specify that the audio and video are going to the PVR capture card, and select the input on the PVR capture card. Now whenever you are watching video on that input using the PVR software, Pluto knows to send any channel change commands to the cable or satellite box.
If you choose the "use connection Wizard" link, you'll see that you're able to specify a "live" audio and video path. If the PVR software correctly fires live and online events, then Pluto will automatically select the correct input on your AV equipment. For example most satellite boxes have multiple audio and video outlets. Hook one set of audiovideo outputs directly into your TV and receiver, and in the connection Wizard indicate this as a live pipe from the satellite box to the TV and receiver. Hook another set of audiovideo outputs into the media director's PVR capture card, and specify this connection as the normal audiovideo pipe. Now while you're watching live TV, you'll see the signal going directly to the TV, however the media director is still recording the video that has been output to the PVR capture card. When you hit deposit button, or rewind button, or otherwise you are recorded video clip, then Pluto will switch the inputs on the TV so that you're watching the video from the media director. The advantage to this approach, is that like with all PVR's, you lose quality when the video is re-encoded to the capture card. This is the same whether you use a PC-based PVR or a standalone PVR. So normally when you're using a PVR, although it is very convenient, the picture quality is not as good as it otherwise would be. With this solution you will always see the best possible picture quality. If you're watching live TV you will see the video live, including in high definition if you have a high-definition TV. Only when you switch to time lapse or prerecorded video do you see the encoded video from the PVR capture card.
How to use it
It's completely automatic and transparent.
