[ale] MythTV/similar hardware recommendations

[Phil Turmel]

On 03/31/2016 03:06 PM, Alex Carver wrote:
> Schedule data is only really available from DirecTV and they do mess it
> up fairly often.  Sometimes shows start a few minutes early or late,
> other times it's the wrong title so you have no idea what happened until
> the opening credits roll.  It also doesn't matter what network, the
> network schedule and DirecTV's schedule very frequently do not match at
> all (because DirecTV repeats shows on some networks for east coast and
> west coast).  So I'd have to rely on DirecTV's scheduling, couldn't use
> anything else.

SchedulesDirect.org, the provider for MythTV and many other open-source
projects that include schedules, allows you to select DirecTV as a
provider.  SD.org is a non-profit front-end to Tribune Media Services,
the 900 lb gorilla in this market that everyone seems to use.  You might
be surprised.  $25/yr.  Two-month trial $6.

http://www.schedulesdirect.org/

As to the hardware, you should consider the older Hauppage products.
Back when I was still on unencrypted analog cable, I had a PVR-500
hooked to MythTV.  Hardware encoding.  Supports NTSC tuning (now
useless), S-Video, and composite inputs.  Identical to the PVR-250, but
with dual tuners & encoders.  Still supported by MythTV.  Warning: PCI
slot, not PCIe.

MythTV also has tools to support external tuning with IR blasters /
serial ports / whatever (including custom scripts).  This old post might
get you started:

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/160737

Phil