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#11
Thanx for thhe suggestion. I shall commence to makin' a list.
Be back soon.
:)
The IR Blaster works just like a generic Universal Remote. The Logitech Harmony® is an example of a Universal Remote. (A top of the line example; you can buy them in the drug store for ten bucks, they're just not as cool.) With those, you either enter a code or manually program the remote to do exactly what the remote from the device manufacturer does.
With the IR Blaster, instead of you having to be there to manually mash the buttons with your fingers the computer sends the signal for you. After that it works just the same.
Example 1 - Manual Remote: You press the 1-1-3 buttons on the remote and then press "Enter". It switches the cable box to channel 113.
Example 2 - IR Blaster: The computer sends a signal down the wire to the IR Blaster which then sends the same InfraRed beam of light to the cable box that pressing the 1-1-3 buttons and then pressing "Enter" would have accomplished had you used the remote. The cable box doesn't know or care how or where the Infrared signal was produced - it just gets the signal and does what it's told.
I believe that my dvr may be more complex than a 'cable box'. The latter is designed only to change channels. The dvr is designed to also record from 2 channels simultaneously when programmed internally. I don't know how your IR Blaster would know which tuner to change.
Unfortunately, our cable tv/Internet provider, Eastlink Communications, has fixed it so that one must have either a dvr (as I do) or a digital tuner, both of which must be rented from them. I do not think I am permitted to use my own cable box, as in the past. Needless to say, Eastlink has a monopoly here; there is no alternative. However, I will i
There is also a Big Government monster in Canada called the 'Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission' which has been granted the power to essentially determine the programming Canadians are permitted to watch. I am certain that Eastlink has their support with their monopolistic policies.
That's for recording straight to the hard drive built into the DVR. Assuming you can be recording two channels while watching a third, the computer could record whatever is on the third channel. Put another way, you can have the computer record whatever would be on the screen whether you were actually sitting there watching it or not. Some of the more expensive TV Tuner cards have dual-tuners so you could theoretically still record two channels simultaneously. To do that you would need two cable boxes (one for each channel), though.
For my usage, I stick with the DVR/Home DVD Burner combo for recording and just use the TV Tuner in the computer to throw a TV picture on one of my monitors. For instance, I'll have a ballgame going on one screen while surfing the Internet (or even doing actual real live work) on the others.
I use the Hauppauge HVR-2250. I simply plug it into my computer and using software like SageTV or MCE, I can record just like a DVR. Usually the channels that you pay for in your package are not encrypted, so a card like the HVR-2250 has no problem recording them, after you assign the channels.
Thanks for the input.
However, I am still diubtful that I can use an internal tv tuner card with my system. I believe my cable provider, Eastlink, has made that impossible by fixing their dvr signal output.
My goal is to be able to record/watch tv programming on my computer when my television croaks.
Presumably, the dvr output must be analog to be transferred to my crt television. Even with a analog to digital converter, I can see no advantage over simply using the dvr as I do now. I cannot see how the ability to record a previously recorded program (playback independent of both tuners) would be of any use to me.
BUT,
Actually, it would allow archiving of this program on my HD. So perhaps you are correct; there may be an advantage to this setup, if I can get it to work for me. Is it possible the Eastlink jerks could somehow make that analog signal unrecordable?
Hmmmm.....
I am not sure whether to purchase a cheapie tuner card in case the system fails to function, or chance it and get the Hippauge. 1201 WinTV HVR1250 PCI-Express for ~$60 on the Iternet.
In any case, youse have given me a much better understanding of my situation. The more I think about it now, it does make sense to buy the card and use it to transcribe dvr recordings to my computer. I don't think cable provider could/would go to this much trouble, as long as I am paying themfor dvr rental.
I will let you know how it turns out.
Thanx again.