Recording 2 channels at one time......

[az1441]

Hello is there a PVR/software solution available (Windoze/OSX/Linux) that can record 2 channels at one time with one external digital set top box?

I have been searching but haven't found much...

Please excuse this post if its too noob....

[loster]

Not possible unless the set top box has two tuners and two separate video outputs. Might be able to use a cable card and capture card to record one channel while you record the output of the set top box. Note cable card only applies to the united states cable system. More information will be needed. We need your country, cable provider and model number(s) of any equipment.

[olyteddy]

SiliconDust makes some tuners that have multiple tuners and stream over your network. I have 2 of their HDHR Prime boxes and have six tuners available to watch or record from an any PC on my network. So yes, it is possible.

[az1441]

Thanks for this stuff, guys.

Here is what I have:

Mac OSX 10.8
Comcast HD tuner
elgato PVR
eyetv

I see this is network based - would I have to run 2 instances of eyetv to receive each tuner from HD Homerun to get 2 channels at once? also record as well?

[olyteddy]

Sorry, can't help much there. I don't know much about Mac-Landia. I know this stuff works great on a PC (Windows Media Center). Here's a Mac HTPC subforum that might know though: http://www.avsforum.com/f/115/htpc-mac-chat and here's the SiliconDust forum: http://www.silicondust.com/forum2/index.php

[yoda313]

Comcast HD tuner

I think this is your restricting factor.

I have comcast and a motorola hd tuner (dual tuner). However it only outputs one signal at a time. I can easily output component and fiber optic to my hauppauge hd pvr 1 to do dubbing. But it is only the onscreen stuff that is currently being played. Any pop up messages will be captured.

I think firewire has been suggested here but that is still only the main output of the tuner if I am correct.

So far as I know there aren't any mainstream hd tuners that the cable/sat/fios companies provide that have dual video output. That is one output for each tuner.

That doesn't mean there aren't any I just don't think they give that option on the main playing field. Perhaps if you can get a nonstandard dvr that will accept a cablecard and you can rent a cablecard from your cable company you MIGHT be able to pull this off.

[usually_quiet]

Hello is there a PVR/software solution available (Windoze/OSX/Linux) that can record 2 channels at one time with one external digital set top box?

I have been searching but haven't found much...

Please excuse this post if its too noob....

If you must use EyeTV or other Mac-compatible PVR software, then you may be able to use the QAM tuner in a Mac-compatible TV card to record the primary sub-channel from local over-the-air broadcasters and a few others in the Comcast basic cable package. Comcast is not yet encrypting those channels in most places, although they could begin doing so at any time. An additional cable box plus an additional HD capture device will be needed to record a second encrypted channel in other service tiers if you use OSX.

As olyteddy already said, if you are willing to use Windows 7 (Home, Pro, or Ulitimate) or install Windows 8 Pro and buy Windows 8 Media Center to use with it, then you can rent a CableCARD from Comcast and buy a CableCARD tuner (Silicon Dust HDHomerun Prime, Ceton InfiniTV 4, or Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650) to record 2, 3, or 4 encrypted channels at once.

Windows 7's Media Center or Windows 8's Media Center are the only current Windows PVR software to have been granted certification by the cable industry's CableCARD technology group, Cable Labs. There is no software for Linux or OSX that has been certified to use a CableCARD tuner to record copy-protected digital cable channels.** To gain certification, PVR software must not record channels marked copy-never and must apply strong encryption to recordings of channels marked copy-once to prevent unauthorized use. This may or may not be a problem, depending on what you want to record, what you want to do with your recordings, and what your local Comcast franchise does regarding copy protection flags.

The FCC requires over-the air broadcast channels to be marked copy-freely, so they will record without encryption. All cable-only channels are eligible for copy-once protection, so recordings from them may be encrypted by Windows Media Center. Premium channels, such as HBO, or Showtime, can be marked copy-never, and Windows Media Center won't record them. However, your local Comcast franchise may or may not apply-copy once or copy-never protection to all programming eligible for protection.

** Linux's MythTV can work for recording and watching with at least some CableCARD tuners for channels that are marked copy-freely. SiliconDust says: "The InstaTV Pro app supports direct streaming from HDHomeRun devices on iOS devices. More information is available in the InstaTV website. The HomeRunTV app supports direct streaming from HDHomeRun devices on Android devices. More information is available on its Google Play store page."

[usually_quiet]

That doesn't mean there aren't any I just don't think they give that option on the main playing field. Perhaps if you can get a nonstandard dvr that will accept a cablecard and you can rent a cablecard from your cable company you MIGHT be able to pull this off.

TiVo is the only third-party DVR left which is able to accept a CableCARD. http://www.tivo.com/products/tivo-premiere/index.html