[Discuss] mythbuntu usb capture devices

[dsr at tao.merseine.nu (Dan Ritter)]

On Sun, Aug 21, 2011 at 03:48:44AM -0400, Steven Morth wrote:
> I plan to build a mythbuntu box out of the efiga ARM boxbI purchased
> this year . What I would like to do is successfuly capture 5 minutes
> of video from a portable DVD player
> Any recommendations for Hauppage sticks or any other USB devices
> that might be on sale at J&R music world or overnighted in time by 
> saturday would be appreciated. I am bring a borrowed Dazzler and SIIG
> capture device from Micro center <$50
> My first step is to backup the movies stored on the RCN Motorola DCH3416
> DVR set top box with an ESATA and  USB plugs but no further
> documentation
> I'll bring the manual such as it is but not the set top box
> 
> Any advice about USB capture devices/dongles or a more elegant interface
> to this box
> probably not
> http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-469484.html
> 
> I have an analogue DVD writer appliance and will do it the lo-tech
> caveman approach of recording the stream to the TV and will eventually
> control it via IR
> Please excuse my 4:00 am editing 

First off, you should look at the MythTV Users' discussion list.
mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users/ 

Second, you should be looking at the MythTV wiki:
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/

Third, a low-power CPU is going to need hardware assistance for
both encoding and decoding. For encoding, a Hauppauge HD-PVR1212
is going to be your only USB choice if you want to get HD
resolutions; for SD resolution, there are several other choices.

For decoding, you will very likely want a VDPAU-capable NVidia
card. You may manage SD output on whatever your ARM box has, or
you might not. Are there specs anywhere?

Fourthly, I suspect that Mythbuntu is not normally built for the
ARM architecture (all I see on their download site is x86 in 32
and 64 bit flavors) and you may have difficulty installing it
directly. You'll want to read through
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/DeviceSupport
at least.

Overall, this is quite ambitious for a first foray into MythTV.

-dsr-