Question about btv and digital cable

[ivenholt]

Considering buying beyond tv, but does it work with digital cable? (a digital cable box) Will it give all of the channels Ihave or just the first 125?

[nanook105]

If you have a cable box, it will get all of the channels that your cable box gets. Just need to set ut up properly (during setup, it asks for the type of input)

[ivenholt]

Thanks!

[nanook105]

You will also need an IR blaster that will change the channel on the cable box from your computer. Also, some cable boxes provide the ability to connect via serial cable to change channels

[ivenholt]

Right now my PC is in the basement and my STB in the living room...will an IR Blaster work that far?

[nanook105]

One of my PVRs (PVR#1) is in the closet in the basement, and is connected to the TV in my family room. I ran a USB extension through the wall to the IR blaster to control the cable box. I could have also put the cable box in the basement with the PC (would have been easier)

[ivenholt]

Does the IR blaster hook to the cable box or the pc?

[not_Shorty]

the pc. usb port. just sends the exact same remote control codes that your regular cable box remote control sends. It just acts as someone sitting there with the remote pressing buttons.

[DonK]

I have my btv recording box in my bedroom in a corner with 2 cable boxes connected by serial cable, I use btv link in the living room with my HDTV, and only turn on my link box when I need to. Makes for a much quieter living room

[not_Shorty]

you're supposed to make a PC that's quiet for this application

[ivenholt]

So does the ir blaster actually change the channel on the cable box? Or on the pc tuner?

[jkoon]

on the cable box

[not_Shorty]

when you use a cable box the tuner in the pc isn't even used. You need a cable box to tune those channels, so obviously the cable box tunes them. You're just using the card in the pc as an s-video/audio input device in that case.

[enormus]

You can also buy very long IR emitter cables with ends that stick to the remote device's IR receiver (stick-on emitters). Not sure how well they work with the IR Blaster specifically, but I know some people have put all their audio/video equipment except their TV in a closet and have a device that relays the IR signals to the devices via the emitter.