Medusa PVR bundle questions

[johnmacd]

I have a few questions about the Medusa PVR bundle.

Looking at the picture of the PVR-500MCE, it appears to have 2 coax connections. But then when you look at the pictures of the Hydra (and also from Hauppague's site), it seems that the top connection is for FM and the one under it is coax. Does it use only one coax connection to dual tune? ie is there an internal splitter that splits the coax connection?

It also seems that you can have up to 3 A/V connections using the A/V headers. Can you record more than 2 shows at the same time on one PVR-500MCE if you use the coax and all of the available A/V connections?

That brings me to my next question, how do you get the PVR-500MCE to control a cable box? Is there an IR blaster? Where does it connect?

With the firefly remote-is there a IR receiver? If so, where does it connect?

Last question, I dont think that you have to use Windows XP MCE and that Windows XP Pro will work. Is that correct?

[DonK]

On that card it does have an internal splitter to use one coax input for both tuners, but when you run into a dual cablebox situation you have to do one of two things:

1) Purchase the daughter board (from their website, it's not expensive) and use svid/composite for both tuners

or 2) use coax for Tuner 1 and then use the svid/composite and audio connection on the card for the second tuner.

[johnmacd]

Originally Posted by DonK

On that card it does have an internal splitter to use one coax input for both tuners, but when you run into a dual cablebox situation you have to do one of two things:

1) Purchase the daughter board (from their website, it's not expensive) and use svid/composite for both tuners

or 2) use coax for Tuner 1 and then use the svid/composite and audio connection on the card for the second tuner.

OK thanks. that makes sense.

[rakeshagrawal]

P.S. the bracket in question is also sold standalone through our online store, if you already have a PVR-500:

http://store.snapstream.com/avcables.html

And as of last week (roughly) we are bundling one of these brackets with every PVR-500 sold in our store. So if you any of these bundles, you'll get one of these brackets for each PVR-500:

http://store.snapstream.com/btvandpvr500.html
http://store.snapstream.com/medusa.html
http://store.snapstream.com/wintvpvr500.html
http://store.snapstream.com/3xpvr500.html

[johnmacd]

Originally Posted by rakeshagrawal

P.S. the bracket in question is also sold standalone through our online store, if you already have a PVR-500:

http://store.snapstream.com/avcables.html

And as of last week (roughly) we are bundling one of these brackets with every PVR-500 sold in our store. So if you any of these bundles, you'll get one of these brackets for each PVR-500:

http://store.snapstream.com/btvandpvr500.html
http://store.snapstream.com/medusa.html
http://store.snapstream.com/wintvpvr500.html
http://store.snapstream.com/3xpvr500.html

That's good to know. Glad you are adding that to the bundle.

I'm still looking for answers on the following:

That brings me to my next question, how do you get the PVR-500MCE to control a cable box? Is there an IR blaster? Where does it connect?

With the firefly remote-is there a IR receiver? If so, where does it connect?

[rakeshagrawal]

The PVR-500MCE does not have an integrated IR blaster like, say, the PVR-150 does. So to tune a set-top box with it, you'd have to use something like the USB-UIRT (http://store.snapstream.com/usb-uirt.html).

Firefly is an RF remote control, so there is an RF receiver which connects to your PC via one of your USB ports. There isn't an IR receiver though. Nor is there an IR blaster integrated in with the RF receiver, like there is an IR blaster integrated in with media center edition remote controls.

[johnmacd]

It's funny you mentioned the USB-UIRT. I just ran into that and was looking at it. If I have 2 cable boxes, do I need to buy 2 of these? It looks like I would.
Would using 2 create a conflict?

[johnmacd]

Since The Medusa bundle doesnt have a IR transmitter, I was thinking about getting the Medusa bundle and a PVR-150. I see that the PVR-150 has a IR transmitter and receiver. Is the IR transmitter tied to the PVR-150 tuner? Or could that IR transmitter change the channel on a cable box that is connected to a PVR-500?