[linux-dvb] Re: ATSC support q's

["Daniel Schmelzer" <dschmelzer@hotmail.com>]

Hi Ralph--

>The PCTV basically is the Conexant DVB reference design.

That's right.  I believe Conexant worked with Videon Central here in the 
States to put out a reference design called Chickenhawk, which perhaps 
formed the basis for the PCTV Sat.

http://www.videon-central.com/products/product_detail_12.html

>Isn't there a corresponding ATSC reference design?

Yes.  The ATSC reference design was called Foghorn.

http://www.videon-central.com/products/product_detail_11.html

>Is it available for sale somewhere?

I believe that the reference design is available from Videon Central.  I 
don't know the cost or how robust of a design it is.  This reference design 
has been on the market for several years.  As for available retail, no.

The closest thing to it is the WinTV-D, which could be made to act like one 
of these cards.  Between the front end (Philips 
1536D->TDA9189->TDA8763->TDA8960) and the Fusion 878A sound channel is an 
FPGA.  Using the current firmware, the transport stream is sent by the FPGA 
on a roundabout mission before being put on the sound channel.

If someone on the list knows how to program FPGAs, then we might try to 
simplify the design and just have it pass through the entire transport 
stream directly from the demodulator to the sound channel.  All of the 
necessary docs are available.

>Only the tuner drivers of the PCTV card would have to be changed.
>MPEG decoding could be done in software.

That would be the goal, yes.  Decoding the 1080i stream would take a beefy 
machine.

>Could a DVB demodulator (e.g. VES1820) decode those QAM signals?

I don't know.  Interesting possibility, though.  Further, I don't know if 
the cable companies are encrypting their signals or not.  I would assume 
that they are at least encrypting the premium channels (HBO-HD and SHO-HD).

Regards--

Dan

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