Somewhat OT: MythTV / DVB in Israel

[guy keren]

On 01/12/2012 10:44 AM, Antony Gelberg wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm about to cancel my incredibly expensive HOT Triple and get
> Internet-only instead.
>
> I'm not that bothered about TV but I do have a MythTV box lying around
> from the old country, and I'd be happy to see if I could get it
> working here.  It would just need a PCI tuner card or two.  As I see
> it in Israel there are terrestrial, cable, and satellite options.  I
> don't have any terrestrial aerial or satellite dish connection in my
> flat, so I'd be much happier to use the cable connection if I can (see
> below).
>
> Questions to start with:
> 1) If I was to cancel my HOT subscription for television, are any
> channels at all provided over the cable for free?  As a reference
> point, in the UK, if you cancel your Sky satellite subscription, a
> limited number of channels are still available, unencrypted, over the
> satellite link and set-top-box.

no. if you disconnect from the cable company's TV service - you don't 
get any channels from *them* any longer.


> 2) If not, if I went for terrestrial, does anybody know of a DVB-T PCI
> card that works with Linux and the broadcast standard in Israel?  (I
> understand it's MPEG-4 / H.264.)  If I needed to get a terrestrial
> aerial fitted to the building, is that government-subsidized (don't
> laugh, it is in some countries IIRC)?

normally, you won't need any large antenna in order to receive DVB-T 
channels. in the worst case - you'll by a small active antenna to place 
on top of the tv - at least that's what is being advertised (and it 
works for me - i live inside a valley where the default tiny antenna 
that comes with the DVB-T doesn't work).

as for a PCI card - i don't have an idea, but note one thing: the 
government made a decision to use a different type of broadcast in their 
future HD broadcasts, then the one originally assumed - check this 
before you buy any DVB-T equipment.

--guy