[pvrusb2] USB devices and dirty power [was: pvrusb2 Digest, Vol 26, Issue 6]

[Mike Isely]

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007, roger wrote:

> On Tue, 2007-10-16 at 20:05 -0500, Mike Isely wrote:
> 
> > My mythtv box here is on its own UPS, and its associated pvrusb2 device 
> > is also powered from that same UPS.  The box isn't perfect, but at least 
> > none of the problems ever involve the pvrusb2 device going awol :-)
> > 
> >   -Mike
> 
> Never really realized until now, all one needs for continued recording
> through a local power outage, is a UPS.  Well, unless your cable tv
> splitter locations rely on local power too.

Well I just did this for completeness, i.e. I didn't want the machine to 
survive any power glitch while still having the pvrusb2 hardware poop 
out along the way.

My configuration is OTA only (both NTSC and ATSC).  I am however 45 
miles from the transmitting stations and my antenna is in the attic.  
That said, I put the biggest antenna that would fit in there, and 
there's a series of booster amps leading from there to various reception 
points in the house.  The MythTV box is unfortunately at the end of the 
longest run (leading to my rec room in the basement).  It has multiple 
RF amps in front it - partially because a part of the run is composed of 
lousy builder-installed RG-59 cable that has been staple-gunned to 
unreachable studs and thus I can't replace it without tearing up walls.  
One booster is near a UPS, but alas the most important amp at the 
head-end is in the attic adjacent to the antenna and not within reach of 
a UPS.  And I really don't think in this freeze/fry Chicago climate that 
it would be a good idea to place a UPS into a space whose temperature 
varies that widely - the battery would probably be dead in less than a 
year.  Maybe someday I'll put a dedicated ciruit up there and drive it 
from a UPS in the climate-controlled part of the house.  But receiving 
my fix of the Simpsons during a power outage just hasn't been that 
important :-)

  -Mike


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