Anyone here using a computer for PVR functions

[scotth_uk]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone here is using a pc or mac as a personal video recorder. I'm looking to set myself up, but would like to speak to someone who's done it before.

Specifically, I am interested in the methods of controlling the sky box to change channels.

 

[Mambo]

I have wanted to do this for a while so I will be watching this thread with interest..... Scott, what OS you gonna be using? Windows Media Centre?

 

[scotth_uk]

Trying to do it on the mac actually in OS X. Thats the main reason that I bought a Mac Mini, as it fits into the space under the tv nicely.

It's probably easier to do it on the pc, but I am up for a challenge.

Windows Media Centre is rather good from what I can see, but I cannot spare a whole machine for it. Would rather just invoke the software on a machine when required.

 

[Mambo]

Intersting project! Let me know how you get on, depending on how far you get it may justify me buyin a mini mac!!

 

[craigyb]

Have you looked at showshifter? www.showshifter.com

 

[guydewdney]

have you thought about a TiVo?

 

[scotth_uk]

Haven't actually ever seen a Tivo, but still hear great things about them now... Really would like to keep the functionality on a PC or Mac though so that I can easily burn the stuff to DVD.

IIRC, Tivos are stilla vailable second hand here, but are no longer supported?

 

[scotth_uk]

At present I am looking at the EyeTV devices from http://www.elgato.com which are the main focus of the Mac's market. They have some devices for the UK market which are around the £200 mark and are external boxes, powered by the firewire bus - great for the Mac Mini's setup. Looks like it passes the dvb mpeg2 stream to the MM, which processes it and records it. Output to the tv is through a DVI-to-VGA adapter which I still have on backorder with Apple.

Interestingly my Sony Ericsson V800 3G mobile has a Mac remote control application in it's bluetooth menu which works really well. Have successfully managed to use my pc from across the room, as it simulates a mouse and button with the direction pad on the phone.

Unfortunately I was spolied last week by a friend's flagship 20 inch Sony Vaio all in one machine (£1500-1700) which has PVR functionality built in which works beautifully, so everything else looks rather crap in comparison. The best thing was that the building she lives in pipes all sky channels down the standard aerial wire, so a standard analogue PC tuner card can pick up all sky!

PC wise, I am tempted to just buy a cheapo DVB card and try various software packages until I find one I like. Cannot be linux (what a shame, as Myth is awesome) or MCE.

 

[Mambo]

Have you looked at showshifter? www.showshifter.com

Just had a trawl through the forums on the showshifter web page and that looks pretty good! I will do some more reading but it looks like I know what I will be using. Craigyb, have you used this app before, any pointers?

 

[Aswall]

Sky+ renders everything else pointless, but I suppose it's worth doing just to show it can be done

 

[Tan]

Sky+ renders everything else pointless, but I suppose it's worth doing just to show it can be done

The thing I found with SKY+ is that the additional subscription, plus the cost of the SKY+ hardware makes it quite uneconomical. Where as recording to a computer is better as it is multifunctional.

 

[marcos]

The thing I found with SKY+ is that the additional subscription, plus the cost of the SKY+ hardware makes it quite uneconomical. Where as recording to a computer is better as it is multifunctional.

I don't pay any extra subscription and the box cost nothing from a chap who does all the sky stuff for me through work

 

[Aswall]

There is no additional subscription, unless you don't have movies or sport. I'd much prefer to keep the versatility of having them separate, particularly as I prefer laptops, and a Sky+ box is much cheaper than a new pc. Also remember that Sky+ gives you 2 tuners, so to get the same functionality with a pc you would have to have 2 Sky boxes with some way of switching the pc input between them

 

[Shude]

The thing I found with SKY+ is that the additional subscription, plus the cost of the SKY+ hardware makes it quite uneconomical. Where as recording to a computer is better as it is multifunctional.

I struggle to keep up with what my tivo records as it is, that's from just 5 channels!

I see "Doctor Who" just appeared on the EPG! It's been simply listed as "BBC ONE" for a few days, kinda mysterious!

 

[scotth_uk]

Sky+ doesn't interest me. The box costs money, the subscription costs money (I don't watch sport or movies on their services) and you'd need to buy a standalone DVD recorder to get anything over to disc (or re-record into a pc).

Dual tuners are very useful though. The other major point of goodness for sky+ is of course the fact that you need a sky box to decode their signal. Any PVR solution to record sky will be a bit of a botch job.

 

[Will]

Must say again, I am 110% satisfied with Sky+.

Exactly the same price as regular Sky (which I have had for years!) and so on a month on month basis costs absolutely nothing whatsoever for me.

The equipment cost me £99, but I sold my old digibox and Minidish of for a few ££ so really didn't cost any significant amount. No videos/blank DVDs to buy, and the added functuality (eg, pause and rewind live TV, record two different channels at once whilst watching one etc) is fantastic.

I am sure I read somewhere about a certain version of the Sky+ boxes being able to output a digital MPEG signal somehow?!? Might be worth looking into if someone wants to transfer their recordings to DVD?

Oh, and if the existing hard drive doesn't hold enough (it holds hours and hours anyway? ) you can fit larger (200 gigs +) hard drives for little extra.

Just IMHO.

Will

 

[Mambo]

Must say again, I am 110% satisfied with Sky+.

Exactly the same price as regular Sky (which I have had for years!) and so on a month on month basis costs absolutely nothing whatsoever for me.

The equipment cost me £99, but I sold my old digibox and Minidish of for a few ££ so really didn't cost any significant amount. No videos/blank DVDs to buy, and the added functuality (eg, pause and rewind live TV, record two different channels at once whilst watching one etc) is fantastic.

I am sure I read somewhere about a certain version of the Sky+ boxes being able to output a digital MPEG signal somehow?!? Might be worth looking into if someone wants to transfer their recordings to DVD?

Oh, and if the existing hard drive doesn't hold enough (it holds hours and hours anyway? ) you can fit larger (200 gigs +) hard drives for little extra.

Just IMHO.

Will

We have Sky+ in Manchester and I love it , but I live in a flat in London and have been told I can't get it as there is only a single feed from the communal dish. Is this correct or are they talking cr*p?

 

[scotth_uk]

SKY+ requires two feeds to work in a dual tuner, so they box will still work but you will lose the "watch one, record another" function.

 

[Mambo]

SKY+ requires two feeds to work in a dual tuner, so they box will still work but you will lose the "watch one, record another" function.

Ok next [obvious] question, can you split the single feed in to two?

 

[Will]

Ok next [obvious] question, can you split the single feed in to two?

No, you need at least a twin LNB (mounted on the dish).

The one I have has a Quad LNB - so could effectively run two Sky+ systems, four regular Sky Digi-boxes, or a combination!

Will