Anyone here using a computer for PVR functions

[Will]

whats wrong with the RGBs output of the sky box? QED and Squart do a scart -> 4 (or 6) phono or BNC - red, green, blue and composite sync (and L+R audio)... I feed this through a RGB>Component converter (long story) for my plasma...

I just wish i could take the digtal mpeg out of my sky box to feed it direct into the tivo..

Because I am more than happy with the S-Video output of my current set up and my old Sky box didn't offer any form of digital sound output. These connection possibilities were not my primary reason for choosing this set up but did add a little to the overall appeal.

Will

 

[scotth_uk]

Hmm. Hold off on the Hauppauge external units - jumpy video recording, which is a shame as the picture quality and ease of use was rather good. Not too much compatibility with 3rd party apps either - it's going back today.

Reasonably confident that it wasn't the machine as it's a stinking fast new machine with fast drives.

 

[scotth_uk]

Managed to spot the internal PCI Hauppauge Nova-T 90002 cards at PCWorld today for £49. Good value!

Trying to setup GB-PVR and Mediaportal at present.

 

[scotth_uk]

Having setup just about every PVR there is today for the PC..... I can heartily support the earlier suggestion to use Showshifter - it's amazing.

Leaves the others for dead. £50 for a card and about £20 for the software and it works a treat!

 

[Aswall]

Except that you are paying a subscription for a video recorder to make the murdock empire richer by the month... If you can build a HDR, you can have sky plus without the hard disk limits and the subscription costs ...

1) Nope, no extra subscription (have movies and sport)

2) No hard disk limits in Sky+ any more than any other pc (currently running 250gb, if you need more than that, you need to sort your life out )

3) You would also need 2 tuners like Sky+ (and yes you do need them) to give the same functionality

4) If you wish to record Sky progs (and if you don't, you'd be much better with one of the hard disk equipped Freeview boxes on the market) you will still need to pay a subscription to Mr Murdoch

In summary there is NO functional equivalent to Sky+ without paying even more (ie PC cost, 2x Sky boxes with multiroom subscription)

As I said though, this doesn't mean a home made PVR isn't worth doing, if the cut down features are good enough for you, but you get what you pay for.

Personally, I do have a media server PC as well, but I use it to stream US TV and movies, obtained over the net, to large flat screen PCs in other rooms in the house.

 

[peterchurch]

Except that you are paying a subscription for a video recorder to make the murdock empire richer by the month... If you can build a HDR, you can have sky plus without the hard disk limits and the subscription costs ...

At the time I wrote this there was a monthly subcription payable for skyplus, there still is if you don't want full movies or sport packages

I have used my dads skyplus box and it is very smooth kit. But to be honest I would get more entertainment building the home cooked HDV solution, than I would watching the TV shows that I recorded on it afterwards But then I come from the Amiga/Atari ST generation where hacking stuff and writing software was more peferable to handing over £40+ a time for a locked game

Pehaps I will add this to my list of projects for the winter months

 

[glojo]

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.

Hi scotth_uk,
I was just wondering (being nosey again) what you intend recording. I used to listen to numerous radio stations on my PC and was wondering if you have managed to locate 'foreign' TV stations. i.e. Australian, New Zealand, South African etc.?

I see that you have recommended a specific card, has it lived up to your expectations and is the quality good enough to watch through your domestic TV set-up?

Finally I think I will start a Sky+ thread to help keep this interesting thread a little 'on topic'.

Regards,
John

 

[scotth_uk]

Hi Glojo,

The PVR setup is to record UK channels only, it's mainly becase of late night television shows that I'd love to record and watch later. I threw my VCR in the bin so I have nothing else to record with, and cannot be ar5ed to buy a DVD recorder.

The Hauppauge Nova-T PCI card is quite good, but it's all about the software. As the drivers provided are BDA compliant you can use plenty of different packages. The supplied stuff is only for watching tv and saving currently viewed content. It has no PVR functionality, which is why packages like Showshifter is required for recording from a guide.

Quality of the stream is excellent - full MPEG capture at about 2GB per hour. Can be easily re-mastered to lower bitrates for efficient storage.

 

[Aswall]

But then I come from the Amiga/Atari ST generation where hacking stuff and writing software was more peferable to handing over £40+ a time for a locked game

Hey me too, now that was when computing was really fun In fact I've still got both in my loft, along with monitors for each and a ton of software. One day they might be worth something but probably not