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Sky Digital and Windows Media Centre PC

  • 22-01-2006 2:25pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 490 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I am considering purchasing a windows media centre PC, and ant to make full use of the PVR functions of the PC etc, with my SKY digital. How I do this is a bit confusing though if anyone could help me out if they have done same.

    How do I connect my SKY digital to my PC ? I assume I would have several options depending on what type of mdeia/pc card I would have in my pc. I could connect scart or RF to my pc which seems straight forward enough. But how does my PC control my SKY box for PVR stuff ?

    I think there are options of getting a Sattelite receiver card for my PC, so I can put my sky subscription card into, and then get rid of my old skybox altogether.

    AS you can see, I only have snippets of info, so if anyone could fill me in or make some recommendations before I purchase, I would appreciate it.

    Regards,
    Wexfordman


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 71,188 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Unfortunately, you can't (legally) get a CAM for a Sky card, so you'd have to live with only the FTA channels on a satellite card - BBCs, ITVs, Sky News, etc

    You should be able to connect either the Sky boxes RF output (bad), or use a split-out adapter for composite video (a little better) or RGB video (best). Or you might be able to connect the SCART direct (even better). Most Sky boxes have no svideo, which is the most common inward connector on a media centre other than RF, unfortunately.

    The remote adapter should be able to control a Sky box from the PC, but it won't always, unfortunately - look to make sure that it can do Sky boxes.

    You'll also not be able to watch or record more than one thing at once...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Windows Media Centre is
    A) irratating
    B) not as good as most free third party SW for PC Media
    C) Not as good a concept as true appliance PVRs, analog or Digital kind.

    I do record the FTA satellite channels direct on my PC from LNB using a Satellite card and I also have an analog TV card.

    There is no real soultion apart from Sky+ or else analog input from Sky digibox for Sky PPV, FTV or subscription channels. One of the reasons for BBC going FTA.

    You can get an RGB scart to S-Video adaptor which improves Analog PVR or PC analog recording.
    You might want a second Sky box too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,815 ✭✭✭Charlie


    If you have movies or sports would you not just buy a sky+ box for €149. Between what a decent video card ould cost and cabling there isn't much change from €149 .You wont get anywhere near the easyness and useability of sky+ by simpling plugging sky into a pc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,733 ✭✭✭Zaphod


    There are options for getting the Sky channels on your PC directly if you already have a subscription.

    1 - Dragon CAM + appropriate firmware with a PCI DVB-S (e.g. Nexus-s) that has CI (Common Interface) slot available.
    2 - Smartmouse or equivalent + PCI DVB-S (eg skystar 2) + software-based CAM
    3 - via Dreambox with certain firmware.

    There are 2 potential obstacles with these approaches. Firstly, you'll still need to hold onto the digibox to reactivate the card from time to time. Secondly,
    as none of this is official, it may work for 10 days or 10 years - it's entirely at Sky's choosing as to when they might alter their encryption system.

    For specifics on the software/firmware, you'll have to check out other forums. Not allowed to go into details here.

    This is an alternative approach for controlling your Sky/Sky+ box by RF (SkyControl) from a PC/PVR
    http://www.heenan.me.uk/control-sky-from-pc/


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 490 ✭✭wexfordman


    Thanks Zaphod,


    The skycontrol looks to be the way to go. As far as I understand it, I can use an analogue tuner, connected to the SKY box RF out, and using Skycontrol with MCE, I will have complete control for my PVR section of MCE. Is this correct ?

    Thanks,
    Wexfordman


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,417 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Zaphod wrote:
    There are options for getting the Sky channels on your PC directly if you already have a subscription.

    1 - Dragon CAM + appropriate firmware with a PCI DVB-S (e.g. Nexus-s) that has CI (Common Interface) slot available.
    2 - Smartmouse or equivalent + PCI DVB-S (eg skystar 2) + software-based CAM
    3 - via Dreambox with certain firmware.

    There are 2 potential obstacles with these approaches. Firstly, you'll still need to hold onto the digibox to reactivate the card from time to time. Secondly,
    as none of this is official, it may work for 10 days or 10 years - it's entirely at Sky's choosing as to when they might alter their encryption system.

    It is quite legal as long as you use a legitimate Sky card that only works for the channels you pay Sky for.

    But it could stop working tomorrow and requires more than typical PC expertise. Plus patience.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,229 ✭✭✭ffocused


    I have a digibox with a UK FTV card connected to a MCE pc via s-video.
    I got an RGB scart to S-video converter from Maplins and the pcture is much better then the composite. It cost me about 70eur from their web site.

    I find the media centre pvr to be just as good as sky+ which i have with my Irish sub. i made up my own epg with just the bbc/itv channels and c4/5 on it and it has 2 weeks info compared to 1 with sky, and the MCE series link is better then Sky too.
    I have not had any failed recordings so far.... (only had it 3 weeks)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,357 ✭✭✭secret_squirrel


    MCE can control your sky box and change channels for recordning etc using 1 of 2 infrared trasmitters that come with the MCE remote that you stick facing the IR input of your sky box. The 2nd transmitter can be used for a second Sky box so you can watch 1 channel and record the other.

    Personally I think generally the MCE guide is superior to the sky+ one.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,733 ✭✭✭Zaphod


    wexfordman wrote:
    The skycontrol looks to be the way to go. As far as I understand it, I can use an analogue tuner, connected to the SKY box RF out, and using Skycontrol with MCE, I will have complete control for my PVR section of MCE. Is this correct ?

    If by analogue tuner you mean a PCI capture card, then yes, that's the way I read it too.


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