recording from Sky+

hawthorn

In my ever-continuing quest for the wisdom to make a decision whether to go for Sky+ or a top-end DVDHD recorder (well documented elsewhere..!) I asked the guy in Savins Limerick today his advice. Yes Sky+ is probably a bit more convenient, to record. To copy/archive onto disc or HD, no, not straightforward!

Can anyone cast any light on this? The only reason I would want to do this would be to permanently keep an occasional programme, or part of.

So can it be done, and how?

Thnx

k

watty

Sky+ only has a video out. You'd need a PVR or PC with media features and DVD writer too.
I can write BBC recordings made direct from satellite (PC Satellite card, not TV tuner) to DVD easily but some channels need re-encoded as there are more DVB resolutions than DVD resolutions.

hawthorn

But yet if I buy a DVDHD I can record from my current basic Sky box.....cant I???

Or is it that I cna record form Sky+ directly on to DVDHD if I want ot, but I cant records RECORDINGS made on Sky+?? Is that it?

Im beginning to think DVDHD is the way to go. Your man in Savins hinted that there will be great value in March or so, when a new range of Pioneers and others arrive. I got the impression that the current models will be well discounted, and also something about a new ToshibaHD with Guideplus for around €300. Hmm... will pay a visit back there!

K

watty

(Option 1)
A DVDHD recording from a SkyBox is going through a Digtial->Analog, analog -> Digital recoding process.
It causes additional loss of quality and artifacts on edges. It is better than VHS. It may not be better than a good S-VHS with good S-VHS tapes, but more convientient for time shifting.

(Option 2)
A direct Satellite to HDD recording (Sky+, PC with Satellite card, Satellite PVR DVDHDD) is perfect. Playback is same as Live TV.
But ONLY the Sky+ can reliably and easily do recording of Sky encrypted channels (Pay TV/Subscriptions). The other solutions in Option 2 can only record the channels that work without a card in your Sky box (all ITV, all BBC and others).

In Ireland only (option2) will work for the BBCs other than NI and for ITV. An Irish Sky+ won't record via "other channels". A FTA equivalent of Sky+ can be got with DVD recorder and will do all BBC / ITV.

Perhaps Irish Pay TV Satellite viewers need two PVrs, a SKy+ and and a FTA box like Dreambox or Reelbox

hawthorn

Watty thanks for reply.

Again forgive my ignorance but what exactly is a Satellite PVR DVDHDD? Or what is a PVR? I presume Sky+ is one, but what else?

"But ONLY the Sky+ can reliably and easily do recording of Sky encrypted channels (Pay TV/Subscriptions). The other solutions in Option 2 can only record the channels that work without a card in your Sky box (all ITV, all BBC and others)."

Why is that, I dont understand..!?

"In Ireland only (option2) will work for the BBCs other than NI and for ITV. An Irish Sky+ won't record via "other channels". A FTA equivalent of Sky+ can be got with DVD recorder and will do all BBC / ITV."

Sorry Watty, what exactly will work for the BBCs? I know about Sky+ and other channels.

Can we actually get a FTA equivalent of Sky+ from Sky? Does that mean we ONLY pay €15pm? That wouldnt be bad.

Cant believe I could buy a DVD HD recorder and not be able to record perfect pictures from a Sky box. Can my proposed Pioneer DVDHD record perfetly off anything!!??

Also it has guideplus. which I believe will work here, but I also believe it will change the channel only on specified boxes (list on the guideplus website http://www.europe.guideplus.com/En/help/supextrec_uk.html)
Wonder if this makes things any better?

K

watty

PVR = Personal Video Recorder, usning digital recording. Some have only DVD RAM / DVDR but the best kind use a hard disk.

Some hard Disk ones can play DVDs too, or can make a DVD from hard disk content, perhaps allowing you to chop out beginning, end and adverts.


The cheap "high street" models have analog video in and perhaps an Analog TV tuner. They convert the analog to MPEG in real time which is MUCH poorer than non-real time 2 pass conversion or conversion used by broadcasters etc. These typically have only one analog tuner.

For signals already digital, no conversion is needed, so you can buy DIFFERENT PVRs for Digital Cable (not for NTL ireland though), Digital Terrestrial and Digital Satellite. These have a digital tuner and can playback the original data stream so quality is perfect, identical to live. Sky+ is a Hard Drive only PVR box that only works with a subscription on Sky EPG channels.

Dreambox, Reelbox and PC Satellite TV cards all work with any Free To Air channels without a subscription.

The Reelbox can take up to 450G HHD and options for DVD writing / playing and Digital terrestrial tuners as well as Satellite. The Reelbox can also connect to a LAN and Wifi as a MP3 player / store and video jukebox on Wifi or stream live TV on LAN or WiFi.

Most true digital signal in PVRS (such as Sky+) use two digital tuners to allow viewing a different channel to that recording.

Older models use a coax and LNB connection for each digital tuner. A new generation of LNB does not feed all the channels down the coax. It has a single output and the signal can be split to several receivers or PVRs. They then request a channel from the LNB. The cable can support perhaps 16 or 32 channels = 8 or 16 PVRs.

This system can't be used with traditional IF input single or dual input tuners, only with new receivers that support it. Traditional recievers and LNB the signal can't be split and shared at all, each receiver or tuner input needs its own personal LNB connection.

There is a way to make a PC satellite card or a Dreambox work with a Sky viewing card for the Pay TV channels (it is still a real sky card, so not illegal), but it is not simple and Sky could stop it working tomorrow.