TV Card Query

dingdong1234567

Having recently set up my HTPC running VMC with VLC player and FFdshow codecs. Its connected via HDMI to my 37'' Sammy 456. Used for watching divx movies through mymovies plugin along with listening to music and viewing happy snaps as well. Its being controlled by the Logitech Dinovo mini, which is having teething problems and requires a firmware upgrade already!

Now i would like to explore what decent dvb-s dvb-t (for future use) combo cards are out there that would allow my to record FTA DVB-S (dvb-t) channels. I would also like to get BBC HD and ITV HD through my existing sky dish, therefore the card would have to be HD compatible. The existing sky dish has a quad LNB already fitted and being used with my Sky+.

Having searched and searched both here and over on avforums i am starting to get a bit crossed eyed with options available. So any advice would be appreciated.

Dingdong

Michael Collins

Thinking of doing the same thing myself in a bit. The card I was going to use was the Hauppauge HVR 4000 - it seeminly does everything: DVB-T, DVB-S, DVB-S2 (needed for high definition), Analog TV, S-Video / Composite In. Seems like a good all-in-one package to me...

Dabs have it at what looks like a reasonable price
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4B9T&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=hvr+4000&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

mediacentre.ie

that is a good card.

BBC HD and ITV HD are currently DVB-S so you don't need a DVB-S2 card. I have a 4 lnb setup pointed at 1w, 13e, 19.2e, 28.2e

I use a FloppyDTV S2 www.digital-everywhere.com it is very good but expensive.

technotrend are a very good card as well. S2-3200.

they are bringing out a HD dual tuner sat card as well. the S2-6400

dingdong1234567

Michael Collins wrote: »

Thinking of doing the same thing myself in a bit. The card I was going to use was the Hauppauge HVR 4000 - it seeminly does everything: DVB-T, DVB-S, DVB-S2 (needed for high definition), Analog TV, S-Video / Composite In. Seems like a good all-in-one package to me...

Dabs have it at what looks like a reasonable price
http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4B9T&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=hvr+4000&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

I was eye balling that card today when at work on the interweb, i did see somewhere, now god knows where it was but a card that could take two dvb-s feeds. Therefore allowing you to record one programand watch another.......of too google i go.......It was very cheap if i remember right only about €30-€40 squid.

Have to find that web page again!

Michael Collins

Hmm. I'm always weary of cards that cheap, especially one with two tuners (which is what is required for simultaneous recording, two feeds may not be the same thing...). Yeah the DVB-S2 requirement is for future proofing really.

Are there any channels on Astra that are broadcast in the DVB-S2 standard?

I use a FloppyDTV S2 www.digital-everywhere.com it is very good but expensive.

Yeah I was looking at that card. What makes it so much better than the Hauppauge one, considering it only does satellite, and it's more expensive?! Is it just the CAM facility?

mediacentre.ie

Are there any channels on Astra that are broadcast in the DVB-S2 standard?

none that are FTA. all the SKY HD channels are S2.

the only FTA HD channels on 28.2e are BBC HD, ITV HD and LUXE HD.

all are DVB-S

Yeah I was looking at that card. What makes it so much better than the Hauppauge one, considering it only does satellite, and it's more expensive?! Is it just the CAM facility?

The CAM and the driver support for MCE. 4 LNB Diseqc support as well. It is firewire so you can link them together (I ran out of PCI slots). plus channel channel changes are extreemly stable.

That can be an issue with lots of cards. If the card is cheap I would check the drivers? are they BDA? does it support 64bit and vista MCE etc.

karltimber

Would this card do the same job - here

and can a ms remote be used with some of these Hauppauge cards even though they come with their own type of remote ?

I want to do the same lads, record fta SD satellite channels onto my Xp mce pc from a sky dish with a changed lnb.

Thx
K

add-on - that HVR4000 looks good alright. Might be a good idea to be able to record crappy RTE on cable if the need ever arose. Or can I d/l Fair City in HD

also - did you read this thread from the Hauppauge page.

mediacentre.ie

yes the nova cards are very good. not sure about the remote. If it is an RC6 MCE remote then it probably will. If you have one already then do you have the usb receiver as well? it will work with MCE either way.

MCE doesn't support DVB-S so that is why you need the patch. The new Fiji version of MCE does support DVB-S.

karltimber

mediacentre.ie wrote: »

. The new Fiji version of MCE does support DVB-S.

can you expand on this bit - Fiji version ?
So if I am using XP MCE I will need to install the patch ?

K

mediacentre.ie

Fiji aka tv pack 2008 is the newer version of VMCE. google it.

http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/1/281532/ShowThread.aspx

yes XP MCE needs the patch to trick it into thinking you have A DVB-T card.

there is no DVB-S support for MCE 2005 or VMCE. only the new version.

most TV card manufacturers have a patch to do this for there cards.