Hauppauge HD PVR - Supurb Picture & Dolby Digital 5.1

nickrose

I have been looking at several different ways of archiving HD content off Sky HD.

Have tried using CI modules, cams etc. but they were too unreliable and tempremental.

I saw the Hauppauge HD PVR advertised on their website, but you had to order it off their U.S website because it has not been released in the U.K yet. It cost a little over £200 from the US website (but deliverd from Ireland) .

I have just recieved my HD PVR last week and played with it over the weekend.

The picture and sound quality is supurb from Sky HD.

It comed bundled with Arcsoft Total Media Extreme which is basic but has everything you need, and a good quality set of component leads which were a suprise, as I expected a cheap set!

They have just released a driver update to allow 5.1 sound recording. (even though it is a beta driver, i've not found any problems).

A 2 hour film takes up about 15Gb of space on 13.5Mbs setting - i know its only 1080i but I dont think thats too much.

It's great because you can record the film on Sky+ and the copy it over on a night while i'm in bed. I know its another process having to re-record but you get the reliability and quality of Sky+ without all the hasstle of cams etc.

It is very easy to use and setup (as long as you don't get the component leads colourd mixed up like I did - i'm colour blind).

Also having found a H.264 codec, it plays in windows media player and vista media centre (I think - will check tonight) - which is a bonus.

If anyone is in two minds to get one or not - DON'T just get one!

If anyone wants more info I will try to help.

Well done Hauppauge - another great product.

See - http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html for more info.

mediacentre.ie

how is it connected to your sky HD box? I didn't think it had dual HD out?

EDIT: I think I get it. you unplug the TV and play it back through the box, then record.

no 1080p support.

aidankk

mediacentre.ie wrote: »

how is it connected to your sky HD box? I didn't think it had dual HD out?

EDIT: I think I get it. you unplug the TV and play it back through the box, then record.

no 1080p support.

sky hd boxes(well at least the older ones have component out as well as hdmi) altough i got one recently and it has component out that can work at the same time as the hdmi

mediacentre.ie

very handy.

MediaTank

mediacentre.ie wrote: »

how
no 1080p support.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Sky HD and all HD broadcasts 720p?

MT

nickrose

Sky broadcasts in 1080i, not quite fill HD but better than standard def.

Sky HD has both HDMI and Component outputs, the HDMI is plugged into my tv, and the component is plugged into the Hauppauge box. Both outputs work at the same time.

I have now done 3 recordings and the quality is excellent.

meob

nice, might have to get one of them... nice way to expand my HD liabrary

stiofanD

As of Jan 08, Sky HD boxes no longer have component outputs, only HDMI, so you'd need to source an old one in order to use the Hauppauge card

akenny01

BROTHER!!!

i got the hava titanium the other day its good ( wireless recording but they lead of ( PAL ) users to think it had full HD in pal, but only ntsc, it only supports 576p , i urge nobody to get hava unless u wana record in sd

mate i need this Hauppauge HD PVR
it sounds SO SWEET

can u link me with where exactly to buy it? how long did it take for you to get in post

HD FTW

SouperComputer

Yea, its a great product, selling like hotcakes over here. True, no 1080p support, but its difficult to attain over component, the encoding overhead would be extremely heafty and aside from this, there are no broadcasts in 1080p, and probably will not be for some time.

Works great when paired with SageTV too, I think they are doing a special combo deal....

akenny01

does the site itself accept paypal anyone know

nickrose

I agree its dissapointing its not 1080p but Sky or any one else in the UK transmits in that anyway, and i think Sky is the popular use for it.

I bought mine from Hauppauge America's web site - http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html
Even though its American it ships from Ireland.
No Paypal, only credit card.
Mine was out of stock at time of order, but came within 3 weeks.

However Dabs and BT Shop are now advertising them but out of stock.

akenny01

nickrose wrote: »

I agree its dissapointing its not 1080p but Sky or any one else in the UK transmits in that anyway, and i think Sky is the popular use for it.

I bought mine from Hauppauge America's web site - http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

However Dabs and BT Shop are now advertising them but out of stock
Even though its American it ships from Ireland.

No Paypal, only credit card.

Mine was out of stock at time of order, but came within 3 weeks.

cool thanks mate, and that records full 1080i / 720p PAL ?

nickrose

Hi .

Yes, mine is recording at full 1080i / 720P (what ever your Sky HD Box is outputting) PAL resoloution and dolby digital surround.

Basically the HD PVR encodes the Sky HD picture and sound and saves it as a either a .TS or .M2TS file @ upto 1080i resoloution.

Some people are saying that the newer Sky HD boxes do not have component out as well as HDMI, I don't know as mines an early box so it has both HDMI and component and they do work at the same time.

I have mine linked up to Sky HD using component leads (supplied with PVR) and SPDIF cable for sound.
Connected to my PC with a USB cable.
The software that comes with it is Arcsoft total media, which although basic is adiquate for the job.
All you do is start the Arcsoft software, click capture (countdown timer available if you want to leave it capturing overnight as I do), and away you go, Its basically like setting your old VHS to record the program as you watch it.
You need a fairly beefy PC to capture the video, mines a 2.4 Quad core, 4gb memory and 2 x Nvidia 280 GTX graphics running Vista 64Bit.

But as long as you can play High Def content you should have no problems encoding.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask anymore questions.

Nick

akenny01

nickrose wrote: »

Hi .

Yes, mine is recording at full 1080i / 720P (what ever your Sky HD Box is outputting) PAL resoloution and dolby digital surround.

Basically the HD PVR encodes the Sky HD picture and sound and saves it as a either a .TS or .M2TS file @ upto 1080i resoloution.

Some people are saying that the newer Sky HD boxes do not have component out as well as HDMI, I don't know as mines an early box so it has both HDMI and component and they do work at the same time.

I have mine linked up to Sky HD using component leads (supplied with PVR) and SPDIF cable for sound.
Connected to my PC with a USB cable.
The software that comes with it is Arcsoft total media, which although basic is adiquate for the job.
All you do is start the Arcsoft software, click capture (countdown timer available if you want to leave it capturing overnight as I do), and away you go, Its basically like setting your old VHS to record the program as you watch it.
You need a fairly beefy PC to capture the video, mines a 2.4 Quad core, 4gb memory and 2 x Nvidia 280 GTX graphics running Vista 64Bit.

But as long as you can play High Def content you should have no problems encoding.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask anymore questions.

Nick

nice one, great to see its ful PAL unlike the hava. im definately getting this, i have a quad core, 8gb ram , 9800 gtx graphics card . 2 x 1tb harddrives, vista64 i should be good delighted it works with vista :P

thanks mate

also av u used it to record with x360 or anything

nickrose

Good to see that you've plenty of hard drive space, I've nearly 4.5Tb of HDD space, its amazing how quickly it fills up!

Do you find a big difference with 8gb of ram, I've 4gb on Vista 64bit, and I notices a big difference with that?

Not used for 360, but don't see why it wont work.:rolleyes:

akenny01

nickrose wrote: »

Good to see that you've plenty of hard drive space, I've nearly 4.5Tb of HDD space, its amazing how quickly it fills up!

Do you find a big difference with 8gb of ram, I've 4gb on Vista 64bit, and I notices a big difference with that?

Not used for 360, but don't see why it wont work.:rolleyes:

definately big difference, 4gb ram is great also, my old pc had 1gb ram n i tought that was ok LOL but 8 is a hole other level, converting 800mb xvid to dvd takes me about 7 mins etc, its great for installing/converting and all things such as that

nickrose

Great, thanks for that.

Will see if Santa can help.:p

Looking at some DDR2 1066Mhz SLI ready and talking about £200 ish for 8Gb.
But then i've just spent £700 in graphics, will see if the bank has recovered from that shock!

WillieCocker

Been using mine for a few months now to archive some 360 game footage in 720p and SkyHD in 1080i.
It's one of the best gadgets i've bought in a while.
Compression is excellent on variable peak.