Anyone using Sky on their HTPC?

Supercell

I've been reading up on building a HTPC and was thinking of going down the Mediaportal route.
Initially I had thought of XBMC but it seems media portal has cam support so I should in theory be able to watch skytv using my regular Sky card and a dragon interface which I used before in my old pc.
Currently I use a Dreambox with Sky but its network performance is to too slow transferring files using Samba and of course it doesnt play HD.
I have a modded Xbox which does everything I want except Sky and HD..so Mediaportal seems like the best overall solution
Anyone doing this already of have recommendations?

Basic criteria:-

1) Plays HD - both disks and mkv full resolution files
2) Compatible with a dvb-s card and cam / Dragon interface
3) Can play every known multimedia file type in the universe
4) Can schedule record shows and do time shift

Two main contenders seem to be XBMC and Mediaportal.
Dont think XBMC can do the TV stuff or am I wrong?

Thanks.

mediacentre.ie

I use MP for freesat, UPC and 3 other european sats. works with DVB-S, S2, T, C, etc and has CAM support.

I can playback HD .mkv's and .m2ts (this is the raw bluray files) and every type in the universe.

you can shedule and record, pause rewind, etc. full 7day EPG as well.

There is no other solution that even comes close unless you use myth TV.

XBMC can only do TV if you use VMCE to stream to it.

Supercell

Thanks mediacentre.ie, what tv card do you use?
I was thinking of either getting a FloppyDTV-S2 or WinTV-HVR-4000 with the WinTV-CI as that apparently will work with a Dragon.
Any recommendations?

mediacentre.ie

I use the FloppyDTV S2 and C. very good card and yes the CI works with dragon cam. I would buy the Trex module. make sure it is pre loaded with the right firmware otherwise you will need a card programer as well.

I also have a Technotrend C-1501 for cable

The floppyDTV is great for low signal sats. I can pick up Thor with mine. very good drivers and firmware updates. plus they have there own forum.

Supercell

Grand thanks, I'll go for the FloppyDTV S2 as i already have a programmer and cam from tinkering with satellite stuff on the pc in the past.
Now to research a cheap, silent, powerful pc self build

odonnghaille

Fellow HTPC Enthusiast!


Could anyone tell me; what is a good pci-e card, express or otherwise that i should use to capture irelands digital terrestrial service.

Supercell

odonnghaille wrote: »

Fellow HTPC Enthusiast!


Could anyone tell me; what is a good pci-e card, express or otherwise that i should use to capture irelands digital terrestrial service.

We have digital terrestrial here?
Thought that was only undergoing trials?, maybe I'm wrong

If thats what you want then probably the FloppyDTV T/CI is the way to go, at least in the context of this post.
Am sure more learned members can help you out, I'm a HTPC newbie.

mediacentre.ie

yeah there was a DTT trial but it was limited to dublin and has ended now. DTT will not be launched untill Q4 09 so you might have to wait a while.

Boxer will be using it for payTV services so if you where thinking of getting it then you should get a card with a CI.

but most people will only want the free ones so any hauppage DVB-T card will do. you can get hauppage dual tuner ones as well. That is what I would go for.

odonnghaille

It wasnt limited to just dublin, you could get dtt along the east and north east, where i am. My samsung tv can still pick up the sound but no picture form the broadcast, no doubt to do with no mpeg4 decoder. So what im thinking is, instead of getting a "cam" for the tv, why not get a digital tuner for the computer.

Think your right about future proofing and getting something with CI. Though the Hauppage 4000 looks pretty fine. Only sorry I got a dvb s2 pci x16 sent over from germany. Which was cool to watch bbc hd during the olympics

mediacentre.ie

odonnghaille wrote: »

Only sorry I got a dvb s2 pci x16 sent over from germany. Which was cool to watch bbc hd during the olympics

why where you sorry? what kind of card was it?

I recorded the opening ceremony on BBCHD and I was blown away. I have never seen anything like it. amazing.

odonnghaille

This is the one I bought

http://www.technotrend.com/2764/TT-budget__S2-3200.html

I purchased it from the dvb shop online.

Oh and theres big differences in prices for dvb-t cards between dabs and elara .ie respectively

If anyone is interested am using:

intel media series motherboard dg33tl,
e7850 duo core processor,
4gb of kinston ram,
8500 nvidia graphics card,
seagate hard drives,
antec fusion case with built in IR,
windows xp pro sp3,
mediaportal release canadate 3,

Ive yet to get a blu ray player and add some wireless things.