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Sky+ to Laptop

  • 16-12-2008 12:34am
    #1
    nigeloconnor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I have Sky + and would like to record some programs to my Laptop.. My Sky+ box is almost full and would love to keep some programs.. I know I could go with a DVDR but was wondering if anyone could suggest a TV card that would do this?

    Thanks,


Comments

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


    TV cards don't do great quality at full resolution. If your Laptop has Firewire/IEEE1394/iLink then you can use a suitable Digital Camcorder that has Analogue in and DV out. (I bought an old Sony Digital 8 for this as standalone Anlogue -- DV bridge is nearly €400 )

    USB isn't really fast enough unless the video is compressed. Most Analogue USB Tuner dongles that have Composite or RF in need USB2.0 and even then may have very reduced quality.

    The Digital Tuners (Sat or Terrestrial) are receiving a signal already compressed 400x and already digital, so they work fine.

    Even PCI internal desktop cards struggle to do full quality capture.

    Dunnes has a few DVDR PVRs that have composite in and RF in, (analogue, so suits SCART on Digibox) and record better than any Analogue Capture other than DV bridge (i.e. camcorder) at HiQ setting. They are €99. Much simpler too than capture, encode, author and DVD burn on PC/Laptop. We found it almost as good as direct Digital Recording, the main limitation being the Composite rather than RGB, so normal PAL issues). Much superior to expensive S-VHS or any PCI card based analogue capture I've used. It's a Beond, rebadged Plustron. It's also a better 5.1 decoder/DVD playback than some play only machines at same price!

    There is no Digital method. You have to play back the Sky+ via the SCART. Some recordings may have Macrovision (Sky Box office) and thus not record.


  • #3
    nigeloconnor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 54 ✭✭nigeloconnor


    thanks very much matty..

    You seem to know exactly what you are talking about so I think I will head to Dunnes and get me one of the DVDR's..

    I was looking at various WinTV products and they make it sound like it's simple as pie to do what I want..

    http://www.dabs.ie/ProductList.aspx?fb=215

    Obviously not..

    Thanks again.


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