Connecting NTL (via STB) to my TV tuner card on my PC

tech77

Hi, maybe one of the experts here can help me out.
I've got an analogue TV tuner (one of those avermedia jobs) connected to my laptop.
It has both s-video and composite (red, white and yellow) inputs as well as the analogue aerial input and the usual mini-USB output to a PC USB slot.

So it works with an aerial (analogue terrestrial) but i can also take this aerial off and hook the tuner up to analogue cable if i want.

However I am now moving house so what i'm wondering is:
1) If i was to get digital cable in the new place, would it be possible to hook up this analogue TV tuner to digital cable (NTL) instead.
Something like this:
Digital NTL (DVB-C) -> thru their STB -> analogue output -> my analogue tv tuner -> PC.

If it was possible, would i need an adaptor (scart (out) to composite (in) to connect STB and tv-tuner? )
Or is there more to it?

2) if not would a digital tv tuner work?
(if so would this have to specifically accept DVB-C, not just DVB-T).

3) Lastly, if i had to stick with analogue cable (first paragraph), do NTL still do this.

I would be really grateful if someone can set me straight on this.
Thanks.

bk

Yes

Outside of Cork, if you get UPC Digital, you will continue to receive the analogue service and then you can do both (or either) on your PC.

Split the incoming cable into two cables using a splitter then:

1) Incoming Cable -> Split 1 -> Directly Connected to PC analogue tuner
2) Incoming Cable -> Split 2 -> UPC STB -> Scart to S-Video cable -> Svideo in on PC Tuner.

Then use an IR blaster from the PC to change the channel on the UPC Set Top Box (STB)

tech77

bk wrote: »

Yes

Outside of Cork, if you get UPC Digital, you will continue to receive the analogue service and then you can do both (or either) on your PC.

Split the incoming cable into two cables using a splitter then:

1) Incoming Cable -> Split 1 -> Directly Connected to PC analogue tuner
2) Incoming Cable -> Split 2 -> UPC STB -> Scart to S-Video cable -> Svideo in on PC Tuner.

Then use an IR blaster from the PC to change the channel on the UPC Set Top Box (STB)

Thanks.
So an analogue tuner covers everything- whether i go for digital or stick with analogue.
Sounds good.
There's no issue with encryption or anything else?
And i definitely don't need a digital tuner yeah?

bk

An analogue video capture card, as long as it has either S-Video or Composite will also handle digital and you don't have to worry about encryption, etc.

Just a few points about this:
- Picture quality of the digital will degrade as it gets converted from digital to analogue s-video and back to digital again on the PC.
- The IR blaster can be a little finicky for changing channels on the UPC box, best bet is to sellotape the ir blaster right onto the front of the UPC box.
- You will need to set the UPC box to S-video or composite output rather then RGB (another reason why picture quality will suffer slightly).

The question I would have is why bother with all this complicated setup, why not just get the UPC+ HD DVR, much easier to set up and much more reliable.

Like you I also use to have this sort of setup, but it was just too much effort and I just use my Sky+ HD box now.

tech77

bk wrote: »

An analogue video capture card, as long as it has either S-Video or Composite will also handle digital and you don't have to worry about encryption, etc.

Just a few points about this:
- Picture quality of the digital will degrade as it gets converted from digital to analogue s-video and back to digital again on the PC.
- The IR blaster can be a little finicky for changing channels on the UPC box, best bet is to sellotape the ir blaster right onto the front of the UPC box.
- You will need to set the UPC box to S-video or composite output rather then RGB (another reason why picture quality will suffer slightly).

The question I would have is why bother with all this complicated setup, why not just get the UPC+ HD DVR, much easier to set up and much more reliable.

Like you I also use to have this sort of setup, but it was just too much effort and I just use my Sky+ HD box now.

No, it's more that i don't have a TV.
And (at the moment at least) i don't feel like shelling out for one (or lugging one around).
I'm kinda minimalist like that.
if it works, great.
Not really about recording stuff as such.
Thanks for your help.

PeterDuggan

Hi Tech and BK. Glad I came across this thread as I'm trying to set up the same thing to archive recordings from the upc box.

I've connected the UPC digital box to my pc capture card but the picture quality is not great (which puzzles me because connecting the UPC digital box to a tv gives a near-perfect picture). Also editing the recording (to remove ads, etc) introduces audio sync problems.

I presume I'm probably recording the "composite" output? Can I overcome these problems by recording the s-video or RGB outputs (or are they the same thing?) and how do I do this please? Thanks for any help.

bk

PeterDuggan wrote: »

I presume I'm probably recording the "composite" output? Can I overcome these problems by recording the s-video or RGB outputs (or are they the same thing?) and how do I do this please? Thanks for any help.

I don't have UPC myself, so I can't give you a precise answer. But S-Video is generally slightly better picture then composite.

You will need a s-video cable and I assume there should be a setting somewhere on the UPC box menu to switch the output to s-video.

Remember the resolution of your PC might be much higher then your TV. If so, then a picture that looks ok on TV can look rubbish on PC.

As for the audio sync issue, this will be related to the software that you are using to edit the video.

To be honest, I wouldn't bother with all of this anymore, there are far easier ways to watch the shows you want without going into this complicated setup.