HTPC TV card question

pbfitzsimons

Hi All,

I've gone through a lot of threads and I've not fund the answer to my question, apologies if it's already been answered. I want to get rid of my Sky subscription and box and use my current HTPC build to replace it. What would be my best option for a card that would allow recording and watching stations and allow me to receive the most channels available.

I've read up about there being a difference in tv cards that are available and that the English stations need one type and the irish another. Is there one that does both. To watch and record a different station do I need two lines and is that just a case of splitting the aerial at the wall?

Any help would be much appreciated, basically I'm trying to clear the clutter from around my TV.

Johnboy1951

It is not clear if you want to receive Satellite channels and/or Terrestrial channels, and if you are in a position to receive both Irish and English terrestrial channels.

For Sat channels you will need a tuner card with two tuners, if you wish to be able to record one channel while watching another.

The same thing applies to terrestrial reception ...... not presently for Irish only channels as they are all on the one frequency, but it is expected that by the new year they will be divided between two frequencies (muxes) and thus a dual tuner card will be required.

For two Sat tuners to work you will need two independent coax cables coming in from the Sat dish.

For two Terrestrial tuners the one aerial cable will suffice ..... a dual tuner card should only need one aerial input.

This is a link to one manufacturers products

http://www.tbsdtv.com/products/

fitzer1982

I'll still have the Sky cables coming in but I take they are useless? I get English and Irish stations in my area so that would be my focus. I would like to be able to record and watch two lines of Irish and English Tv stations. So would I need to split my cable coming in at the wall or would I need two lines coming from the aerial on the roof?

Johnboy1951

fitze69 wrote: »

I'll still have the Sky cables coming in but I take they are useless?

If the Sky dish is still intact those cables are not useless.
With a Sat tuner card you can receive Free to Air Satellite channels, including all the BBC, ITV etc ....... but not the Irish Saorview channels or the Sky channels without the subscription.

I get English and Irish stations in my area so that would be my focus. I would like to be able to record and watch two lines of Irish and English Tv stations. So would I need to split my cable coming in at the wall or would I need two lines coming from the aerial on the roof?

Have a look at the TBS 6284 ...... one aerial in and a provided loop from the first dual tuner to the second ...... if I understand correctly.

There are differently branded products available also.

EDIT
One other thing I forgot about ....... if you are to receive both Saorview and Freeview then it will be likely you will need two aerials, one for each ........ I know nothing about reception of both together so you will need to confirm that.