PC Dvr setup help (mySky alternative)

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RichieMcB

15 posts

Geek

#153816 8-Oct-2014 20:08

Hi there I hope this is in the right place.

I am after some help on a setup to replace mySky. I am considering getting rid of mySky due to it being so expensive and now they lost the golf coverage which along with the rugby and the recording options were the main reasons I had mysky.

I figure I can watch the rugby at the pub so the only reason to keep it would be for the recording capabilities, which seems an expensive way of doing things.

So I was interested in building a PC that I can have permanently plugged into my TV to record Freeview programmes and might get light box which I coulld stream through the PC also.

The questions I was hoping you guys could help with were:

1) Will I need a normal aerial cable to go into the video recording card in the PC, or can I use the sky cable I already have to pick up the Freeview signal? I.e are there video capture cards that will work with a sky cable and will it pick up Freeview.

2) I have never used a video capture card in a PC, do they have features like series link?

3) is there any particular cards that you would recommend? Please note I am happy to pay quite a lot to get a good one.

4) any other recommendations for this kind of setup to make it work really well?

Thanks so much for your input.

Richie

dusty42

117 posts

Master Geek

#1150257 8-Oct-2014 20:55

1) Will I need a normal aerial cable to go into the video recording card in the PC, or can I use the sky cable I already have to pick up the Freeview signal? I.e are there video capture cards that will work with a sky cable and will it pick up Freeview.

TV capture cards are designed to receive broadcasts from satellite (DVB-S), or terrestrial UHF (DVB-T). Satellite connects to your existing sky connection, terrestrial to a UHF antenna. Satellite is only SD :( - Sky have a monopoly on HD Freeview cause NZ loves SkyTV, hooray SkyTV!. Terrestrial UHF is HD.

I use Windows media centre - cause it's included with win7 and for what I use it for (the news) it's fine. Under WMC-satellite it pulls down the program guide for the whole week, UHF only gives you the name of the following program and is nearly worthless. This is why there are heaps of program guide threads at top of this forum - using a 3rd party program to scrape the data from another source and populate the program guide.

Program guides are the most annoying thing. I freely admit I never solved my UHF guide issues, and it was a relief when I had to switch to satellite when I moved to a different house with only a Sky dish.

2) I have never used a video capture card in a PC, do they have features like series link?

Yep, dependent on your recording program getting the program guide. Works seemlessly for me since I switched to satellite.

3) is there any particular cards that you would recommend? Please note I am happy to pay quite a lot to get a good one.

I got Hauppage on the basis they are reputed to have the best reputation - even the cadillac of tuners is a cheap piece of hardware.

I presume a PCIE connection will have the lowest cpu overhead and highest available bandwidth. Dunno how the USB ones work - plenty on the market tho. Anyone else?

Go for a card with multiple tuners. Think about a remote - using a keyboard and mouse just isn't as convenient when you wanna mute the adds.

4) any other recommendations for this kind of setup to make it work really well?

I'm interested in this too. I have a low effort HTPC - I just chucked a capture card into my system and added a decent DAC for sound.

Hope this gives you some where to start.

RichieMcB

15 posts

Geek

#1150263 8-Oct-2014 21:10

Ah great that answers everything very well thanks.

So to summarise using the satellite I will only get SD but will get a weeks worth of programme guide?

If that's the case That will be fine for me as it will probably only be news and nz tv shows as I am planning on having light box as well for tv shows.

Great to hear that you can series link.

I agree mouse and keyboard could be clunky, how would you get a remote for this, would it be some sort of bluetooth setup with software? (I'm sure this is a dumb question, just never used a remote with a PC).

Was planning for a PCIE route so am not worried about USB ones.

Another dumb question what is a DAC?

dusty42

117 posts

Master Geek

#1150292 8-Oct-2014 21:41

Heh - a dac is a Digital to Analogue Converter for audio. Mine is USB and connects to stereo RCA plugs on my stereo amplifier. Price range from $50-$5000+ - depending on how much of an audio nerd you want to be I suppose.
I'd try onboard sound first - I hear they've come a long way in recent years.

I haven't played with bluetooth remotes sorry. My capture card came with a remote and infrared sensor that plugs into it.

HiroProtagonist

47 posts

Geek

#1154504 15-Oct-2014 15:09

So to summarise using the satellite I will only get SD but will get a weeks worth of programme guide?

Great to hear that you can series link.

I agree mouse and keyboard could be clunky, how would you get a remote for this, would it be some sort of bluetooth setup with software? (I'm sure this is a dumb question, just never used a remote with a PC).

You can get a weeks worth of EPG via UHF, it's all a matter of having the right software.

Series linking too is just a matter of the right software.

Search for PC Remote on trademe.