Build my HTPC

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springie

17 posts

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#28577 4-Dec-2008 20:06

Right, currently I have an old P4 running as a PC into my tv ( no tuner etc). I am considering (again), upgrading a building an HTPC.
Trouble is I am out of the loop so I need you guys to share the knowledge.

Currently I have a FTA box and a sky box. If possible I want to get a Terrestrial TV tuner for freeview HD. I ideally also want some way of grabbing the signal from my sky and FTA boxes. This way everything is run through the HTPC.

I already have the case and a wireless network card. So i need recommendations on:

Motherboard
Video Card
TV card - terrestrial digital
CPU
+ any other cards that will enable me to run the 2 set top boxes, say some sort of car with Component/S-video, RCA in.

Is this evern possible? Any help appreciated. Oh an of course i want it to be quiet and try to get the price down.

richms

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#182114 4-Dec-2008 20:28

Svideo in will be vastly lower quality then a direct bitstream record. Get a DVB-S card and retire the FTA sat box or give it to a friend or put it on a spare tv or something.

For sky something like the PVR150 will do the trick, hardware mpeg2 encode, sadly no component input but really sky looks so bad that component doesnt help a great deal. There are cards around with component in but the PVR 150/250/etc are so proven its silly not to get one. Some have IR blasters to change the sky box, some do not, I think they expect your remote to control it in some cases so just check if you need it which version you are getting.

Richard rich.ms

springie

17 posts

Geek

#182121 4-Dec-2008 20:44

richms: Svideo in will be vastly lower quality then a direct bitstream record. Get a DVB-S card and retire the FTA sat box or give it to a friend or put it on a spare tv or something.

For sky something like the PVR150 will do the trick, hardware mpeg2 encode, sadly no component input but really sky looks so bad that component doesnt help a great deal. There are cards around with component in but the PVR 150/250/etc are so proven its silly not to get one. Some have IR blasters to change the sky box, some do not, I think they expect your remote to control it in some cases so just check if you need it which version you are getting.

Normally i would just flag the FTA box, but i have my reasons for it. The sat dish is on a motor etc and handy for other channels. At the minimum it would be ok to have Freeview and Sky in and just run the FTA box through the tv i guess.

I can't find the PVR150 etc? do you mean HVR? also is this anygood? http://www.comprousa.com/en/product/t750f/t750f.html seems to have composite in RGB. Not sure if it can handle freeview though.

richms

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#182123 4-Dec-2008 20:57

No, the PVR-150 - the HVR's are different cards.

You should be able to do all the positioning in software on the DVB card, diseq support is there on most, but I dont know the difference between positioning and switching and how it works etc...

Richard rich.ms

springie

17 posts

Geek

#182125 4-Dec-2008 21:02

richms: No, the PVR-150 - the HVR's are different cards.

You should be able to do all the positioning in software on the DVB card, diseq support is there on most, but I dont know the difference between positioning and switching and how it works etc...

You got a link to those PVR ones? Yeah i know all about the sat side of things. I still do require that FTA box though, but as long as the card has some input it will do the job.

richms

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#182138 4-Dec-2008 21:33

http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_pvr150mc.html

Plenty of sellers if you just search for it on pricespy in here http://www.pricespy.co.nz/pno_853.html

Richard rich.ms

Asmodeus

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#182269 5-Dec-2008 12:47

Just a note that the pvr-150 (MCE edition anyway) has been discontinued by Hauppauge and is getting harder to track down. Took me a little while to find one (at a decent price anyway). I got it for $110 while some clowns are selling it for $180...