Windows 7, Sky and Freeview (no STB's)

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Windows 7, Sky and Freeview (no STB's) - sanity check

SuaveBugger

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#35018 2-Jun-2009 12:40

Just before I invest in more toys, I need a quick sanity check that what I'm planning will work before I spend more money on toys ;)

What I'm aiming to do is get Freeview and Sky working through Windows 7 Media Centre or Media Portal without any set top boxes.

I have just purchased a Silverstone L20M-B case, Asustek motherboard, ATI graphics card and installed Windows 7 Ultimate (Release Candidate). This is working nicely for having movies and music playing through my Panasonic 46" Plasma and Sony Amp, which isn't bad after a weekend's progress.

Next step is to purchase a TV Tuner and Card Reader (I have an Infinity USB Ultimate being sent from Denmark) so that I can view Sky Digital. Ideally, I would like to also be able to view Freeview from the Sky Satelite, as I don't have a TV aerial.

If I purchase the Hauppauge HVR4000 for Sky Digital, this will give me Sky Digital from the satelite in High Definition. Can I also use this to view Freeview from the Sky dish? If not, what should I do? Should I downgrade this card & then purchase 2 cards, one for Sky and the second for Freeview? (I'm assuming I'll need a cable splitter to do this)

Also is Windows 7 Media Centre the best solution, or are there advantages to putting Media Portal (or similar) into the mix?

Thanks in advance for any help I get ;)

Dave..

P.S. Much as I love MySky, I'm looking forward to sending it back - but hopefully this isn't going to leave me with a smartcard that my Infinity reader can't use?

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84 posts

Master Geek

#221203 3-Jun-2009 09:28

Man I can't comment on Windows 7 but the amount of pain involved in setting up just a FreeviewHD system with MediaPortal on Vista was plenty... I think I'd stick with mySky if I could afford it. When I built my PVR MySky hadn't been released, and since I spent $1100 building my PVR I refuse to fork out for MySky now.

rhysb

435 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#221210 3-Jun-2009 10:00

FreeviewHD is pretty easy to setup in 7MC, you don't need to muck around with codecs or anything, a simple scan and you're done. Getting the full EPG is a little harder, but there are some good solutions for that now.

As far as getting Sky into the box goes, that's a little harder. You could look at this thread for some pointers.
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=84&topicid=21481

I'm not sure if Sky is actually using DVB-S2, but 7MC can support it. The problem is there is no UI for setting the DVB-S2 parameters in 7MC, but apparently Hauppauge are working on a solution for that.
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=76378&postcount=15

RustyGonad

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#221216 3-Jun-2009 10:32

Firstly Stick with Windows 7 - its the best by a long long way. If you like plucking your own body hair with tweezers on a regular basis, maybe give MediaPortal a go

What you want to do can be done including HD support.

What you need (stuff that is known to work):

Hardware
HVR4000's work well, although they are priced to kill right now.

Software
Windows 7
DVBViewer (www.dvbviewer.com) - does the tuning, decoding using you card.
Jaycar Reader (sounds like it works better than the Infinity)
NewCS 1.65 (Google it) - reads the card
Acamd v0603 (Google it) - decodes the signal using your card
DVBLink for DVBViewer (www.dvblogic.com)
BSETool - does the EPG

Effectively you tune the channels using DVBViewer, which then uses DVBLink to send the decoded signal to Media Center. Once its all setup it is completely seamless to Media Center. If setup correctly you can support up to 4 tuners of each type (ie 4 x Satellite tuner, 4 x DVBT). I've got 3 DVBS along with 2 DVBT, out of slots after that...

You'll be able to pick up all channels you subscribe to including 1/2 & 3 in HD.

There a ton of stuff within the HTPC section of the forum explaining it in more detail. My best suggestion is to do alot of reading first. Once you get your head around the concepts its actually very very easy to setup. Getting your head around the concepts however is not...

It will cost a whole lot more than MkSkyHDi at the moment (especially with circa $300 HVR4000's), but if you do it properly, it will also blow it out of the water...

Cheers and good luck...

SuaveBugger

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#224073 11-Jun-2009 16:55

Hi Russell - only just realised it was you when Chad mentioned you over Facebook...

So I have taken your advice in terms of applications to load, etc, and have the hardware all installed.

I thought for a starter I'd try to get the Freeview thing working first, but haven't had any luck with that at all. I have tried through Media Centre with the following settings and it hasn't worked:

TV Signal Type: Satelilte
Set-Top Box: No
Multiple Satellites: No
Satellite: Optus D1 (160.0E)
LNB Type: Custom Dual Oscillator (because my Sky dish has an oval end, not round)
   Low-band Frequency: 10750 (have also tried 11300)
   High-band Frequency: 10750 (have also tried 11300)
   Transition Frequency: 22500 (have also tried 0)

Signal strength ends up as nothing, no channels found.

I've also tried DVBViewer, but haven't had any luck with that either - despite (I think) following the instructions I've seen on this site...

My long term plan is to use DVB-T for Freeview, so would I be better to just give up on Freeview through the Satellite and start trying to get the Sky working, or am I right in assuming that if I can't get Freeview going then the same problems will stop Sky working?

Dave..

RustyGonad

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#224234 12-Jun-2009 08:34

Geez mate... Didn't you used to be a software developer or something, somethings wrong when then techo has to ask the sales guy for help :)

Try using single oscillator - the second one on the Sky dish probably isn't connected to anything at the moment...

Signal strength always reports as 0.

Once this is done, do a manual scan, for 12486, 22500 (TVNZ), and 12456, 25000 (TV3). You should find the Freeview channels. You should see the green bars populate once you enter the transponder freq and symbol rate.

For DVBViewer you need to set up a Optus D1 transponder file. Goes in the transponder folder in your config directory (you can find out what its using is About/Config Folder from memory).

Copy and paste the following into notepad. Call it Optus D1.ini

When you do your scan you should be able to Select Optus D1 under Satellites.

It should do the trick:

Cheers,

[SATTYPE]
1=1600
2=Optus D1 NZ
3=1
4=10750
5=10750
6=22500

tbergman

74 posts

Master Geek

#225147 15-Jun-2009 09:21

RustyGonad: Firstly Stick with Windows 7 - its the best by a long long way. If you like plucking your own body hair with tweezers on a regular basis, maybe give MediaPortal a go

What you want to do can be done including HD support.

What you need (stuff that is known to work):

Hardware
HVR4000's work well, although they are priced to kill right now.

Software
Windows 7
DVBViewer (www.dvbviewer.com) - does the tuning, decoding using you card.
Jaycar Reader (sounds like it works better than the Infinity)
NewCS 1.65 (Google it) - reads the card
Acamd v0603 (Google it) - decodes the signal using your card
DVBLink for DVBViewer (www.dvblogic.com)
BSETool - does the EPG

Effectively you tune the channels using DVBViewer, which then uses DVBLink to send the decoded signal to Media Center. Once its all setup it is completely seamless to Media Center. If setup correctly you can support up to 4 tuners of each type (ie 4 x Satellite tuner, 4 x DVBT). I've got 3 DVBS along with 2 DVBT, out of slots after that...

You'll be able to pick up all channels you subscribe to including 1/2 & 3 in HD.

There a ton of stuff within the HTPC section of the forum explaining it in more detail. My best suggestion is to do alot of reading first. Once you get your head around the concepts its actually very very easy to setup. Getting your head around the concepts however is not...

It will cost a whole lot more than MkSkyHDi at the moment (especially with circa $300 HVR4000's), but if you do it properly, it will also blow it out of the water...

Cheers and good luck...

Will this setup work for Australian Foxtel satellite?

eXDee

4032 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#225293 15-Jun-2009 17:03

Note, if you wish to receive Sport/Movies on sky in HD, you will need the HD ticket. The HD ticket is only available for a HDi customer, so you'd need the HDi stb anyway.

Quic Broadband

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SuaveBugger

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#225879 17-Jun-2009 17:12

I have managed to get DVBViewer working with Freeview now (Thanks Rusty!) and the BSETool getting the EPG down (Thanks Rusty!)...

However, now I am having issues with the Sky card reader and DVBLink. I ditched the Infinity USB Unlimited because it didn't want to read the card and built a new JayCar, which seems to be built pretty much perfectly, I have to say.

Ok - so what's an easy way to check if the Jaycar reader is working correctly? What settings should I use with either NewCS or Amcad (which now has a card reader built in)...

I don't know how to find out what type of card the sky blue 45xxx card actually is, or the other settings in the config file. I have spent a bit of time (read: a lot of time) trying to search the forums with no luck...

Then I need DVBLink to work - for some reason the link satelites are there and configurable, but the channels don't link up and the config tool states that DVBLink doesn't seem to be running.

Also DVBLink causes DVBViewer to run on the interactive desktop, which means it's basically hidden... This is on startup - but if it's not run on startup, I can't then run DVBViewer (which is probably standard I guess).

... this is becoming a very long, time consuming and expensive project... But every now and then I see how awesome it's going to be and it keeps me going ;)

SuaveBugger

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#225881 17-Jun-2009 17:20

p.s. Yes, I know I'm being a useless tit.

tbergman

74 posts

Master Geek

#229212 29-Jun-2009 14:52

RustyGonad: Firstly Stick with Windows 7 - its the best by a long long way.? If you like plucking?your own body hair with tweezers on?a regular basis, maybe give MediaPortal a go

What you want to do can be done including HD support.

What you need (stuff that is known to work):

Hardware
HVR4000's work well, although they are priced to kill right now.

Software
Windows 7
DVBViewer (www.dvbviewer.com) - does the tuning, decoding using you card.
Jaycar Reader (sounds like it works better than the Infinity)
NewCS 1.65 (Google it) - reads the card
Acamd v0603 (Google it) - decodes the signal using your card
DVBLink for DVBViewer (www.dvblogic.com)
BSETool - does the EPG

Effectively you tune the channels? using DVBViewer, which then uses DVBLink to send the decoded signal to Media Center.? Once its all setup it is?completely seamless to Media Center.? If setup correctly you can support up to 4 tuners of each type (ie?4 x Satellite tuner, 4 x DVBT).? I've got 3 DVBS along with 2 DVBT, out of slots after that...
?
You'll be able to pick up all channels you subscribe to including 1/2 & 3 in HD.

There a ton of stuff within the HTPC section of the forum explaining it in more detail.? My best suggestion is to do alot of reading first.? Once you get your head around the concepts its actually very very easy to setup.? Getting your head around the concepts however is not...

It will cost a whole lot more than MkSkyHDi at the moment (especially with circa $300 HVR4000's), but if you do it properly, it will also blow it out of the water...

Cheers and good luck...

I've done a search and haven't been able to find a guide that tells me how to apply NewCS and Acamd correctly.

Is there anything around that would be of use to a newb like me?

Thanks,

Tony

rattler

72 posts

Master Geek

#229234 29-Jun-2009 16:13

Ive been searching as well.. and ive noted that the htpcnz wiki has gone... aghhhh!!

tbergman

74 posts

Master Geek

#229441 30-Jun-2009 08:59

rattler: Ive been searching as well.. and ive noted that the htpcnz wiki has gone... aghhhh!!

Guess I'll just have to keep trawling for info.

calaisxtyo

20 posts

Geek

#231767 6-Jul-2009 18:56

Does anyone know what Card Readers can be used? I have 2 GemPlus Card Readers one is Serial and the other is USB.

Anyone know a link to a full guide to set this up aswell?

BlueToothKiwi

282 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#231850 7-Jul-2009 06:19

tbergman:
rattler: Ive been searching as well.. and ive noted that the htpcnz wiki has gone... aghhhh!!

Guess I'll just have to keep trawling for info.

I think that is maintained by Bartender from Geekzone. Ping him a message - it is probably down.

Tim M, Auckland
Blog: http://paddler.co.nz

tbergman

74 posts

Master Geek

#231980 7-Jul-2009 12:44

I've been getting a lot of assistance from another user over on xpmediacenter.com.au, and I've almost got it sorted.
Once I do, I'll write a how to and post it both there and here.

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