Freeview on windows with a capture card

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Freeview on windows with a capture card

keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#16101 24-Sep-2007 20:50

Im running windows xp mce

Im after a capture card that I can use to plug in my sky dish and watch Freeview on my pc?

Whats the best card?

should I upgrade to vista? (would rather not go to that extreme )

I may also consider install a linux system?

thanks

mruane

420 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88006 24-Sep-2007 22:56

There are a few choices Keriboi, but I have a Hauppauge NOVA S Plus with Media Portal on Windows XP and its works very well. I also have GBPVR and it works well also. I have just installed a Hauppauge HVR4000 and its now working, but it was not as trouble free as the Nova S Plus.

Unless you have a fairly well spec'd machine, I would stick to Windows XP rather than Vista for a media centre - others of have different views.

Given the issues that MCE has with DVB-S frequencies, I would certainly look at replacing MCE with Media Portal or GBPVR. One of the great values with Media Portal is the ability to record all channels from the same satellite transponder with just the one card. MythTV is heading that way, but I don't think anything else can do that at the present.

There are a number of threads here talking about Freeview on the PC, which you might find useful. Good luck - its worth the effort, the quality of TV1,2 and 3 from the satellite is excellent. So its definitely worth the effort if you have poor quality analogue reception. Of course, having access to the EPG data without all the additional tools needed by MCE is just a great bonus.

Cheers Mike

keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88012 25-Sep-2007 06:01

How do I replace MCE with media portal? Do I need to get a standard xp and reinstall it?
I was looking at the NOVA S Plus
My machine

3.2 Prescott
1 gig ram
x800 xt pe
audigy 2zs
XP MCE

keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88186 26-Sep-2007 15:44

can someone suggest a good card to buy?

Thanks
dane

Mutly

250 posts

Master Geek

#88190 26-Sep-2007 16:00

To install Mediaportal go to http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ and get the latest stable release. There is plenty of documentation on installation and the forums are a wealth of information. Only real requirement is .Net 2.

You don't have to remove or change MCE to have Mediaportal running. The setup can be alittle confusing for first time users, but as I said, use the forums for help.

As for cards, as mruane said, the Haupage Nova S would be the way to go for what you want to do.

I can't brain today. I have the dumb.

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Snowflake

#88192 26-Sep-2007 16:14

Mutly: To install Mediaportal go to http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ and get the latest stable release. There is plenty of documentation on installation and the forums are a wealth of information. Only real requirement is .Net 2.

You don't have to remove or change MCE to have Mediaportal running. The setup can be alittle confusing for first time users, but as I said, use the forums for help.

As for cards, as mruane said, the Haupage Nova S would be the way to go for what you want to do.

I threw together a quickie step-by-step on installing this to a basic level with a hauppauge nova s card - take a look here:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/Regs/3769

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88194 26-Sep-2007 16:16

thanks guys, mediaportal downloaded, and nova s ordered :) no doubt I will be back with noob questions later in the week,,

Acually, ill start now :P.....

The sky cable is in the lounge, can I buy an extension for it (5m) to reach my room? or do I need to rewire from dish?

The dish is set to see sky im guessing , do I need to change it much to hit freeview sat? any thing to make this easy?

itey

476 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88201 26-Sep-2007 17:27

Freeview is broadcasted off the same satellite as Sky, so no, you don't have to change anything with the dish :)!

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keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88206 26-Sep-2007 20:12

My dish hasnt been used in 5 years, whats the chance I will need to source a LNB?

Antzzz

190 posts

Master Geek

#88435 27-Sep-2007 22:39

keriboi: My dish hasnt been used in 5 years, whats the chance I will need to source a LNB?

Just got a Nova S plus working with MCE - involves a little bit of stuffing around but there are a few posts in this forum that are very helpful.

Also had a similar situation with an old dish/LNB. The short answer to your question is 'maybe'. My dish was about 7 years old, didn't work with the original LNB so purchased a new one. And 7 years getting bashed about by the Auckland weather meant that a bit of tweaking was needed to get the dish pointing in the right direction.

The following forum was quite useful for working out dish angles and things like LNB skew (rotation):

http://www.freeviewshop.co.nz/forum/index.php

mcraenz

1140 posts

Uber Geek

#88438 27-Sep-2007 23:04

I run a skystar2 it runs very well. Also a Technotrend S1500 never had any issues with that either. I run MediaPortal TVServer and highly recommend it over the standard mediaportal TV support. If you go with Mediaportal you'll get plenty of help both here and on the NZ mediaportal thread. Just my 2p worth.

Check out my setup page.....

mcraenz

Help me build a better way of doing politics in Aotearoa New Zealand

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keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88477 28-Sep-2007 10:16

Nova-s in in my hot hands, will install tonight and hopefully see how It goes :)

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Snowflake

#88535 28-Sep-2007 16:01

keriboi: Nova-s in in my hot hands

with the appropriate anti-static shielding one would hope....

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

mcraenz

1140 posts

Uber Geek

#88543 28-Sep-2007 16:34

Makes think of auctions I've seen on TM where the seller takes a photo of his video card sitting on the carpet!

Help me build a better way of doing politics in Aotearoa New Zealand

political.nz

keriboi

274 posts

Ultimate Geek

#88605 29-Sep-2007 06:57

Regs:
keriboi: Nova-s in in my hot hands

with the appropriate anti-static shielding one would hope....

well acually :) It was the worst install of a component ive had in my life.

Put the card in and start pc, crashed on startup, WTF
Tried again and again.

Took card out, restarted computer, it went , but my soundcard had disapeared?????????
OH F NOO

Forgot about sound card, will just use onboard and get a new one, I WANT TV :P

Put card in again in a different slot, hmmm, the card isnt going fully into the slot!
Got out screwdriver, and took off the metal bracket on end of card, put card in and all good.
Restart, card is there, reinstall sound card drivers and everything work, ya!

Scary,

Anyway, freeview

WOw, how easy, thanks for all the help guys

Using regs guide I was up and running in 5 mins, beautiful picutre and sound, just need some tweaking

Media portal seems to crash alot changing from small view to fullscreen view, but other than that, great.