Sky input into HTPC?

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springie

17 posts

Geek

#23778 8-Jul-2008 20:52

Possibly a newbie question, but what method (if any) are you guys using to pass sky from the decoder into the HTPC for recording?
I assume the most common is RCA composite, but seeing as currently i have a scart to component (RGB) cable to give high quality is there a card out there that accepts RGB etc in.

It seems to me it would be convenient to have all TV reception feed through the HTPC, rather than flicking between pc, decoders etc. Or am I dreaming?

itey

402 posts

Ultimate Geek

#145311 9-Jul-2008 11:51

svideo is the best

kent

26 posts

Geek

#145319 9-Jul-2008 11:56

Sky will give you a scart - svideo cable for free if you ask for it. (I think they note it on your account so needs to be returned when you terminate.

-KENT

Asmodeus

1006 posts

Uber Geek

#145463 9-Jul-2008 15:12

My sky decoder has Scart out and and coaxial out. If you have a tuner with analogue capabilities, can you just plug the decoder into your capture card using the coaxial cable or would s-video be best?

springie

17 posts

Geek

#145528 9-Jul-2008 16:45

The order of quality is ..

- coax
- RCA / Composite
- S-video
- Component [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YPbPr[/url]

Sky normally gives a scart to rca/composite cable, I upgraded this to a Scart to Compnent cable to give ulitmate quality.

So while s-video is quite good for standard definition it lacks bandwidth for HD + lower is quality, so I guess what you guys are saying is there is no way to hold the quality (I have currently) of SKY through a HTPC. At least I can save my money now, as no advantage to building up a HTPC yet.

cheers for the feedback

eXDee

4025 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#145546 9-Jul-2008 17:01

There is, check the thread below this one about sky, which is a work in progress.

I have a question similar though which could help, the Hauppauge cards have an 8 pin svideo, which leads me to believe it will take the same adapter as my nvidia video card, which is a cord which splits into component, 4pin svideo and composite. Would this be right?

RustyGonad

483 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#145613 9-Jul-2008 18:47

eXDee: There is, check the thread below this one about sky, which is a work in progress.

I have a question similar though which could help, the Hauppauge cards have an 8 pin svideo, which leads me to believe it will take the same adapter as my nvidia video card, which is a cord which splits into component, 4pin svideo and composite. Would this be right?

Absolutely! - the best way is via the card reader method (and in actual fact its one of the cheapest, once you take into account capture cards, cables etc etc etc). Signal remains Digital from start to finish... However it all depends on the luck of the draw as to which card you have... Check the other thread...

None of the other methods even come close... I've wasted five times the money trying to get the picture looking half as good...

Asmodeus

1006 posts

Uber Geek

#146337 10-Jul-2008 20:09

RustyGonad:
eXDee: There is, check the thread below this one about sky, which is a work in progress.

I have a question similar though which could help, the Hauppauge cards have an 8 pin svideo, which leads me to believe it will take the same adapter as my nvidia video card, which is a cord which splits into component, 4pin svideo and composite. Would this be right?

Absolutely! - the best way is via the card reader method (and in actual fact its one of the cheapest, once you take into account capture cards, cables etc etc etc). Signal remains Digital from start to finish... However it all depends on the luck of the draw as to which card you have... Check the other thread...

None of the other methods even come close... I've wasted five times the money trying to get the picture looking half as good...

Is the picture superior to a scart -> component setup?

RustyGonad

483 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#146399 10-Jul-2008 21:13

Asmodeus:
RustyGonad:
eXDee: There is, check the thread below this one about sky, which is a work in progress.

I have a question similar though which could help, the Hauppauge cards have an 8 pin svideo, which leads me to believe it will take the same adapter as my nvidia video card, which is a cord which splits into component, 4pin svideo and composite. Would this be right?

Absolutely! - the best way is via the card reader method (and in actual fact its one of the cheapest, once you take into account capture cards, cables etc etc etc). Signal remains Digital from start to finish... However it all depends on the luck of the draw as to which card you have... Check the other thread...

None of the other methods even come close... I've wasted five times the money trying to get the picture looking half as good...

Is the picture superior to a scart -> component setup?

IMO YES - I'm sure there are some analog junkies out there who will bestow the virtues of the component signal :)

I'm using HDMI between the HTPC & TV - so the signal stays digital all the way through the process ie no analog convesion is done, so you get to see every bit of detail of low bitrate junk that Sky deliver... On the channels where they actually use some bandwidth I'd actually go as far as to say it looks good!