first HTPC build. couple basic questions

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ImNotADJ

21 posts

Geek

#27759 5-Nov-2008 20:39

Hi, I've just built my first HTPC and trying to get mediaportal set up on it. A little bit confused as to which cables to hook up on the back tho.

Mainly how to get the sound from the SKY into the PC, and which cables going to TV.

I have a Sony Bravia 40" LCD Has VGA and HDMI input

Hauppauge HVR-1300

Hauppauge HVR-2200

Whats the best way to hook up my sound with a SKY Digital Decoder & probably just a cheap 5.1 speaker set for now?

For the SKY to PC: On some tuner cards I see they have two rca inputs for sound but mine dont.

The 1300 has a line in for sound but its a small plug, is there a red & white RCA to small plug cable?

Or should I just use the coax tv out to tv in

And from the PC to LCD: For the picture, do I use a DVI to VGA cable as well as a HDMI?

davidcole

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#176220 5-Nov-2008 22:04

Two RCA inputs to "small" plug, I'm guessing is a 3.5mm Headphone jack - so if so, the answer is yes I have cables like this. Dick Smiths sell them. Called a 2xrca to stereo 3.5mm headphone jack.

Easiest for you sound if probably just straight into the tv, only stereo, but unless you have MySkyHDI you don't have anything to do surround sound.

As for connection to the tv, VGA is pretty easy to use and some TVs will be able to do the full/native resolution from a vga cable. Failing that if your video card has an HDMI connection use that - but unless you have a pretty highend/new video card, it's unlikely that you have an hdmi connection - I could be wrong though. You can get a dvi to hdmi convertor.

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ImNotADJ

21 posts

Geek

#176225 5-Nov-2008 22:24

But if I put sound straight into tv then when im watching sky it will only be thru tv speakers?

Would a PVR-150mce be better tuner card for the sky? It has red & white rca inputs. Then I could have sound out of PC to my speakers and to tv right?

davidcole

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#176249 6-Nov-2008 08:32

ImNotADJ: But if I put sound straight into tv then when im watching sky it will only be thru tv speakers?

Yes, but it sounded like you were going to go out and buy some cheap speakers. I gave you an alternative until you could get some slightly better ones. Also, remember Sky is only in stereo. So even if you got a 5.1 system, it's only use 2 of them, unless your 5.1 system could fake surround sound.

ImNotADJ:Would a PVR-150mce be better tuner card for the sky? It has red & white rca inputs. Then I could have sound out of PC to my speakers and to tv right?

The hvr2200 should have an analogue inputs. But I use the PVR150 for my TelstraClear input. So either should be fine. I bought the PVR150- retail rather than the MCE version as this is the one that comes with a remote, remote receiver and the infrared blaster to change channels on the decoder.

One thing to note though is with TelstraClear I was not able to use the pvr150 blaster, and had to source another one. Sky maybe different and the Pace decoder boxes are a bit more common.

The pvr150mce I'm not sure what type of remote/blaster combination that works with, it may be the Microsoft Remote.