Laptop + LCD + Sky setup recommendations

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turneg01

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#94642 15-Dec-2011 19:55

Hi guys and gals

I have the following

Sony Bravia 40inch LCD
Asus laptop with no tv tuner but has an hdmi output
Sky - not mysky

I would like to be able record sky tv and also be able to use windows media center to play music and view photos on my lcd. I would also like to be able to use a remote to be able to move around in the windows media center.

Does anyone have any recommendations ?

MY THOUGHTS

Get a usb tv tuner which takes in sky rca cords? which comes with a remote that i can use for windows media center

Thanks in advance

nickb800

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#558449 15-Dec-2011 20:43

Using RCAs will result in SD video, not HD, and will likely look poos on a 40inch tele. Then next step up would be a component video capture device, but that would likely be at least $100.

What sort of sky box do you have? (Colour, shape of the front face)

turneg01

78 posts

Master Geek
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#558462 15-Dec-2011 21:05

http://i1132.photobucket.com/albums/m561/turneg01/Photo0051.jpg

thats it there

nickb800

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#558480 15-Dec-2011 21:48

Ahh. I believe thats the oldest model (10+ years), and composite (RCAs) is the best quality you can get out of it. So it seems like you are on the right track, get a usb video capture device. Just steer clear of the 'easycap' ones (they look like a thumb drive with cables coming out of one end), afaik they offer less than SD quality input and a low framerate, so will look very poo on your TV.

I dont think there is any simple way to record stuff, you will just have to set the channel (or book a program) on the sky decoder and set the computer to record at the right time. There are seamless solutions, but these involve more work and better equipment

turneg01

78 posts

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#558482 15-Dec-2011 21:54

i got sky installed 6 months ago so its not that old of a decoder :)

JimmyH

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#558490 15-Dec-2011 22:22

turneg01: i got sky installed 6 months ago so its not that old of a decoder :)

It certainly looks like an old decoder - I suspect you got a refurbished unit that someone else had previously had. Sky do this to people - that's why it's worth specifying decoder model as part of the install.

Regardless, without a mysky you are stuck with SD video. A USB video capture device is probably your best bet. Avoid the really budget ones, their quality can be nasty. If you aren't too budget constrained I recommend the Hauppauge HD PVR for circa $350. Will take composite and component inputs. Will also, with the subsequent addition of a cheapish HDMI->Conponent converter & HDCP stripper, allow you to capture HD video if you later upgrade to mysky. Plus, it comes with a remote,

Spyware

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#558492 15-Dec-2011 22:32

turneg01: i got sky installed 6 months ago so its not that old of a decoder :)

The decoders haven't changed since 1998 and are really worthless. Would cost Sky $50 million to upgrade decoders to modern devices.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

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bfginger

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#558510 15-Dec-2011 23:52

Usually the SD Sky decoder will do S-video over SCART with the right converter. S-video is going to look much better than composite on just about anything. Many things that can record from composite can also record from S-video.

Not many devices can record HD over from YPbPr.