Home entertainment system set-up query

donnahcbc

Hello,
I want to create a home entertainment network with 1 central computer server containing all our films, music, photos etc, I want to connect to satellite tv with FTA channels and 1 encrpytion card. There will be 3 tv's to connect that I would like to be watching different channels. I also want to be able to record to the server. Can any one advise how I can do this, if at all possible. Only one tv needs the encrypted channels, the others can do with FTA. They feed off 3 seperate satellites on single Lnb's on a T90 dish.

Would I put multiple tv cards in the main server, to serve each tv or is there some other way of doing this?

I want to set up to use Mythtv on Linux.

pgh13

You could put multiple cards in a common PC and there are DVB-S cards available with common interface slots so that you could plug in a CAM or you could continue with your Vaiccess receiver and feed that into the PC through an analogue TV card and control the box from the PC with an IR blaster. You could distribute to remote TVs via CAT5 cabling and use something like the Hauppauge MediaMVP ot Popcorn Hour at each TV. If you aren't committed to Linux take a look at GBPVR - runs on Windows and is free.

donnahcbc

If I use cat5 cabling, do I still need multiple tv out cards, I assume not. I am intending to hide the box in the store cupboard and feed by cat5e to 2 linksys 2100 media extenders, one for each tv then using HDMI from the extenders to the tv.

I am not commited to Linux, I just happen to be using Linux as an OS instead of windows on my laptop and have been really pleasantly surprised at how good it is, and easy to use, as well as being much more stable and faster than windows, it never hangs, never does anything except perform perfectly so I was kinda keen on going with mythtv.