DVB-S and DVB-T system

Allen1066

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I recently aquired a Athlon XP-M 2200+ (35W version), so I'm going to base my system around that as it should run really cool. So that sort of discounts the Pundit. I'm looking at the Accent HT-400 case, very expensive, but looks fantastic! Tihs box also comes with a remote control built in.

I'll probably end up with the SkyStar2 for DVB-S and a different make of card for DVB-T. I've not really decided which yet. The Nebula looks nice and support MHEG-5, but costs a lot, so I might keep my existing Freeview box for interactive and just use a cheaper card in the PC. Any recommendations for a good card with good software ?

What about Meedio as the driving software. Can any software package fully integrate a DVB-S and DVB-T card so that the record and play-back are all done from the same application. Otherwise the only solution I can see is running seperate software for each type of card.

Why do people go on about having cards with hardware MPEG-2 decoders. Can't the software that plays back the video stream use the hardware decoders on the graphics cards ?
 

drbob

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Allen1066 said:
Can any software package fully integrate a DVB-S and DVB-T card so that the record and play-back are all done from the same application. Otherwise the only solution I can see is running seperate software for each type of card.
I believe Showshifter (windows based) can integrate dvb-t and dvb-s, as can VDR (Linux-based).

Why do people go on about having cards with hardware MPEG-2 decoders. Can't the software that plays back the video stream use the hardware decoders on the graphics cards ?
Some people feel that hardware Mpeg-2 decoders give better picture quality, it also reduces load on the cpu, which can be important if you are running several tv cards at once.

VDR orugunally required an mpeg-2 decoder card (such as the creative DRX-3), though there are now some patches to allow it to use the video overlay of a video card.
 

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Allen1066 said:
Also it would need to be very quiet as it would be in the living room.
Hi Allen,

with the use of external dvd/cd drives and remote control recievers you can have this system in a different room (poss. inside a refrigerator to keep it cool while it tries to record encrypted tv Lol) and just have a couple of cables under the floor boards to a nice slimline disk drive on top of the idiot box and an unobtrusive ir reciever blue tacked up in the corner.
cordless keyboard , mouse and programmable remote are on the coffee table next to the forteen tv guides you are going to need.

I think you would be better off steering clear of one program to do it all unless you are a very clever programmer with an independant income );.
with any 'one size fits all' system there is a level of compromise which amounts to a limiting of functionality.

what I think is needed is a simpler menu program to switch between the various reception programs . perhaps a series of simples macros to perform the various tasks all being accessed via winlirc or similar using a programmable tv remote.
 

Allen1066

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Hi Rincewind,

The iMon controller that comes with the HT-400 case can do program switching, so maybe that is all I need and then use whatever software comes with the individual cards.

What is a good DVB-T card that has some decent recording software ?

Allen
 

rincewind

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Decent recording abilities are a problem with this sort of system, especially if you are using softcams to decrypt pay tv. I could get reas. good pictures to watch but never get a decent recording using progdvb or hvcplus to decrypt I1 and UHF videocrypt transmissions

the various capture cards you get will no doubt all have diff system requirements and settings etc. that will entail a lot of tinkering with to keep stable, so rather than use the capture cards recording software , I would go for a stand-alone recording suite and get the signal direct from your Video out card or Capture cards.
 

Allen1066

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rincewind,

In your previous post you said you thought the best idea was to use a program to switch between the 'various reception programs'. Now you say use a 'stand-alone recording suite'. These statements seem to be contradicting one another.

I've not found a stand-alone suite that can support the SkyStar2 and another DVB-T card together (ShowShifter doesn't support SS2). Do you know of an application that I could use ?
 

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allen1066 said:
In your previous post you said you thought the best idea was to use a program to switch between the 'various reception programs'. Now you say use a 'stand-alone recording suite'. These statements seem to be contradicting one another.
I'm not contradicting myself, i'm just not being very clear about it ):
what I mean is, use the capture cards as "capture cards' only. then once you have your images, use a different program to record it from your video out card. You then use a menu 'program' using simple macros or hotkeys to control all your various capture and recording options of all your various components by way of the i.r. remote , that way you don't have to worry about the fact that your sat cards recording software is diff to your tv cards recording software, which would necessitate different key strokes to achieve the same result I.E. recording the images. this may be trickier to set up , but once it's done, it would simplify the operation of the system.
hell, given enough time , you could even get it to the stage where my Mum could operate it lol.

allen1066 said:
I've not found a stand-alone suite that can support the SkyStar2 and another DVB-T card together (ShowShifter doesn't support SS2). Do you know of an application that I could use ?
I personally view my sat and sky tv on my computer, if I want to record it I send it to a video recorder, because that's all I ever wanted. However if I was to make a dedicated pvr , that is how I would go about it.

so ..... sorry but no , i couldn't recommend recording software,
 

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hmtheping said:
No Probs allan
i have the 2 cards running ok with pvr
they are
technisat airstar 2 pc card cost me ( freeview) £70
technistar skstar 2 pc card £59
both work under windows ME
windows XP Home
windows XP pro inc service pack 2
let me know if or anybody wants the link to it
kind regards
@
hmtheping
hmtheping please how do you run both pci cards as i tried and as they use the same drivers xp wants to uninstal the 1st set before i can load the 2nd set ( both the same of course)
trevora
 

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Allen1066 said:
nice to use a Shuttle type system (SFF), but the trouble is most of them only have one PCI slot. Also it would need to be very quiet as it would be in the living room.[/size]

A few weeks ago I mentioned the ASUS Pundit, but - thanks to an article in Micr*mart - I was lead to to the Antec Aria MicroAtx case with 300W PSU, which I think sounds a lot better. You can find it on aria.co.uk (search for "cases") for about £72 + P&P, so it's not expensive (by Shuttle standards anyway!)

Major advantage is that it will take any sort of MicroATX m/b - Intel or AMD - and some of them have 3 PCI slots - but it still looks like a Shuttle albeit a little bit bigger. It also means that you may even be able to fit a new m/b later on if MicroATX boards are still available.

This is the one I aim to use!

No connection at all with the supplier mentioned!!!

John A
 

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i would also like to know how to run airstar2 and skystar2 in the same system...
modifying the drivers or something?

both cards pci
 

rincewind

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posting in here a few months ago reminded me how lazy i was for not continuing my own pvr, so I got back into it.. There is a piece of software Ober Fuehrer told me about which is worth a look . It's called 'Girder' get it here as a trial version http://www.promixis.com/

basically it lets you program inputs from a remote to ANY windows command or group of commands.
there are free plugins available at http://www.promixis.com/downloads.php?mode=list&prodName=Girder&lucCode=800
to run most multimeadia apps, but they really are a piece of cake to make yourself.

I am currently using a sony remote with a 3 device switch at the top, an in each device mode it controls a diff program. i have been playing with sequences that turn one prog. off b4 swithing another on (cos my sat and tv cards wont run at the same time), with some limited success, but its just as easy to do it manually .
 
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