Hi Def TV

phil164 · 22 May 2006 at 19:42

Hi,
Because I'm loathe to buy a lcd/plasma screen (something to do with not being able to afford) can you get a set top box that can pump HD into you PC? do you need special connectors or graphics cards for it?

Thanks

Combat squirrel · 22 May 2006 at 20:07

phil164 said:
Hi,
Because I'm loathe to buy a lcd/plasma screen (something to do with not being able to afford) can you get a set top box that can pump HD into you PC? do you need special connectors or graphics cards for it?

Thanks

Er no, u got the wrong end of the stick my friend, read up on HD tech and learn the ways

FrankJH · 22 May 2006 at 23:04

Combat squirrel said:
Er no, u got the wrong end of the stick my friend, read up on HD tech and learn the ways

I personally think you are being a little unfair - everyone has to learn

...............on the otherhand research never hurt anyone

I believe there are three ways to currently getting hidef tv:

1) Sattelite (mainly from Sky) however sky is over subscribed until after the world cup - there are other sattellite broadcasters but they dont catagorically have rights to anything you might be interested in (unless you want nature channels predominantly)

2) NTL / Telewest "tv drive" only available in certain cabled areas - find their website and do a postcode search to see if you are in or out

3) bbc are doing trial broadcasts from Crystal Palace, unfortunately I think they have already run out of places but there was a link on TV and Hifi section a while ago if you want to search for it

..........Sky do a "broadband" service, with sky via the web as it were but not sure if they are going to offer HiDEF just yet

all of these are workable via decent monitors - but most of them only if you have componant input on your TFT (or CRT) monitor

There are sattelite cards I believe for PC's but of course you need the dish as well

Hope this has been of some help to you.................good luck

fornowagain · 23 May 2006 at 00:09

FrankJH said:
There are sattelite cards I believe for PC's but of course you need the dish as well

No Sky cards, they won't let that tech out of their control.

And you still have to get the HD signal in to the PC. The SkyHD has a component output, but you'l need a capture card with component like the Sweetspot. Can't post a link, sorry.

Energize · 23 May 2006 at 00:23

phil164 said:
Hi,
Because I'm loathe to buy a lcd/plasma screen (something to do with not being able to afford) can you get a set top box that can pump HD into you PC? do you need special connectors or graphics cards for it?

Thanks

Yes

You can get a sky hd box and connect it via hd-sdi to an analogue capture card.

You cannot get hd into your pc through component though at the moment the cards only support 480p.

fornowagain · 23 May 2006 at 02:09

Energize said:
Yes

You can get a sky hd box and connect it via hd-sdi to an analogue capture card.

You cannot get hd into your pc through component though at the moment the cards only support 480p.

Does the SkyHD+ have a digital serial output? What type of analogue card would convert the sdi and I'd be interested to know what signal it could generate. I'd love to upgrade my HTPC to HD capture, but I don't want to spend £600 on a card like a Decklink HD.

There a few cards that that take HD component, Matrox do one if you have a spare grand or two.

Energize · 23 May 2006 at 02:30

You can get component to sdi converters.

FrankJH · 23 May 2006 at 09:32

fornowagain said:
No Sky cards, they won't let that tech out of their control.

And you still have to get the HD signal in to the PC. The SkyHD has a component output, but you'l need a capture card with component like the Sweetspot. Can't post a link, sorry.

I didnt mention sky on purpose in that section as I blieve there are other sattelite broadcasters (on EuroSat? i think) that do have a card available

I am the first to admit not knowing much abotu sattellite options but i think this is still available - if you know where to look / ask