NTL box to HTPC and Sky

kbc

kbc

kbc

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Just a quick question, currently trying to build an HTPC for home and was wondering would a TV card and a Sound card be the only thing required to connect an NTL box and a Sky box to a PC?

I'd also like to connect an Amp to the PC as well... I'm assuming I won't need any other specialised hardware?
 
Sky to a pc doesnt really work, the picture gets destroyed, its a problem with the sky boxes output. The amp would work fine as long as it has coax/stero rca input.
 
Energize said:
Sky to a pc doesnt really work, the picture gets destroyed, its a problem with the sky boxes output. The amp would work fine as long as it has coax/stero rca input.
Click to expand...

OK thanks... is there a particular TV card you can recommend which will provide a high quality picture?
 
The Haupauuge PVR150/ or the MCE edition is pretty good, so is the PVR500 if you want dual tuners.
 
Right... I'm aiming to configure the media PC to a Plasma screen which has its own Tuner Box, I assume if I use this instead of purchasing a separate TV tuner card, this will make things less costly? But will there be complications when trying to record from the TV to the media PC?

Hope that didn't sound too complicated.
 
What do you mean by tuner box? The tv has a integrated tuner? You still need a capture card in your pc to record video.
 
Energize said:
What do you mean by tuner box? The tv has a integrated tuner? You still need a capture card in your pc to record video.
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Hello Energize, I'm getting confused myself...



But this is how I'd want to set it up, would this work? The Plasma display has its own Tuner Box to receive signal.
 
Ah OK... thanks, for such a setup - is there any specific components I should be looking out for? Something like this came to mind...

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice
MSI K8N Neo4-F
GeIL 1GB
Leadtek GeForce 7600GS Silent (anything cheaper?)
250GB HDD (brand unsure)
Seasonic S12 430W
TV card recommended above - PVR500?
HDA Digital X-Mystique 7.1 Sound card?
 
Best sound cards are creative for games and m-audio for music. You just need to make sure the tv tuner you buy can capture analogue video. Does the plasma tuner output in component?
 
Sky will work just fine on a PC, with a few work around's it can even work with MCE. If you want to use an external STB, (seen Sky+ go for £40 since SkyHD came out) feed the scart RGBs into a capture card (SAA7118 chip based, takes component, RGB, s-video, the lot) or at the extreme a scaler (e.g Iscan HD) and send the Toslink/coax digital audio to an amp. I'm watching Sky on mine at 92" and its fine, a bit lower bitrate than the freeview, but ok, better than a direct scart feed. Or if your on a tight budget use the s-video to a SAA7134 chip based capture card, £20 or so, works fine at lower res. Use DSscaler to deinterlace and filter. Or get a DVB-S(2) sat card with a Dragon CAM and use the Sky card in that (you will need to refresh the card in a STB once a month or so). With the newer DVB-S2 you can receive BBCHD. You'll want a bit more power than a 3000+, its going to struggle with H.264. And the X-Mystique is a brilliant bit of kit if you want to watch 2-channel tv with DD. Is it an HD panel, which boards does it have in? VGA or HDMI/DVI inputs? Or are all the inputs on the tuner box? The HTPC should connect directly to the panel at its native resolution for the best picture.

Here's an example 92" (2m wide) from an external STB using RGBs capture.

 
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kbc said:
Ah OK... thanks, for such a setup - is there any specific components I should be looking out for? Something like this came to mind...

AMD Athlon 64 3000+ Venice
MSI K8N Neo4-F
GeIL 1GB
Leadtek GeForce 7600GS Silent (anything cheaper?)
250GB HDD (brand unsure)
Seasonic S12 430W
TV card recommended above - PVR500?
HDA Digital X-Mystique 7.1 Sound card?
Click to expand...


That spec looks fine but i don't think you need a card as powerful as a 7600 just for a HTPC. Something like a 6600gt or a 9800pro/xt(passively cooled) would do you just fine.
 
Hi, nice picture fornowagain. One large display! :)

I'm not sure about connecting the Sky box and the NTL box to the tuner box together - might make things a tad too complicated?

If it's any easier, I've attached a picture of the tuner box:



And this is the plasma display I have: Click here

If I decide not to connect Sky - would the connections I've mentioned above be fine? And... is this the most efficient setup to allow recording of terrestrial TV and off the NTL box?

What would be a decent CPU which would not require extreme cooling to handle H.264 and DivX without compromising a huge portion of the budget?

I am tempted to keep the lot under £700 including delivery... obviously making way for a nice Silverstone ATX L-series case.

With regards to graphics card, I've seen a fair few 6600GTs but their silent models cost more than the 7600GS by £50+. The Asus and Gigabyte 6600GTs I've seen cost £110-£130 whilst the 7600GS at OcUK costs £88. Unless I'm looking in the wrong places. Is a 9800Pro ok for the resolutions required its purpose in this system?

I'm assuming for quality recording - I'd have to spend a large portion of the budget on a quality TV card such as the PVR-500.
 
kbc said:
Hi, nice picture fornowagain. One large display! :)

I'm not sure about connecting the Sky box and the NTL box to the tuner box together - might make things a tad too complicated?

If it's any easier, I've attached a picture of the tuner box:



And this is the plasma display I have: Click here

If I decide not to connect Sky - would the connections I've mentioned above be fine? And... is this the most efficient setup to allow recording of terrestrial TV and off the NTL box?

What would be a decent CPU which would not require extreme cooling to handle H.264 and DivX without compromising a huge portion of the budget?

I am tempted to keep the lot under £700 including delivery... obviously making way for a nice Silverstone ATX L-series case.

With regards to graphics card, I've seen a fair few 6600GTs but their silent models cost more than the 7600GS by £50+. The Asus and Gigabyte 6600GTs I've seen cost £110-£130 whilst the 7600GS at OcUK costs £88. Unless I'm looking in the wrong places. Is a 9800Pro ok for the resolutions required its purpose in this system?

I'm assuming for quality recording - I'd have to spend a large portion of the budget on a quality TV card such as the PVR-500.
Click to expand...


Can you find me a link to the manual? I'll have a better look at the tuner input/output options, some of them may be shared, at least it has a HDMI. Should at least pass through the PC signal to the panel.

CPU. I use a 3200+ winny at 2200 and it not up to it. I was looking at either a DC with a higher multi (crap ram, tops at 220) maybe a 4200+. Or a 3800+ venice at 12x220 for 2.6GHz for about £100.

I use a 6600GT and I'd say its just about right for the HTPC, but it's not up to playing games. I prefer NV for the HTPC and use an ATi for the games machine.

There is a nice MCE DVB-T card from sweetspot for £50.
 
fornowagain said:
Can you find me a link to the manual? I'll have a better look at the tuner input/output options, some of them may be shared, at least it has a HDMI. Should at least pass through the PC signal to the panel.

CPU. I use a 3200+ winny at 2200 and it not up to it. I was looking at either a DC with a higher multi (crap ram, tops at 220) maybe a 4200+. Or a 3800+ venice at 12x220 for 2.6GHz for about £100.

I use a 6600GT and I'd say its just about right for the HTPC, but it's not up to playing games. I prefer NV for the HTPC and use an ATi for the games machine.

There is a nice MCE DVB-T card from sweetspot for £50.
Click to expand...

Hi fornowagain, below is a link to the manual:

Manual

Comments on setting up the environment?

The HTPC is not for gaming, silence is important as well as it being up to the job for movie playback and recording. Can you recommend a brand for 6600GT which would be ideal in this system?

Are we saying that a dual core is needed here? Can you recommend an ammended spec?
 
kbc said:
What's the minimum spec for high definition and H.264 media? :)
Click to expand...

My brothers duron 1.2Ghz and 9700pro can playback standard h.264 video fine.

For 720p a 3000 and 6600gt will do fine. My old athlon 2600 and 9800pro could playback 720p h.264.
 
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