Using Sky+ as a TV Card

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 17:34

Hey all

mods: Not really sure if this is the right place, but if not, feel free to move it.

I was just wondering if Sky+ can be used to record programs in a way that can be put onto a computer at a later date?

I've been messing about with the idea of getting a tv card but I'm a good way from the Sky box, so any signal out has to travel down a long wire (svideo or coaxial) and obviously the quality doesn't get any better.

I believe there's a USB connection on the back of the Sky+ boxes so what would be to stop you hooking an external in and extracting the contents of the drive? I understand there's a bit of software that does this automatically.

It might not be simple or even possible (if Sky records the programmes in a cryptic file type that only the box can read) but was just wondering if anyone had any idea.

Thanks.

Rotty · 3 Jul 2007 at 17:36

won't work afaik

your only options are down the RF / S-vid cables or burn to DVD

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:03

Seems you are right, Rotty.

I had a bit more of a read through and the software requires you remove the hard drive from the actual sky box (I believe) and match it with a destination drive inside your computer or in a USB caddie. Then copy.

Would consider it, but still not sure what file type/ quality the recordings will come out as - if anyone knows have a shout.

LordSplodge · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:14

Just use a TV card to capture the playback off the Sky+

I think the software copies the hidden sectors off the Sky+ box and copies them to a new HDD so you can have a bigger HDD in your Sky+ box.

If you own a Mac you can get an EyeTV and record from the Sky+ box into iTunes and then onto your iPod video, but if you don't own a Mac that is about as much use as a chocolate kettle

Jez · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:18

Slogan said:
Seems you are right, Rotty.

I had a bit more of a read through and the software requires you remove the hard drive from the actual sky box (I believe) and match it with a destination drive inside your computer or in a USB caddie. Then copy.

Would consider it, but still not sure what file type/ quality the recordings will come out as - if anyone knows have a shout.

All encrypted, needs to be run through the NDS system to decode. Not usable on a pc

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:22

Ah. Cheers guys.

I do have a Mac but I don't have a Sky+ box - I wasn't going to buy one unless I could set up something like in my first post - but it seems not.

I asked it in a thread a while back and no one could answer unfortunately, but do you any of you know if S-Video is an improvement over Coaxial? That being if I was to go down the tv card route.

LordSplodge · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:31

S-Video will be better than coaxial.

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:34

LordSplodge said:
S-Video will be better than coaxial.

That's what I wanted to hear. Thanks, LordSplodge.

Guess it's the TV Card route now.

Gaverick · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:38

I split open a scart cable and soldered the two video wires from the scart onto an s-video cable. Then I plug the s-video cable into my graphics card and the remaining scart plug into the sky box. I then hook up a phono-to-phono cable from the tv speaker socket into the mic input on my sound card.

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:51

Gaverick, that's one way of doing it.

What's your picture/sound quality like?

Gaverick · 3 Jul 2007 at 19:05

It's pretty decent quality, better than Google Video/Youtube, about the same as the quality of Joost on full screen. Took me ages to work out which of the 12 or so cables from inside the scart cable to use and solder

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 19:09

It would be a bit beyond me to do that.

But an interesting way of doing things. I was using coaxial last time through a USB 2.0 card and it was pretty decent quality.

Changed the brand and a PCI card and with the same coaxial cable, the quality was very questionable. So I've decided to go s-video and back to the original brand and hope the quality goes back up.