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.

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.

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.

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.

Slogan · 3 Jul 2007 at 18:51

Gaverick, that's one way of doing it.

What's your picture/sound quality like?

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.