What do I get?

[Bajawoojie]

I currently have a computer that I don't use, and would like to make my own DVR out of it. But I'm not sure what I need to get. Is it a TV-Tuner, or a Capture Card? I'd like to hook my current direct TV box up to that computer and have the capability of watching/recording things from it.

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Bajawoojie

I currently have a computer that I don't use, and would like to make my own DVR out of it. But I'm not sure what I need to get. Is it a TV-Tuner, or a Capture Card? I'd like to hook my current direct TV box up to that computer and have the capability of watching/recording things from it.

'

Well a Tuner Card is also a capture card...but a capture card isn't necessarily a tuner card. Capture cards solely have video inputs whereas tuner cards generally have both a tv tuner and video inputs. I am not sure what capture cards (only capture) that sage supports, but that would work for capturing from a Set Top Box. Most likely you will need to get a tuner card that is supported and just not use the tuner portion as most people do here.

[Bajawoojie]

So the Set Top Box is my cable box?

And I need a tuner card that is supported by Sage TV? Because Tuner Cards have the same functions as Capture Cards, except have the added capability to plug my line from my satellite into it, instead of going through my Set Top Box. But I won't.

Do I have this correct?

Any suggestions on a decent, but not too pricey tuner card?

EDIT**
I'm really only in this for really casual use right now. Would I be better of getting something like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Geniatech-ATSC-H...QQcmdZViewItem

Then if I really enjoy it, convert over to something better?

[fidget]

The tuner card that you need depends on what and how much you want to record. If you want to start out small, I would recommend getting a Hauppauge PVR-150 MCE (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16815116633). It has a single standard definition tuner and hardware encoder. If you want to experiment with both standard and high definition, the PVR-1600 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116007) may be a good candidate, since it has a standard and high definition tuner (you can record using both at the same time).

Personally, I prefer using the PVR-USB2, but I had heat problems with my PCI based tuner cards (back when I was connected to cable, I had 4 running together). I also use the SiliconDust HDHomeRun because it has two High Definition tuners and sits on the network (no need to consume USB ports or real estate next to my recorder PC).

[Bajawoojie]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116620

That the one? Thats a pretty good price for me too.

Lets pretend for a second that I do get one of those, what do I plug in where?

Do I take the co axle that usually goes to my TV, from my box. And just plug it right into the TV-In part of the card?

[fidget]

Originally Posted by Bajawoojie

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116620

That the one? Thats a pretty good price for me too.

Lets pretend for a second that I do get one of those, what do I plug in where?

Do I take the co axle that usually goes to my TV, from my box. And just plug it right into the TV-In part of the card?

you plug it into an empty PCI slot. Then connect the co-ax from the antenna/cable to the card. If you don't have a spare slot, then I would recommend going with a USB based card.

[Bajawoojie]

What do I plug into the card? The coax from the "To TV" part of my set top box?

[fidget]

Originally Posted by Bajawoojie

What do I plug into the card? The coax from the "To TV" part of my set top box?

The SD card accepts both RF inputs (if your set top box has one as an output) and S-Video/audio inputs. If your cable is not encrypted, just plug in the cable from the wall to the antenna input and you can automatically tune all unencrypted SD broadcasts. If nothing is in the clear (say from a dish receiver), using the S-Video interface will allow you to control the receiver with Sage (you will need something like USB-UIRT).

Without knowing your cable situation, I can't give any more info.

[Bajawoojie]

We have a satellite, from Direct TV.

The satellite has a little cable that runs down the side of our house to a small little metal box, from which three co axle cables go throughout our house to the different receivers.

Two of which aren't going to be talked about.

But the one that will be, is in my room, and it all ends up like this.

Satellite > Little box thing on house that splits the signal up (I assume) > The receiver in my room (Set Top Box?)

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Bajawoojie

We have a satellite, from Direct TV.

The satellite has a little cable that runs down the side of our house to a small little metal box, from which three co axle cables go throughout our house to the different receivers.

Two of which aren't going to be talked about.

But the one that will be, is in my room, and it all ends up like this.

Satellite > Little box thing on house that splits the signal up (I assume) > The receiver in my room (Set Top Box?)

What you need is to use the Svideo out (or composite) from the set top box and connect that to the video inputs on the tuner card. You will then need some way to change the channel on the set top box (see USB UIRT).

[Bajawoojie]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

What you need is to use the Svideo out (or composite) from the set top box and connect that to the video inputs on the tuner card. You will then need some way to change the channel on the set top box (see USB UIRT).

My remote that I currently use won't work?

What about plugging the co axle that currently goes from the satellite to my STB, into my tuner card. That will give me all of the unencrypted channels through a program like SageTV, or MythTV, and all of those, correct?

[matt91]

My remote that I currently use won't work?

You need your computer (read: DVR) to be able to change the channel on the STB automatically whenever it needs to. USB-UIRT, as mentioned, is the preferred way to do this.

What about plugging the co axle that currently goes from the satellite to my STB, into my tuner card. That will give me all of the unencrypted channels through a program like SageTV, or MythTV, and all of those, correct?

If you have satellite only, then you *must* go via your STB. The STB is doing the decryption. You'll just be recording whatever the output of your box is.

Here is how the whole thing will work:

2am recording > Sage/USB-UIRT fires off a signal to change to channel 82 > STB changes to channel 82 > Sage starts recording whatever is coming through the s-video connection.

Make sense?

Matt

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by matt91

You need your computer (read: DVR) to be able to change the channel on the STB automatically whenever it needs to. USB-UIRT, as mentioned, is the preferred way to do this.

If you have satellite only, then you *must* got via your STB. The STB is doing the decryption. You'll just be recording whatever the output of your box is.

Here is how the whole thing will work:

2am recording > Sage/USB-UIRT fires off a signal to change to channel 82 > STB changes to channel 82 > Sage starts recording whatever is coming through the s-video connection.

Make sense?

Matt

Matt is right...if you don't have some way to control your STB via the computer, then you will have to manually change the channel on your STB before every show you want to record. That defeats the whole purpose.

The only way your remote would work would be to have some sort of robotic arm that presses the buttons your remote and is controlled by Sage. The cost of such a device would be outrageous and would make the cost of the USB-UIRT look great.

[Bajawoojie]

So what about if I want to record something, and watch something else? I'd need two STBs?

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Bajawoojie

So what about if I want to record something, and watch something else? I'd need two STBs?

Yes if you want to watch something live and want to record something. I would say most of those who use Sage with STB's have dedicated solely to Sage. The last thing you want to do is change the channel on your STB because it is hooked to your tv while Sage is recording and then you end up with a recording of what you watched.

[Bajawoojie]

Okay, so just to see if I have a handle on things so far:


Current Setup:
Satellite >
Splitter Thing >
Set Top Box (Decodes information from satellite) >
Television (Receives decoded information from STB in form of audio/video)

Wanted Setup:
Satellite >
Splitter Thing >
Set Top Box (Decodes information from satellite) >
Tuner Card via S-Video/RCA Audio Cables >
Optional display/recording of received information by using Sage or another similar program.

And now, if I buy one of the USB-UIRT things, it simplifies things by automatically changing the channel for me when I want something recorded. Do I have all of this understood correctly?


A few other questions to patch thoughts up:

The reason I can't just plug the cable from my satellite directly into the tuner card, is because its a satellite, and the information is encrypted, unlike cable. But what if I get one of those cards with decoding capabilities? Or is this something totally different?

Hypothetically, if I had cable, and plugged the cable directly into my TV rather then the STB given to me by the provider. All of the channels my TV would play are the ones the tuner card could play?



Thanks a lot for the patience guys, but I think I'm getting closer to having this all on lock I hope to be starting to order my tuner and such soon.

[sleonard]

Originally Posted by Bajawoojie

...

Hypothetically, if I had cable, and plugged the cable directly into my TV rather then the STB given to me by the provider. All of the channels my TV would play are the ones the tuner card could play?


...

Correct.

S

[Slipshod]

One additional point... Some of the DirectTV STBs allow you to control the channel changing with a serial port instead of the USB-IRT. Unfortunately, that's about all I know about it since I don't have Direct...

[Bajawoojie]

So in your guy's opinions, would these be good things to get to create my system?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16856167020R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116620

[setherd]

I think that will work. but you will be limited. look at the pictures of the back of the PC. it has only 1 expansion slot. that tuner is all you can put it in. (except external tuners of course)

BTW that is some weird Eueropean model they have. it has a SCART connector on the back. not used in the states for anything I'm aware of.

Also you need to add a CPU, ram, and a hard drive to it as well