Newbie in need of some help

[pyrofenix]

I was hoping you guys would be able to set me on my path. I've just finished building my htpc - uses WinTV PVR350, ATI Radeon 9600 pro, win xp pro and SageTV. I'm connecting it to a standard def tv (composite inputs only *other than the coax for cable* and can't get my video to display on the TV.

Currently cable goes into cable box (comcast) from cable box into WinTV card - from here the A/V output uses composite cables into the TV. I'm a bit confused about where the video card fits in on all this (please, don't flame the newbie).

Any assistance is much appreciated!

[kny3twalker]

your video card is almost a waste in that HTPC until you get a HDTV

then you connect the computer to the HDTV via VGA, component or hopefully the best choice DVI

right now it sounds that you will be using the pvr 350 output to the TV

here's how you should connect everything

coax on the wall to the cable box

svideo with RCA audio to the pvr 350
(you will need a RCA right and left(red and white) y adapter to a headphone plug)

then you will use the composite output (for both audio and video) on the pvr 350 to the TV

there is no reason to connect the video card's TV out to the TV unless you are trying to watch DVD

then you would use a separate audio and video ouput
using another headphone plug to y adapter red and white RCAs from your sound card to the TV
and svideo to composite yellow (video) to the TV

also you will need a USB UIRT or someother IR blaster to control your cable box

you will lose alot of functionality of SageTV or any other PVR software without it

there is also a Serial connection plugin from motorola cable boxes

and yes once you get the HDTV the pvr 350 will be a waste at that point because the hardware decoder only outputs SDTV connections but it should always work very nicely with your SDTV
and no you can use the PVR 350 for DVD playback
because the hardware decoder only works for non encrypted mpeg


and I just copied the response from HTPCnews to here

[pyrofenix]

Thanks for the info. The video card was purchased for the future use on an HDTV. The whole box is going to function as DVR, dvd player, mp3 server/player mainly. So your answers should prove helpful.

As far as the IR remote - I have the D.Vine 5 case along with the IR remote which is part of the media kit. The WinTV 350 also came with an IR remote.

Thanks for your help!
Tim