binthatspam

Hi there,

For some time I have been wanting Microsoft's Media Center but I was waiting
for the recently released 2005 version which supports dual tuners.
Unfortunately there is a restriction. that is both tuners have to have the
same input source, so in order for me to use it with Sky I have to have two
sky inputs, one for each card. This is a problems because it means I would
have to buy another STB and subscription in order to get the second input.

My question is: Is it worth it. MCE is a more comprehensive pvr then sky+
as it integrates DVD playing and music and photos, it also allows my to
develop software for it.

I don't really know much about sky+ so I was really hoping that someone out
there has been through this themselves.

Can any one comment on this. Either the second subscription, cost or all of
it?


Thanks for your help

peter pratten

In article <b67248e1.0410210346.6a0457c5@posting.google.com>, Graham
<binthatspam@yahoo.co.uk> writes

Only Sky+ can record encrypted channels from Sky Digital. IIUYC what
you are suggesting is not possible.
--
Peter Pratten
Please reply in group only

jomtien

You could just use an FTV card.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/yvnsy
How to get UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
Fed up with logos / red buttons? : http://logofreetv.org/
BBC gone? : http://www.astra2d.co.uk/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

binthatspam

Thanks Peter.

Do you or anyone know of any competition against Sky. Obviously there
is NTL (cable), but I guess you have to have their STB to decode tv
too. Do you think FreeView will ever start broadcasting more channels
and start competing with Sky?

stephen neal

MCE 2005 can control Sky set top boxes via an IR blaster, and now supports
dual tuners. This would mean that you could have two Sky boxes with
mirrored subs, two video capture cards in a PC, and dual control of the
boxes via two IR blasters (the new MCE 2005 Philips remote comes with 2
blasters I believe). If you used Sweetspot RGB capture cards (if these are
MCE 2005 compatible) you'd be able to capture in RGB quality as well. Of
course most TV-outs are only S-video or Composite - so unless you are doing
something clever with VGA->RGB SCART or are using a PC display rather than a
TV, you will only get S-video quality at best.

However the Sky + solution will probably be higher picture quality as :

1. It records the digital stream directly from the satellite - so there is
no quality loss due to decompress and recompression (which would be required
for MCE 2005 Sky recording)
2. It replays an RGB interlaced output with no conversion artefacts. MCE
2005 may well de- and re-interlace if a TV out video card solution is used.
3. Sky + is likely to be a lot cheaper than two Sky boxes, a mirrored
receiver subscription and 2 capture cards.

However if you are only looking to record the Freeview range of channels you
can put one (possibly two) DTT capture cards in a PC - which will record the
MPEG2 signal losslessly and provide a high quality solution. Not all DTT
cards are easy to get running in MCE apparently though...

However MCE does have other advantages, like MP3 replay, the ability to
backup recordings to DVD, burn CDs etc. Depends what you are looking for.

Steve