New Zealand going Digital...what bits would I need?

[psycik]

So if things are going digital over here - http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3645...75,00.html

Which hardware bits might I want to look at adding to "My Tv Machine"....gotta find a new name for it...

[sub]

The latest predictions I've seen are that it is going to use a combination of DVB-S and DVB-T. You'll be able to choose either. The government will most likely be confirming this sometime in the next month or so.

I understand the preferred option was DVB-T (so as to reuse existing BCL infrastructure, and keep them profitable), but our mountainous terrain doesnt lend itself to this type of transmission, so we'll also see DVB-S (via Optus D1 satellite launching in a couple of months).

I'm looking forward to it.

[psycik]

So what sort of hardware bits should I be looking at for dvb-s?? PCI cards etc.

I.e what do you use (so I know it'll be supported )

[reven]

does this mean we could plug in a cable from a sat into a pci card and change FTA channels from within gbpvr, ie not having to use a setup box like the sky one?

i have no idea when it comes to digital tv...

[sub]

The Twinhan devices are probably the best bet for DVB-S. They're got pretty good BDA drivers.

For my DVB development I mainly use a Twinhan DVB-S (VP-1030A) with the 14 or so TVNZ test channels on Optus B1 (TV1, TV2, DWTV, NasaTV, TVNZ Wide, Bloomberg TV, Maori TV). I think Twinhan are replacing this now old card with newer models.

If you go down the DVB-S path, you'd also need a satellite dish (and LNB).

[sub]

does this mean we could plug in a cable from a sat into a pci card and change FTA channels from within gbpvr, ie not having to use a setup box like the sky one?

Yes, coax cable from the satellite dish LNB goes to the PCI card. This already works in NZ for the channels I mention above.

In a few months this will switch satellites and will add some additional channels in (TV3, C4, Prime, possibly others).

[psycik]

So would using one of these cards be the equivalent of one PVR150, only able to do one channel at a time, or is this technology a bit smarter so one PCI card can handle multiple channels??

Basically at the mo' I have a PVR150 for TelstraClear channels and one PVR500 for FTA channels, would I be looking at 2 DVB-s cards to do the equivalent of the PVR500??

[sub]

GB-PVR only supports on channel at a time on these cards, even though in theory its possible to record a whole transport stream and playback all the half a dozen or so shows that were running at the same time in the same DVB mux.

would I be looking at 2 DVB-s cards to do the equivalent of the PVR500??

Yes.

[drain]

This sounds promising (just need to get GB-PVR to identify rain fade and switch to traditional RF when necessary )!

Is it possible to get the EPG off the satellite as well?
Sub, how about the Hauppauge Nova-s, I this a suitable card?

[sub]

Is it possible to get the EPG off the satellite as well?

Yes, but only for those channels that transmit it. Out of the channels currently available, only TV1, TV2 and Maori TV transmit the EPG. It gives about a weeks worth of listings.

Sub, how about the Hauppauge Nova-s, I this a suitable card?

Yes, but its a very old card that didnt have BDA drivers. It did work with the TechnoTrend BDA drivers though. That said, I havnt tested this card in over year, and I dont know of any other users with it.