can dvb-s cards record and watch more than one channel??

[yoda]

Hi all,

About to set up my first HTPC, in New Zealand we have just started getting Freeview via satelite.

I have a dish on my roof which isn't hooked up to sky but i presume points there. I want to set up a low cost box that will allow me to watch and record different channels, watch DVD's, show photo's, music jukebox, and receive freeview channels as they become available.

The difficult bit about this is what tuner card and what software??

I like GBPVR from what i can see but this posting on trademe seems to say media portal can make one dvb-s card tune two different stations,
(in the questions section at the bottom of the page)

[INDENT]"you can record & view different channels with just 1 card"[/INDENT]
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Electronics-pho...248494.htm

can i do the same with GBPVR????

I wanted to use the hauppauge nova s-plus card, again can i do the same as above with this card.

Also will the Hauppauge remote work with GBPVR?

Thanks to anyone who can help.

[sub]

can i do the same with GBPVR????

No. I decided against implementing support for this. For the added complications it causes, it wasnt worth the hassle. If you want to record more than one channel, you can throw more than one DVB card in your machine.

[yoda]

thanks for the super quick reply. wow!

Ok so you don't do support it and i notice that your from NZ so tell me whats the most cost effective way watching and recording two channels from freeview (dvb-s) and allow analouge input.

(just can't afford two nova -s cards and wife will kill me if i can't get it to watch and record different channels, also dont want to buy from potentially dodge trademe dealer)

[sub]

Ok so you don't do support it and i notice that your from NZ so tell me whats the most cost effective way watching and recording two channels from freeview (dvb-s) and allow analouge input.

I couldnt tell you. I've never really done any research into how much the various cards cost in NZ or where to get them. All the devices I've got are freebies from manufactures.

If you want to record two DVB-S channels then you'd need two DVB-S cards, or a dual tuner DVB-S device. I'm not sure if tha latter exists or not. I know I dont have one in my collection. There are plenty of dual tuner options for DVB-T, but we dont get that here until next year.

You also mention analog. To do analog with GB-PVR (or most other apps these days), you need a device with a hardware MPEG2 encoder. Unfortunately I dont think hybrid DVB-S + 'analog with encoder' cards exist, so you're looking at a separate analog device. Again, with DVB-T you would have had more options.

[stustunz]

im sure you can afford another $150 for a card
if you buy the hvr3000 you get 2 tuners one is dvb-s the other dvb-t
so yes you will only be able to use one straight away but next year will have the best of both

[yoda]

i wish i could afford it but this is a NO MONEY project.

I thought that dvb-t tuners could only do mpeg2 and next year Freeview NZ will be broadcast in mpeg4. meaning if the card did work it would have to decode to mpeg2 before view. i.e. loss of quality???

If i'm wrong then great!

[sub]

i wish i could afford it but this is a NO MONEY project.

Sorry, I cant help you with that one.

I thought that dvb-t tuners could only do mpeg2 and next year Freeview NZ will be broadcast in mpeg4. meaning if the card did work it would have to decode to mpeg2 before view.

The hardware just receives the raw transport stream, which can be carry all sorts of audio/video/data, in tons of possible formats. All DVB-T tuners can receive transport streams that could contain MPEG2 or MPEG4 video - the software you're using may not handle MPEG4, but the hardware will. The worst that will happen is you may need to change the application you're using, to one that is MPEG4 capable.