Dream Machine - Starting from Scratch - TV via coax

[johnsonx42]

I cannot put anything on the outside of my apartment and a large dipole in my living room might not be the greatest so I may have to just go without ABC. I could probably do a small one on my patio but I'm looking for indoor sleek antennas. I guess I'll cross that hill when I get there.

well it turns out I was wrong, I was getting ABC (VHF 7) too strong so that the TV tuner's antenna input was being overwhelmed with signal (like if you have the pre-amp gain up too high on an amplifier, everything just clips and distorts). As soon as I put a 3-way splitter in, it attenuated the signal enough that all my channels come in perfectly (see the General Discussion thread "and then there was one..." if you want more details). I'm using a Winegard Flatwave Amped which I got refurbed and on-sale for $20. You're so close to the antennas that a regular Winegard Flatwave or even a Flatwave Mini ought to do nicely. The Mohu Leaf is a similar design. It's just a flat piece of plastic you stick in the window facing north.

[Seanmike]

well it turns out I was wrong, I was getting ABC (VHF 7) too strong so that the TV tuner's antenna input was being overwhelmed with signal (like if you have the pre-amp gain up too high on an amplifier, everything just clips and distorts). As soon as I put a 3-way splitter in, it attenuated the signal enough that all my channels come in perfectly (see the General Discussion thread "and then there was one..." if you want more details). I'm using a Winegard Flatwave Amped which I got refurbed and on-sale for $20. You're so close to the antennas that a regular Winegard Flatwave or even a Flatwave Mini ought to do nicely. The Mohu Leaf is a similar design. It's just a flat piece of plastic you stick in the window facing north.

Johnsonx,

I'm going to try it with a cheap flat 360 RCA antenna before I order a amp or nonamped antenna. Save some $ as I just started my new job and will need to sink some $ into the deposit. I heard of the Winegard and Mohu Leaf from researching on the net. The Mohu was the one I was going to go with, though one has a flimsy coax connection. Can't recall which one now. Tomorrow the HDHR will arrive while I'm at work. I'll probably be posting in another section if I need help setting up NPVR on my laptop for a trial run. Got to record my Hawkeyes BB ga,e on Friday as I'll be out of town.

[Seanmike]

Received my HDHR 2 and it's rather nice to see TV on my laptop. No audio without using Windows Media Center. I didn't configure it correctly last night as I didn't have time. Now to another section of the forum to figure that part out and start ordering the components for a small form factor PC as my main server. Thanks everyone!

[Graham]

. No audio ...

Do you need the AC3filter decoder?

[SickBoy]

Yup, sounds like you need to get some decoders installed.

[Seanmike]

Do you need the AC3filter decoder?

I do believe that is the case. Windows Media Center plays audio but is slow responding.

If I buy, as I suppose I'll have to, can it be used on my laptop and soon-to-be server without license restrictions?

[Graham]

If I buy,

I doubt that many NextPVR users buy decoders. I, and many others, use SAF http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post414049

Send a forum private message to Hoborg and ask for the "unlocked" version.

I am not a specialist in AC3 (it seems to be mostly a US idiosyncrasy) but if sound is your only issue then you may be able to get what you need at http://www.ac3filter.net/

Good Luck.

[johnsonx42]

Yes, use AC3Filter (as graham stated, http://www.ac3filter.net); you only need the Lite version (yes, it's free, but you can donate for it just as you can donate for NextPVR). It will do what you need, and can be configured to passthru AC3 (that is, just take the stream as-is and send it out the HDMI port to your receiver). You might have imagined that since your receiver handles AC3 that you wouldn't need a decoder, but Windows still needs *something* in the playback chain to handle the audio stream.

[Seanmike]

Yes, use AC3Filter (as graham stated, http://www.ac3filter.net); you only need the Lite version (yes, it's free, but you can donate for it just as you can donate for NextPVR). It will do what you need, and can be configured to passthru AC3 (that is, just take the stream as-is and send it out the HDMI port to your receiver). You might have imagined that since your receiver handles AC3 that you wouldn't need a decoder, but Windows still needs *something* in the playback chain to handle the audio stream.

I installed AC3 Lite and all works perfect. My testing via my laptop is done, now to buy a i5 cup, motherboard and case and then onto the next steps. Thank you all for the help!