2005-03-06, 07:20 PM
Hi - any advice for a newbie most welcome
I have scanned the site but have not found the answers - apologies if they have already been covered.
I am researching venturing into the GB-PVR world and am a bit daunted/worried I'll buy a load of kit and not be able to put it together\get it to work! (the most complex tech install I've done todate was a Wireless G card and router and that took a while to work!
The key things i want to be able to do are:
- record, pause etc on my ntl digital tv pack (but on the TV)
- in the longer term prob add Freeview so I can watch one and record the other
What I have now:
- NTL digital pack with PACE decoder
- TV with Video S, normal coaxial, SCART etc input sockets
- ACER TravelMate 240 laptop 2.8GHz Celeron processor, Windows XP, 256MB RAM and Intel Extreme Graphics 2 card (no TV-out), 10Gig free harddisk space
- Linksys wireless-G card and WAG54G ADSL gateway
My plan is to use GB-PVR with:
- Hauppauge WinTV-USB2.0 - to get TV signal from NTL box to laptop
- Media MVP (possibly via the wireless-G gateway box) for output from laptop to TV
- In the longer term phase II add e.g. Hauppauge WinTV Nova USB digital for Freeview and USB-UIRT to control the NTL box
Total cost for the first phase will be around GBP100 and the same for phase II
My questions if anyone can help are:
1) Complexity\system?
- How much tech expertise will I need to get this to work - e.g. should I be less ambitious and go for Tivo which would have the same functionality as my phase I, have many fewer cables (never good for a laptop! but cost more!!
-Will my computer system be able to cope (good enough Graphics card, enough memory etc)?
2) right kit for TV signal input?
- will the WinTV-USB2.0 be ok or will I need the WinTV-PVR-USB2.0 (I'm not sure on the difference except around GBP50!?- details in links below:
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/product..._usb2.html
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/product...rusb2.html
- Are these the right ones for input (with stereo sound/good TV quality) from an NTL digital box or is there a better solution?
- I assume that to control the NTL box I will need USB-UIRT - I see from their website their sold out at the mo -any other way to get one?
3) Right kit for output?
- Is there a better option than the Media MVP at GBP50? E.g. a PC to TV Converter at GBP35 (I assume GB-PVR would work with this):
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.....doy=6m3
- The advantage of the Media MVP is I assume that I can control the computer via the MVP remote to access music and photos too and may be able to contect it via the Linksys Wireless G. Any thoughts?
4) Incorporating Freeview
- Will WinTV Nova USB work with this system? Any other option better?
Many thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Tim
I have scanned the site but have not found the answers - apologies if they have already been covered.
I am researching venturing into the GB-PVR world and am a bit daunted/worried I'll buy a load of kit and not be able to put it together\get it to work! (the most complex tech install I've done todate was a Wireless G card and router and that took a while to work!
The key things i want to be able to do are:- record, pause etc on my ntl digital tv pack (but on the TV)
- in the longer term prob add Freeview so I can watch one and record the other
What I have now:
- NTL digital pack with PACE decoder
- TV with Video S, normal coaxial, SCART etc input sockets
- ACER TravelMate 240 laptop 2.8GHz Celeron processor, Windows XP, 256MB RAM and Intel Extreme Graphics 2 card (no TV-out), 10Gig free harddisk space
- Linksys wireless-G card and WAG54G ADSL gateway
My plan is to use GB-PVR with:
- Hauppauge WinTV-USB2.0 - to get TV signal from NTL box to laptop
- Media MVP (possibly via the wireless-G gateway box) for output from laptop to TV
- In the longer term phase II add e.g. Hauppauge WinTV Nova USB digital for Freeview and USB-UIRT to control the NTL box
Total cost for the first phase will be around GBP100 and the same for phase II
My questions if anyone can help are:
1) Complexity\system?
- How much tech expertise will I need to get this to work - e.g. should I be less ambitious and go for Tivo which would have the same functionality as my phase I, have many fewer cables (never good for a laptop!
but cost more!!-Will my computer system be able to cope (good enough Graphics card, enough memory etc)?
2) right kit for TV signal input?
- will the WinTV-USB2.0 be ok or will I need the WinTV-PVR-USB2.0 (I'm not sure on the difference except around GBP50!
?- details in links below:http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/product..._usb2.html
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/product...rusb2.html
- Are these the right ones for input (with stereo sound/good TV quality) from an NTL digital box or is there a better solution?
- I assume that to control the NTL box I will need USB-UIRT - I see from their website their sold out at the mo -any other way to get one?
3) Right kit for output?
- Is there a better option than the Media MVP at GBP50? E.g. a PC to TV Converter at GBP35 (I assume GB-PVR would work with this):
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.....doy=6m3
- The advantage of the Media MVP is I assume that I can control the computer via the MVP remote to access music and photos too and may be able to contect it via the Linksys Wireless G. Any thoughts?
4) Incorporating Freeview
- Will WinTV Nova USB work with this system? Any other option better?
Many thanks in advance for your thoughts!
Tim