SKY TV (UK) Question

[Graves]

Greetings,

I have a question re. SKY TV in the UK.

Does anyone know if it's possible to use GBPVR to record SKY TV onto a PC hard disc using a SCART-to-S-Video cable from the SKY STB to the PC?

I can record analogue using RF out on the SKY box to RF in on a Hauppauge 350 card. It's watchable, but the quality isn't as good as the SCART output to a plain old, common or garden TV.

Thanks.

Graves.

[Darx-starz]

Greetings,

I have a question re. SKY TV in the UK.

Does anyone know if it's possible to use GBPVR to record SKY TV onto a PC hard disc using a SCART-to-S-Video cable from the SKY STB to the PC?

I can record analogue using RF out on the SKY box to RF in on a Hauppauge 350 card. It's watchable, but the quality isn't as good as the SCART output to a plain old, common or garden TV.

Thanks.

Graves.

Yes. and ok. If you have a 350 then fair enough. I would not buy one though unless you need the TVout. They are a bit unstable and Hauppauge are not updating the drivers.

[MicroSark]

I record via my PVR-250 from my UK Sky Digibox using a SCART to Composite converter.

I don't know about the 350, but the 250 'mini-din' socket combines the S-Video and Composite inputs.

My setup uses a SCART adapter with red (audio), white (audio) and yellow (video) phono type connectors to the s-video/composite socket on the PVR card. You can buy the 'universal connector kit' from just about anywhere (B&Q, Aldi, Comet, Currys, Dixons, PC-World etc.). It consists of the SCART adapter and a shed load of cables to connect to just about anything.

Using this set-up, I did find I get better sound quality if I take the sound from the Red and White phonos on the back of the Sky box, rather than from the SCART, but the picture quality is as sharp as a pin.

Hope this helps.

[Graves]

Darx-starz and Microsark,

Many thhanks for the replies. I will try this out at the weekend.

Graves.

[MicroSark]

Graves,

One thing I forgot to mention is that when you hook up this way you will probably find that you have to use one of the composites rather than s-video. S-video seems to only give a monochrome picture. I'm not sure whether this is a Hauppauge problem (I've seen messages about it on their forums) or because the output from the sky box doesn't support it.

Good luck.

[Graves]

MicroSark,

I've seen posts about people having problems with the 350 card and s-video too. So, I was going to buy the following:

1. A SCART -> S-video adapter. The one's I've seen also have the 3 audio/video sockets as well.

2. An extra long s-video cable (5 metres) to go from the back of the SKY box SCART/S-video adapter to the s-video socket on my 350 card.

I'm not sure what composite video cables look like. Can you advise me if I need some other cables and/or adapters?

Sorry for the very basic question. I'm new to this and am more or less trying to convince myself that I understand the cabling/hardware issues and requirements. And thanks again for your advise.

Graves.

[bluesxman]

I'm not sure what composite video cables look like. Can you advise me if I need some other cables and/or adapters?
Graves.

Composite video cable are typically bundled with DVD players and look similar to the audio cable you'd plugin to a HiFi, but usually with a yellow coloured plug.

You'd need to connect the audio out to your capture card too, as I don't believe audio is carried through an S-Video cable - someone correct me if I'm wrong there.

[MicroSark]

I think you are correct, bluesXman, but not being very technically oriented in this respect I can't say for absolute.

Graves, the cable set-up you describe sounds about right, (it's basically identical to the setup I have), however, I still think you will have to configure the recording service to look for input on one of the composite inputs, rather than S-Video due to the problems I mentioned earlier, unless you are happy with monochrome input .

BluesXman is right in that the S-Video (and Composite) video outputs don't carry audio, but you should get a cable with the adaptor kit with red and white phonos at one end and a 1/8" mini headphone jack at the other. You plug the phonos into the identically coloured sockets on the SCART (or the audio L/R outs on the skybox) and the jack into the stereo audio input on the PVR card. The other cable should have a yellow phono plug at one end that goes into the SCART adapter, and a mini-din at the other that goes into the S-Video/Composite port on the PVR card.

Phew.

Hope thats right - anyone else please feel free to correct me (I won't take offence).

[Graves]

Thanks for all the replies. You guys are great !!!

I think I understand what I need to get now.

Graves.

[Graves]

For the benefit of others:

1 x SCART to S-video/Composite adapter (i.e., SCART input, S-video output and 3 (red, white and yellow) audo & video output sockets)

1 x Composite video lead (3 phono type plugs at one end (red, yellow and white) and 1 composite video/audio socket at the other end)

1 x S-video to S-video cable (I think it's got something called a '4 pin mini-din' socket at both ends)

Graves.