HDTV (wanna)newbie questions

[madcat]

Hi,

I got my analog (cable) setup working all nice and cool (using a simple laptop + Hauppauge USB).

Now, if (or when) I want to jump to the HDTV world, I still have trouble understanding the terms and possible options.

If I wanted to use our local Cable provider (get a HD setop box) - then how will I use GBPVR with it? I will have to get the HDTV signal into the PC, do the PVR job, and then out to a display (over HDMI/DVI).

Is it possible at all to have the digital HD signal into the PC? or all the people here using HDTV are using tuners on the PC?

And if it's a tuner on the PC - then does it mean it has to be FTA?

Please give me (or refer me to) a newbie HTDV/BYOB-PVR guide?

[stefan]

If I wanted to use our local Cable provider (get a HD setop box) - then how will I use GBPVR with it? I will have to get the HDTV signal into the PC, do the PVR job, and then out to a display (over HDMI/DVI).

Is it possible at all to have the digital HD signal into the PC? or all the people here using HDTV are using tuners on the PC?

I'm not sure about this, but I don't think you can get the signal into the computer in a digital state without using a hdtv tuner on the computer. I assume you could still use component/composite/whatever is practical to get the signal into the computer, but that would take away the benefits, I guess. Unless you get more channels in HDTV?

And if it's a tuner on the PC - then does it mean it has to be FTA?

With gbpvr, yes. There are other programs out there that allow you to use a CA module in which you can insert your program card, but not with GBPVR

[sub]

With gbpvr, yes. There are other programs out there that allow you to use a CA module in which you can insert your program card, but not with GBPVR

The situation is actually quite different in the US. Their equivalent of CA module doesnt currently exist in a form that can be used in a PC capture device. There are currently no options for recording encrypted cable content on a PC, regardless of the software you're running.

[sub]

GB-PVR can record US/Canada HDTV channels via its BDA support. Unfortunately there are no devices with BDA drivers that do digital cable, so you're limited to recording Over the Air HDTV.

The BDA specification is being updated to accomodate digital cable sometime next year so that will eventually change.

Once this is solved, and BDA drivers exist that can do digital cable, the next problem is encryption. You'll only be able record channels that are transmitted free to air (ie, unencrypted).

There is a lot of discussion about CableCard. This is a module that can be plugged into a tv, or tivo, or PC capture device to enable reception of premimum encrypted content. The users cable subscription smartcard plugs into the CableCard.

Unfortunately, at this stage it sounds like CableCard will only function in special PC that have rights management built into a special rom/bios/chipset on the motherboard. There has also been a lot of discussion indicating that these cablecard capable capture devices may not be available to standard consumer markets - instead only for sale as part of special PCs. There is still a lot of unknowns on this front.

[madcat]

Thanks guys for the info.

So - what are my options (asusming i'm not waiting 1.5 years)? If I wanted to continue with my current cable provider (the analog is non-encrypted, so I plug it directly to Hauppauge). For HD, I will need their reciever. That means I lost the GBPVR (or any other) PVR capabilities?

What are CA modules?

[stefan]

What are CA modules?

Sorry for confusing you with talking about CAM. Sub said they don't exist in the States (you guys use a different way of doing things, as usual... ). It's a little thingy into which you insert your "program card" (credit card sized card with a chip on it), so that the tuner can decrypt encrypted channels. Otherwise the tuner can only get FTA channels.

[stefan]

You could still use your old cable company for analog cable, continuing the way you do now, and get a BDA device (don't ask me which one) that can receive Over the Air HDTV, if available in your area.

[sub]

What are CA modules?

"Conditional Access" modules. Its called CableCard in your part of the work. Often just referred to as CA or CI module in the rest of the world (internals a bit different from CableCard). They look like a laptop PCMCIA adapter. They plug into new digital TVs, or tivo - and hopefully PC capture devices in the near future. They have a slot at one end where you plugin your subscription smartcard.

While watching an encrypted channel with your tv/tivo/pc, the device would need to ask the CableCard module for a special decryption keys every few seconds. The Cablecard module then asks the smartcard for the special decryption keys. Unplug the smartcard (or CableCard module) and these keys will not be available, so viewing the channel is not possible.

[sub]

What he said.

[stefan]

But you use fancier words