2004-09-14, 05:18 PM
Hello,
I've recently stumbled across the idea of building a PVR from my old desktop computer, it's a pretty decent AMD XP 2400 box with 512MB memory and a big 160GB SATA HDD. Currently all I have is a GeForce 4 128mb gfx card with Video-In / Video-Out.
When all is done I want to be able to record widescreen broadcasts from an NTL digital cable box (in the UK) via Scart / S-Video. Playback video recorded with GB-PVR and other video eg. DIVx on my Sony 100hz CRT via RGB-Scart.
I've seen one Example System that can do this.
I've downloaded GB-PVR and had a play about, but, I have a few questions I was hoping you guys could help me with before I splurge on hardware...
Capture Card
-- As I won't be using the built in tuner ever. Do I really need a card like a PVR 350 that comes with a built in tuner? Are there any simpler(/better) cards out there that just encode/decode?
-- Is hardware encoding the only way to go, is it even possible to encode in software, say using the Video-In on my current graphics card?
-- What capture card would people recommend in my circumstance?
TV-Out
-- Is the Video-Out on my current GFX card usable at all?
-- Is it at all possible to get my computer desktop to display on my TV via TV-Out? (This would be useful for occasional system maintainance)
-- Is it possible to play back DIVx at all via a PVR250/350 even though it wouldn't be hardware decoded or do I need an X-Card or similar for this sort of job?
-- What playback card would people recommend in my circumstance?
Remotes
-- I'll need a remote, but don't really care which one I end up with, am I right in thinking I'll be able to get almost any remote working to control GB-PVR with a bit of effort? (ie. I can worry about this later)
-- What remote would people recommend in my circumstance?
I hope they wern't such stupid questions, thanks in advance
Russ.
I've recently stumbled across the idea of building a PVR from my old desktop computer, it's a pretty decent AMD XP 2400 box with 512MB memory and a big 160GB SATA HDD. Currently all I have is a GeForce 4 128mb gfx card with Video-In / Video-Out.
When all is done I want to be able to record widescreen broadcasts from an NTL digital cable box (in the UK) via Scart / S-Video. Playback video recorded with GB-PVR and other video eg. DIVx on my Sony 100hz CRT via RGB-Scart.
I've seen one Example System that can do this.
I've downloaded GB-PVR and had a play about, but, I have a few questions I was hoping you guys could help me with before I splurge on hardware...
Capture Card
-- As I won't be using the built in tuner ever. Do I really need a card like a PVR 350 that comes with a built in tuner? Are there any simpler(/better) cards out there that just encode/decode?
-- Is hardware encoding the only way to go, is it even possible to encode in software, say using the Video-In on my current graphics card?
-- What capture card would people recommend in my circumstance?
TV-Out
-- Is the Video-Out on my current GFX card usable at all?
-- Is it at all possible to get my computer desktop to display on my TV via TV-Out? (This would be useful for occasional system maintainance)
-- Is it possible to play back DIVx at all via a PVR250/350 even though it wouldn't be hardware decoded or do I need an X-Card or similar for this sort of job?
-- What playback card would people recommend in my circumstance?
Remotes
-- I'll need a remote, but don't really care which one I end up with, am I right in thinking I'll be able to get almost any remote working to control GB-PVR with a bit of effort? (ie. I can worry about this later)
-- What remote would people recommend in my circumstance?
I hope they wern't such stupid questions, thanks in advance
Russ.