UK Freesat advice please

[Dava]

Hi,

Excuse my ignorance on the following questions but my current setup is fairly simple via STBs and composite capture.

I am interested in getting direct capture from DVB-T (Virginmedia) or DVB-S (SKY or Freesat) as an addition to my current setup, firstly to avoid blasters and secondly to get recordings that do not go through an analogue stage.

Am I correct in saying that the DVB-S/T card/box does not need an MPEG2 hardware encoder as the digital stream is directly recordable with GBPVR with BDA drivers?

Am I correct in my suspision that the VirginMedia route is out due to encrytion issues?

Do I need a DVB-S2 card/box for UK freesat or will a cheap ebay box like this work?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/USB-Digital-DVB-S-...dZViewItem

Are there some specific specs that I should be looking for in the device to get HD? Does it need to output MPEG4 for this?

Is a USB2.0 device likely to be as good as PCI?

Will a 2.8GHz P4 with an ATI9550 be up to HD playback to 1024x768 Plasma, I assume 720p?

I am basically trying to do this on the cheap, I don't really need another capture device but I wanted to play with the new HD broadcasts on Freesat.

Any advice appreciated.

[Bathman]

I am interested in getting direct capture from DVB-T (Virginmedia) or DVB-S (SKY or Freesat) as an addition to my current setup, firstly to avoid blasters and secondly to get recordings that do not go through an analogue stage.

Virginmedia is DVB-C

Am I correct in saying that the DVB-S/T card/box does not need an MPEG2 hardware encoder as the digital stream is directly recordable with GBPVR with BDA drivers?

Yes

Am I correct in my suspision that the VirginMedia route is out due to encrytion issues?

I heard that MDAPI plugins work but you would need a current virgin subscriptioin to do this legally

Do I need a DVB-S2 card/box for UK freesat or will a cheap ebay box like this work?

I can't get your link to work but at the moment a DVB-S card will work but for future proofing you would be better getting a DVB-S2 card

Are there some specific specs that I should be looking for in the device to get HD? Does it need to output MPEG4 for this?

As far as I am aware the "TV Card" just dumps the transmisson stream to the harddive the format (mpeg2/4) is irrelavent.

Is a USB2.0 device likely to be as good as PCI?
I have never used a DVB-S stick. i did find that my USB DVB-T stick was not as sensitive as my pci card

Will a 2.8GHz P4 with an ATI9550 be up to HD playback to 1024x768 Plasma, I assume 720p?
Gut feeling no. If it's got a PCI-e slot then a ATI 3450 may allow HD playback. With such a card I can get my pentium m 1.6ghz to play back 720 without problems - in fact it uses less CPU than mpeg2

I am basically trying to do this on the cheap, I don't really need another capture device but I wanted to play with the new HD broadcasts on Freesat.

Me to

[Dava]

Thanks for the reply.

I meant DVB-C, I know that DVB-T is out for me as I don't even get a decent analogue signal!

I have a Virgin Cable sub, but I am guessing that I would have to put my card from the STB into the new device which is not ideal. I would like a 3rd source.

This link is just an ebay uk search for DVB-S:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.d...itle=dvb-s

It leads to a load of 30 quid little Chinese USB boxes labelled as:

USB Digital DVB-S Satellite TV Tuner Box PVR DVR HI7

The price is about right and it says SD/HD in the specs, I just don't know whether the rest of the specs match up to Freesat requirements.

I only have AGP in the PC so a major upgrade would be called for if I need to get a new M/B with PCI-e. I can play some dowloaded HD WMV samples OK so maybe the hardware is OK.

Can you choose from various streams with DVB-S to get 720p or 1080i ? How does that part work or is it down to the decoder?

Let me know how you get on with your quest for MCHD (minimal cost) and I will do the same if I persue it further.

[Bathman]

On the tight git front i was looking at

http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Compr..._7423.html

[martint123]

On the tight git front i was looking at

Hmmm, I'm tempted as well at that price.

[Dava]

On the tight git front i was looking at

http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Compr..._7423.html

Good Find!

I was just about to buy it but sense and patience prevail. Does anyone know if it plays nicely with GBPVR first?

Go on, make my finger happy!

[martint123]

Thread on them - looks OK.

http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post265213

Ouch - the postage,

SCAN have them in a little cheaper at £22.31 inc plus post.
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductIn...tID=683707

[Dava]

I just got one from MicroDirect, £28.42 delivered.

Tightness will prevail!

I will let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the pointers.

[DanielP]

I don't think you will be disappointed by this card once you get it going. If you run into any issues, give me a yell.

You will need to add:

[VideoMate DVB-S DVBS Tuner]
TUNING_TYPE=DVB-S
FILTER_TUNER=VideoMate DVB-S DVBS Tuner
FILTER_CAPTURE=VideoMate DVB-S Digital Capture
PIN_TUNER_IN=Input0
PIN_TUNER_OUT=MPEG2-Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_IN=MPEG2-Transport
PIN_CAPTURE_OUT=MPEG2-Transport

to the GBPVR BDA.ini

Daniel

[Dava]

Thanks Daniel,

It shipped today so I should have it in my grubby little hands soon.

Have you played with the HD stuff on Freesat with this card?