Best integrated TV Tuner Card to use with Sky Digibox - Suggestions please

[talynx]

Apologies if the question has been asked before, looking through the search they all seem to be a few years old, and well, we know what technology is like!

At the moment I'm specc'ing up a media centre setup for a friend, got pretty much all the functionality sorted in regards to streaming media, nas box the whole shebang.

However, there is no real up to date information about sky - be it plus, hd and whatnot.

I've gathered thusfar-
- HDMI to a PVR card is out due to HDCP on encrypted channels,
- To get integration I'll need a card that supports IR Blasting (?)
- Componant is the better choice over S-Video
- Optical out is available so that's sound sorted

However, does anyone have any experience of how Windows 7 Media Center handles the program guide?

Is there any benefit with a twin digital tuner card? I know this might sound a novice quiestion, but if I go with a twin tuner card will I still be limited to recording and watching the same thing with the feed being from the skybox? I guess I'd still be able to utilise the sky box features of recording some programs and use the pc or sky pause and record features however, but all in one would be idea!

Sky would probably make a nice little sum if they offered a tuner card!

Any suggestions into integrated TV cards or just general insight into how the sky setup works with a HTPC would be appreciated!

 

[Stevenage Neil]

I think you are very confused.

The only outputs from a Sky box are real time video and audio. (Single channel - that which is showing on the TV ouput.)

EPG, single input/dual input, IR control have absolutely no relevance to a Sky box output in the context you are talking about.)

It might help if you described exactly what you are hoping to achieve, though I seriously doubt it can be done.

 

[talynx]

Thanks for the reply,

I'm essentially looking to integrate sky as much as possible into windows 7 media centre and try and retain as much of the functionality that sky offers but through the pc.

The main questions I have are around the EPG etc, how does that work with windows 7, does it get a copy from the sky broadcasting lists and then use the ir blaster if you set it to switch? Does it only provide the epg for the free to air stations - moreso will it even work at all.

I understand the fact that it would essentially just be feeding an image into the pc akin to a dvd playing etc. I understand how it would work with a dedicated line from the satellite but just a bit stumped as to how advanced the bundled media centre is when gathering the information from the digibox and to how far I can take an integration.

I think this may have to be a case of trial and error with my own htpc and a digibox,

 

[logiciel]

You can't integrate Sky into anything - everything happens inside the Sky machine.
All you can do from that machine is as S N said output "real time video and audio. (Single channel - that which is showing on the TV ouput.)" to input sockets on a PC's audio and video card.
That IS like "feeding an image into the pc akin to a dvd playing".
To "work with a dedicated line from the satellite" to receive free channels would be a quite different matter, and you can check what cards are available for the purpose, but again the Sky machine wouldn't be involved with it at all.

 

[kevkbuk]

To "work with a dedicated line from the satellite" to receive free channels would be a quite different matter, and you can check what cards are available for the purpose, but again the Sky machine wouldn't be involved with it at all.

The Sky subscription card could well be though , OSCAM is available for PCs as well as satellite receivers, and with a media centre PC you don't need Skys EPG and the + features...

 

[logiciel]

I said "to receive free channels".

 

[kevkbuk]

I said "to receive free channels".

You did, and I simply pointed out you need not be limited to free channels.