new here....need help with sky and slingbox/dreambox/

[capall]

Hi all, this is my first post after lots of research and would appreciate some help.

I live in the US and would like to set up a set top box (STB )in Ireland to record legal sky sports HD. I then want to be able to either stream that to a PC in the US or be able to download my recorded TV to a PC in the US. I will be using my sisters house to install the box and she will be a legal sky subscriber.

I also want to be able to schedule recording remotely from the US.

I think I have 2 options.

Option 1. Use a STB with component outputs and a slingbox pro HD to stream the recorded TV to a PC in the US

1. Is the Thomson DSI8215 my only option for a box with components out, from ebay
2. Is this a realistic option based on the reliability of these boxes



Option 2. Use a STB that I can pull the content off and downland it to a PC in the US.

1. Is a dreambox the way to go, or is there easier options (I am an engineer and able to program code, but am not familiar with Linux)
2. If I use a dreambox or similar, how do I set up the sky card. My sister will have a Sky+HD DVR in use, so will she have to order sky multiroom, and get a 2nd skycard for my box.
3. Whats the typical number of feeds coming off sky dishes these days. She would probably like to have 2 tuners, and I only need one. Is there any issues I would have from using one of these feeds for my box.

Thanks
derek

 

[logiciel]

Welcome to AVF.
Sky subsription cards are obviously meant to be used only in Sky receivers, but it is possible to use them in other receivers by various means. Most of those require them to be regularly returned to a Sky receiver to keep them "active" but even that can be avoided with a few receivers.
Sky dishes are fitted with a quad LNB in order to allow for two inputs to each of two PVRs if required.
The monthly subscription for multiroom with HD is £20.50, and is presumably much the equivalent in Irish currency.
Over to the experts for the rest.

 

[capall]

thanks logicel

 

[logiciel]

That's OK and the forum is overflowing with DB enthusiasts who will be here any minute....
Logi

 

[capall]

Logi,
I see from you signature, you have some non sky STB's. Can you easily transfer recordings from these to PC, and control both the recording and the transfer remotely?

thanks
derek

 

[capall]

or do they have a component output (for a slingbox stream or HD-PVR recording to a PC)

 

[logiciel]

Hi Derek - they do the usual thing of generic receivers - record in their own format by USB to an external drive, for playing back through them.

 

[capall]

logi,
I'm slightly confused by your "record in their own format by USB" comment. As a generic receiver, do they not receive the TV via coax from the satellite dish?

so these also allow you to record to an external drive, which is then only used for playback by the DVR itself?

 

[logiciel]

Generic receiver is a term that we use for any satellite receiver that is not specifically made for use with Sky or with Freesat. They connect to the dish in the same way, and receive the same channels, as the other types.
Some have an internal drive that makes them in effect work the same way as Sky and Freesat PVRs. Mine don't, and I prefer the separate external drives anyway, but in both cases the recordings get played back only through the receiver.
HTH
Logi

 

[1080 jawbreaker]

you can control a dreambox remotely as well as ftp in and out of it, you would need huge upload bandwidth to stream the content straight out of the reciever though.

 

[capall]

thanks 1080,
Can you point do some recent info/setup guides on a dreambox,

any other alternatives that can ftp in/out

We have a 3Mb upload in Ireland and 15Mb down in the US, and with slingbox maxing out at 720p, that should be enough.
Although technical aspects aside (b/w,video quality etc), I'm still not sure would I prefer to stream or ftp. When I figure out all the options available with their pros/cons, I can decide then.

 

[1080 jawbreaker]

thanks 1080,
Can you point do some recent info/setup guides on a dreambox,

any other alternatives that can ftp in/out

We have a 3Mb upload in Ireland and 15Mb down in the US, and with slingbox maxing out at 720p, that should be enough.
Although technical aspects aside (b/w,video quality etc), I'm still not sure would I prefer to stream or ftp. When I figure out all the options available with their pros/cons, I can decide then.

if using a slingbox you wont really need a dreambox to feed it. what inputs are available on the slingbox? Alot of 3rd party recievers ignore the hdcp flag. If you dont need to stream then you could do away with the slingbox altogether.

setting up the dreambox to do what you need is the tricky part, especially as you will be controlling it remotely. I would have a fit if it went pete tong while being 4000 miles away.

edit:

what about using a hdfury2 to allow you to connect a hdmi only sky reciever to your slingbox via component.

you can then set up recording remotely via sky.com or your mobile.

 

[capall]

thanks for th info 1080,

my only requirement is to be able to record my legal sky sports and view it in the US. Therefore I see my options as

1. sky box or similar STB with component out fed into a slingbox pro HD (slingbox only does component for HD and the pro HD is required for 720p streaming, and is its max resolution). Box needs to be supported by slingbox pro HD to get the virtual remote to control the STB. So far I see the thomson DSI8215

2. sky box or similar STB with component out fed into a HD-PVR(hauphauge), connected to a PC to select recordings and record to the PC, then I would ftp to the US. Noty sure about how I would control the STB

3. STB that will allow me schedule recordings online and ftp the content to my PC in the US

I feel option 3 might be the cleanest setup from an operation point of view, but none are perfect.

I assume I will have to order a separate sky card for my STB and sign up for sky multiroom?

My STB obviously wont be connected to a TV, as I am the sole user.


hdfury2..will check that out

 

[capall]

I see that I could use a hdmi to component converter, for options 1 and 2.

 

[Ghostleader]

The Spiderbox 9000 has component out & reads,update's, & allow's package upgrades to official $ky cards, I have personally tested this myself rather than just passing on heresay.

 

[1080 jawbreaker]

The Spiderbox 9000 has component out & reads,update's, & allow's package upgrades to official $ky cards, I have personally tested this myself rather than just passing on heresay.

can the spiderbox be controled remotely?

 

[Ghostleader]

can the spiderbox be controled remotely?

To be honest mate, I doubt it, but I'll have a quick look around for the o.p.'s sake.