Satellite to PC

budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
edited September 2006 in Hardware
Is there a way for me to watch my Satellite on my PC? I didnt know if it would be different than the old tuner cards?

I am tired of having a 21" monitor, 21" Video game TV, and a 21" Sat TV...my freakin office is looking like a security complex...lol

TIA
Bud

Comments

  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    Well if you have a tuner card you can run cable from your satellite to the tuner card. If you have a video-IN graphics card then you can run RCA or Svideo from your satellite to your Computer.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    I dont have a tuner....


    I am not sure what my video card has...but by the looks of it...it doesnt a video in....

    http://www.mirage-mmc.com/database/searchresult/70-78.html

    Mine is the the Ill. Pro
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    WoW that's a very out dated video card.

    Ok you need a video capture card then. You can either get a new vid card with video in or an add-on device, there are a variety to choose from. Many are USB based so you just plug them in and that's all that is needed.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    yea..I know...its because I have a Non-Sync monitor...got it like...7 yrs ago for like 30 bucks....21"...lol...back then to have 21" monitor was rare...

    W/ it being Non-sync though I was limited as to the video card I can use...

    So anyway...I dont think I can use another video card w/ this monitor so another video card is out....so as far as an add on device...what do you suggest? Is there not a PCI device that will take the signal into my pc and let me watch it on my pc? Only thing is w/ DTV dont I have to run it throu the Reciver first or do the cards/addons handle all this?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    There are add-on tuner cards you can get but they are tuners for cable. Becuase you are trying to run DTV through it you need your DTV box to do the receiving or you won't get any picture.

    what you need is something like This

    or This
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Do all those things work w/ DTV or should it say specifically?
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    I have been doing so research Kryst...I think I am following all this now...

    I need a capture card or device....right...

    I like this usb thing I found...but I only have 1 more usb spot open...and my wife uses it for her flash drive sometimes...so not sure if I am overwhelming my machine? Make sense? Is that possible?

    Here is what I am looking at:

    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/productdetails?id=19024
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    Yep that should do the trick. Your DTV box is still going to be doing the primary receiving of the signal. All these devices do is allow you to caputer the signal from it. So instead of running your rca's out from your DTV box to your TV/Stereo you'd be running them into this device.

    If you wanted to bipass the DTV box entirely you'd need a Satellite PC card. However they are for decrypting what is called Free To Air satellite - DTV is not Free To Air. Now there are other ways around that but that's beyond the scope of this conversation and infact this board in general.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    np...already been busted for the other!!!...lol...but like you said for another board...

    Anyway....is there any reason to go w/ one verse the other? BOB/PCI? Also do they make anythign better than 720 X 480? ....

    I guess you dont think I am going to overload my USB's? Like I said 3 being used....1 open....but sometimes my wife plugs her Flash in it!
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    You'd have to look around. But really unless you have HDTV outputs with an HDTV signal you aren't pumping out any higher resolution then 720 anyway so it's kinda redundant.

    As for the difference PCI will run faster and generally I find more reliably. But they can be a little more picky with what hardware/software/os they are working with. USB for this type of project shouldn't have any problems. I also don't think it'll cause too much of a draw on your system. Also keep in mind that it's your PC that's doing most of the work the USB brings in the signal but it's still your PC that is relaying that information to the video card and then leaving the video card to process it to your Monitor. I think your system will probably cause more of a backup if you are streaming video and your wife feels the need to back-up to a usbdrive at the same time before the USB channels cause an issue.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Ok...so sounds like it up in the air as far as which to get...except that w/ the usb one I can use it on my LT and back up DVD's to it for travel right?

    Let me just put it on the line...which of these would you buy!

    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/productdetails?id=19024
    (I like)

    http://www.acortech.com/Sabrent_TV_Tuner_Video_Capture/TV-PCIRC/partinfo-id-3217218.html

    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/search?search_text=KWORLD+L883D&id=26202&srccode=PW

    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?cPath=76_174&products_id=2511

    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?products_id=4823

    http://www.acnt.com/product.asp?pf_id=CCTVFM

    http://www.pctekonline.com/kwvxdvdmapci.html
    (I like)

    http://glob2000.stores.yahoo.net/usb20indvdvc.html


    When comparing features price and type...which would you go w/?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    If you want usb I'd go with this one
    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/contro...tails?id=19024

    If you want something full featured with all the bells and whistles I'd go with
    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product...oducts_id=2511

    The main thing these 2 offer are mpeg 1/2/4 and a good wide range of resolutions.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Nither of the links work right...one is dead other is a page of stuff...lol...
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    If those are the 1st and 4th link of mine...I got it....some reason it didnt paste right...
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    found this in a review on the Encore...what does it mean?

    "Cons: Bundled software is a little lacking. It works more like a VCR than a PVR, which is what I would prefer. Also, the card has no hardware encoding (as stated in another review) so it isn't supported with most pvr software"
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    here it is mentioned againn!

    "No hardware encoding=not compatible with PVR software that you will want if you want a TIVO HTPC."
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Ok...I have read reviews on both the items...I am leaning towards the USB...but I am curious as to the bells and whistles you are talking about....what are these that you are holding in high regard that the USB doesnt have?

    More than anything is because of the abililty to Burn to DVD...
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    The PVR stuff they are talking about is the software ability to have the card record one channel while watching another and also pause rewind/fastforward a show as you are watching it.

    Basically you dl the show to your hdd as you are watching it and can do neat tricks with it. But it'll chew hdd space and takes alot of CPU power to do it, which is something I didn't figure you had given your concerns over usb conflicts.

    The bells and whistles was the FM tunner and all the different resolutions on the PCI card which may or may not be what you need.

    For your case you definitely want mpeg 1/2/4 encoding and 720 res. That will allow you to record from a source to your computer should you want to. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Why would my pc not handle that? I thought I had it running pretty good!...only thing really out dated is the Video I think...lol.

    I would love the PVR stuff, but I didnt think it would work w/ DTV....If it did I would get the PIP too...but w/ it having to go threw the IRD before entering the PC...I didnt think PVR or PIP would work?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    That's correct PVR/PIP won't work with DTV unless you have a dual tunner in your DTV box and are running dual LNB's. Now as for your machine handling it I don't know I was just guessing basing on the vid card and that you were worried if it could support the extra USB device.

    So in your case PVR isn't needed and you really only need a card that can work like a VCR.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    My sig is up to date....So if you see something wrong let me know...other wise here is what I have come up w/....

    All I am looking for is to watch Football on my PC or any programming for that matter...burning it to DVD is a plus but not necessary! So with that in mind....and knowing that I have DTV....which of these 4 would you buy when $$$ is the main variable?

    This is my final list and once you make your pick I am buying this stupid thing...lol...I wanted to have it intime to watch football this weeknd but this has dragged on...on...on...lol

    Thx for all your input and time Kryst. Take a look at these and see which is the best bang for my buck w/ quality in mind! I dont want to spend much more than $30...the USB is way over that but I can use that on the go so left it on there...however that is not as important as Bang for buck...so let me know!

    Thx again

    Bud

    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?products_id=5149
    $12

    http://www.supergooddeal.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SBT-TVPCIRC&Click=17583
    $18

    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/productdetails?id=26202
    $20 (I am leaning here Kinda middle of the road, and it offers software to do the authoring and burning!)

    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?products_id=4823
    $22

    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/productdetails?id=32543&srccode=PW
    $24.50

    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?products_id=5150
    $25

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815123001&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=15-123-001
    $25

    http://www.chiefpick.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TT%2DENLTV
    $27.50

    http://www.gearxs.com/gearxs/product_info.php?cPath=76_174&products_id=2511
    $29

    http://www.chiefpick.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TT%2DENLTV%2DFM
    $29.50

    http://www.3gplaza.com/estore/control/Computer3G/productdetails?id=19024
    $40
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Ignore the prices on the websites...the listed prices on here are the ones I can get them at...
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    Of those I'd either get the 1st one it does what you need, has pretty good functions without going overboard and offers 4/2/1 compression which some of the middle ones don't. Plus it's the cheapest.

    If 'possible future needs' are a consideration then the 3rd from the bottom is what you want. It'll do everything you need and could possible ever need.

    Or the last 1 if you want USB.
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    I know I said that was it but I had another question...by looking at the 3rd from bottom...Encore...It seems to me that the audio never connects to the card? It goes straight to the sound card?...Am I understanding that correctly? If so...isnt it better for it to run to the VC card vs the SC?

    Here is the manual!

    Crap wont let me upload...try this!

    http://www.encore-usa.com/manual.php?

    Hit multi...then ENLTVFM
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    ahhh....the Encore has been discontinued!...so whats your next choice w/ extras?
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited September 2006
    Get the first one then. Has A/V inputs
  • budhisetiawanbudhisetiawan Mars Hill, NC Member
    edited September 2006
    Well I got my card and put it in and it works...I am watching JAss...as I type ...this is going to be so awsome...lol...no more hasle of 3 20+ TV/Monitors in 1 room...lol...

    Still working out the quirks...but more just learning the software more than anything....thx for all the help and input...
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