DVB-T Card and SDI Mod?

[gubi-gubi]

Hi I want to start ripping UK digital TV and wanted to know what my options are... I’m getting sky+ soon and heard about the SDI mod. I learnt that you cant simply take the recorded programs off the Sky+ HD because of encryption etc but if I got a V1 box with the SDI mod could that copy the direct stream to a SDI card on a PC? I mean could it copy the exact streams to the PC without loss from re-encoding or something? I don’t really want to go the capture card route as I'd quite like the original streams. Could a DVB-T card for the PC let me copy exact freeview streams to my HD? I know it wouldn’t work with sky but is it possible to get the original streams off freeview? If so can anyone recommend hardware/software? Thanks, sorry if this seems obvious but I cant get my head round it all!

[SeeMoreDigital]

Before you go down the SDI route.

Can I ask how you are thinking of viewing your Mpeg2 streams after they've been stored on your hard drive?


Cheers

[gubi-gubi]

Can you not just play them? Or demux them and remux into an MPEG2 stream?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by gubi-gubi
Can you not just play them? Or demux them and remux into an MPEG2 stream? What I meant was. What equipment are you going to connect to your PC to view these streams and how are you going to connect it?

For instance. Are you going to connect your PC to your TV. And if so how?


Cheers

[gubi-gubi]

Oh I'm thinking either convert to dvd or maybe an xvid or if the streams arnt that big maybe just keep them as .mpg and watch them on xbox media center. So whats my best option to start getting the streams?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Okay, now we've established the sort of viewing equipment you'll be using I think it will be a pretty pointless exercise for you to start thinking about SDI.

In all honesty you might as well buy a decent DVB-T card (preferably not an TechniSat AirStar2 card. I've got one of these and it's pants, as it only works with it's own DVBViewer application). Install ProgDVB, MyTheatre or something similar. And crank up the Mpeg2 capture bitrate.

I installed SDI connections on some of the first generation SKYdigital boxes but unless you're able to maintain the digital stream all the way to suitably converted viewing equipment, such as a projector or plasma monitor, then, like I say it's pretty pointless!

[gubi-gubi]

Originally posted by SeeMoreDigital
In all honesty you might as well buy a decent DVB-T card (preferably not an TechniSat AirStar2 card. I've got one of these and it's pants, as it only works with it's own DVBViewer application). Install ProgDVB, MyTheatre or something similar. And crank up the Mpeg2 capture bitrate.

Will this copy the original streams or re-encode to mpeg 2?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Originally posted by gubi-gubi
Will this copy the original streams or re-encode to mpeg 2? It will re-encode them?

I've been doing this with my set-up for a couple of months now using an SkyStar2 DVB-S card with a dish pointed over at 28.2/.5 east. Meaning I've been able to view and record all the available FTA stations.

Of course with the DVB-S set-up I was unable to view and record ITV, Channel 4 and five etc, so I decided to migrate over to an DVB-T card, (AirStar2) which has not been very successful at all.

If you look at my 'sig' you will see I use an Mpeg1/2/4 hardware decoder card running with JovePlayer. Which means all the Mpeg2 decoding is done purely in hardware and the image is outputted via RGB to my 42" WXGA plasma.

I can honestly say that the images I'm currently seeing are superior to any set-top box I've owned or tested. And if I crank up PVR settings for both 'time-shifting' and 'general recording'. See examples below: -

http://img4.exs.cx/img4/6170/SMD_JovePlayer_PVR_Functions.gif

And as for the captures, these look spot-on too!


Cheers

[gubi-gubi]

I was under the impression that you could just copy the streams bit for bit so the process is lossless? Because freeview uses mpeg doesnt it? I suppose at least the way you describe it doesn't get converted to analogue first though will it so it's better than a capture card or stand alone dvd recorder?

[SeeMoreDigital]

Yes, the results are much better than using a capture card....

I captured/time-shifted some live football during Euro2004 and the results were very impressive... and I don't even like football ;)


Cheers

[jeremymacmull]

hey gubi

for the first question "could a dvb-t card copy streams directly off freeview?"

the answer is YES

the Nebula digitv card is the best card about
http://www.nebula-electronics.com/

but all dvb-t cards allow u to capture the stream (without any loss in quality ) as all the card is doing is saving the original mpeg2 ts stream to your hdd bit by bit!!

then u use a utility like pvastrumento or such to convert it to a standard dvd compliant mpeg2 stream (still no loss of quality ) and then i put them onto dvd but i also use AUTOGK to convert them to xvid

for a better place to ask questions about dvb-t and freeview

www.digitalspy.co.uk the digital terrestial forum only for uk users and that forum is only for freeview

JEREMY

if you want any more advice then just pm me

[gubi-gubi]

K thanks thats answered it! I think I'll get a card this week. Thanks for the help, i'll pm if I get stuck!