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| Thread ID: 98841 | 2009-04-09 11:18:00 | Home Media Centre Setup | stardotstar (14815) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 763634 | 2009-04-09 11:18:00 | Hi everyone, I would like to setup a media centre at home, but I'm having a little problem with the basics. In a nutshell, I am trying to achieve the following: 1) I would like to setup a PC in my lounge running Media Centre software (Microsoft's Media Centre, or MediaPortal, or whatever else). 2) I have a Sky Decoder and DVD/Video player that I'd also like to connect to the PC. 3) I would then like to connect the PC to the TV, and be able to watch Sky, Video's, DVD's, plus home movies, pictures etc through the media centre. 4) I would like to watch TV/DVD's, home movie etc on a secondary TV in the bedroom. 5) I would also then like to be able to watch TV (or whatever else) from other PC's in the house. (Although probably a VNC/Remote Desktop onto the PC would be easy enough I guess). My current setup is as follows: I have one of those Sender/Receiver wireless transmitters from Dick Smith, so at least I can watch Sky on my TV in the bedroom. My problem: I just can't seem to find the correct TV tuner to be able to at least just display TV on my PC (directly connected). I'm seriously getting confused about all the different options DVB-T, Analogue, Composite, RCA, DVI, HDMI and whatever other acronyms you can throw in the mix.... Can anyone just give me a bullet point list of hardware that I need to accomplish this, or if there are alternatives to achieving a similar setup, or even, it just can't be done? Thanks guys (and gals) |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763635 | 2009-04-09 11:37:00 | 1) DVB-S Satelite would be best for coverage, or DVT-T digital is also good. Hauppage is a good brand for Tv tuners. Use ORB or VC LC to stream media around the house RCA,DVI and HDMI are ways to transfer audio. DVI and hdmi are best, can display 1080p, full HD, but only HDMI can carry sound also. Blam |
Blam (54) | ||
| 763636 | 2009-04-09 11:40:00 | I see no point in connecting Sky to the PC then connecting it back (from the PC to the TV). It'll probably be easier if you have a monitor with HDMI on it (more than one HDMI connection, if the decoder has HDMI on it as well) You could probably record from VCR to PC if you have some kind of capture card (It would have to have video in on it, and a program to record with (or something that can record/capture from the video in port) You would need a video card with video out on it (with a connection to connect a video sender to). Or you may need an adapter. The video sender should transmit whatever to the other TV's Line out from the PC would probably connect to the audio on the video sender. 1. What kind of TV have you got?? A standard one with RCA connections, or one thats got HDMI connections on it as well? HDMI (en.wikipedia.org) DVB-T (en.wikipedia.org) RCA (en.wikipedia.org) Composite (en.wikipedia.org) Analogue (en.wikipedia.org) |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 763637 | 2009-04-09 12:01:00 | Thanks blam6 and Speedy, The reason I want Sky to my PC first is so that I can timeshift/record and stream to my other PC's in the house...and I have one central point of control from my MCE PC. (I hate missing the rugger when I got work to do :D) My TV has RCA, and no HDMI. The problem with the Hauppage, is that they have so many models that all "appear" to do the same thing, and I don't know which one to choose. So in essence listening to you guys: 1) Use RCA from my Sky decoder into a Hauppage (or equivalent) TV Tuner on my MCE pc. 2) Make sure it has an RCA output that goes to my TV. 3) Use software to stream from the MCE to my other pc's. 4) Just use the Dick Smith wireless transmitters to transmit the Sky decoder signal around to the other TV's (or connect to the Hauppage tuner to allow me to use a remote to access MCE to choose photos/videos etc) Thanks again... |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763638 | 2009-04-09 12:18:00 | Do you have this media center PC now, or planning on buying / building one? If you've got it now, what are the specs? And whats in it now? Does the decoder have HDMI on it, what kind of monitor have you got now? |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 763639 | 2009-04-09 12:29:00 | I haven't got the media centre yet, I'm just doing baby steps at the mo... My first goal is to just get TV on my PC. (Being a software guy, I can handle that end...my problem is that I'm not too sure of all the hardware out there). Once I know that I've got the TV signal right, I will then build a machine up and add it to my LAN. Is it worthwhile to do all this, or is it simpler to buy a device that does all this for you (if one exists). I know you can get media centres that you attach a USB drive or whatever, and it will play your movies etc on your TV, but are there devices that can then broadcast out (or at least allow you to stream onto your LAN)? Thanks! |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763640 | 2009-04-09 12:39:00 | Yes, their are-a media extender www.trademe.co.nz Thats a good one. Or, their are some with a USB port that you can plug a hard drive into and watch movies on it, that support wirelessnetworking. As for the Tv tuner, we need to know your price range and how many tuners you want-more is better, means you can record and watch more channels at once. And you've don't need MySky to pause/record etc, most media/PVR softwares allow you to do this Blam |
Blam (54) | ||
| 763641 | 2009-04-12 09:52:00 | Thanks Blam...for all your suggestions... I've decided to go with a Leadtek TV2000XP Expert PCI TV Tuner for now...I don't have any HD equipment at the moment, so this card with let me do what I need for now. |
stardotstar (14815) | ||
| 763642 | 2009-04-12 10:36:00 | That TV tuner is supported by Mediaportal, try it out. www.team-mediaportal.com Usually the bundled software with TV tuners suck... http://www.team-mediaportal.com/ Blam |
Blam (54) | ||
| 763643 | 2009-04-12 10:43:00 | The leadtek program is actually pretty good. It lets you record in different formats / burn to dvd / save as mpeg2, then burn to dvd. Record from cvbs on it (from an external source). And it also supports teletext And the latest version has an update option in it (so you dont have to go to the site to get the latest version all the time). I used to use the deluxe version of that tuner. Only thing was (The eeprom on it) kept on corrupting. This is a known prob, with the deluxe tuner (dont know about the expert tho). Then it wouldnt work (until you flashed it again). Which got annoying. I've still got it, but its not installed now. When I can afford it, I'll buy a tuner, which supports freeview instead. |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
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