d.casper.b
Well-Known Member
Hi all, I'm sure there are many people who would like to view DSTV on their PC via a TV-Card. Now I've been doing it for years...but times are changing in SA.
Firstly: I'm "closely knit" to detail. I like to have the best solution possible.
Now, I would like to create a knowledgebase for many South Africans who like to do the same (and trust me, we're a minority).
I'm mostly interested in exchanging information - - as technology is finally moving again in South Africa (and I'm mostly talking about the HD movement).
Also, it would be useful if you know a bit before posting..
I'm going to shoot off with my scenaria and where I'm (wanting to) get to.
Ok, up to now I connect my TV-Card and DSTV decoder via S-Video (the newer decoders do not have S-Video anymore ... we should not/cannot expect the best possible option in South Africa - remember that!).
I'm very unwilling to go to composite! Why should I? So I've stuck with my crappy old decoder.
Now as things have progressed, I, at one stage may need to consider XtraView - but the decoders used for this do not have an S-video out (I'm not yet talking HD). With such an "advance", I cannot move to XtraView!
Well, now with HD decoders - it's time to move to an HD capable TV-Card. But, being in South Africa - it's too risky at this moment (which card etc..).
Most of the HD cards are DVB-T/S cards, and South Africa does not have DVB yet. So the only HD content we can catch is with an HD satellite decoder. But with this, comes complications when we do not use a TV, but a PC.
You cannot easily find a TV-Card that accepts an HDMI input (you can look at a BlackMagic card), but say you do, then comes the issue of encryption.
As far as I'm concerned, the decoder decrypts and decodes the satellite feed, but then it only sends an unencrypted stream to a "viewing device" and apparently encrypts the stream for capture devices. So stuck again.
If I now move back to SD video (but with the HD PVR), I cannot myself say for sure whether or not the HD PVR has S-video output. But say it does - these may now also be encrypted (apparently)! So I wouldn't even get SD channels if this is the case.
If the S-Video output is not available, I've heard of using the SCART connections (SCART to S-VIDEO), but don't know where in SA you could find such a cable or whether it is the case - and would it be the same or just an adapter and thereby a worse off picture than a direct S-video feed?
I've got many questions and I don't know what the future holds for my hobby.
I actually watch on my PC, but I capture a lot! You can check out some of my videos at http://cid-71e934c6878db107.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public - but some of these are/are not good quality - depending on the source (many more of my videos are up elsewhere - sitting mostly on an ftp site - but I don't think they've been made public yet (www.aussiemybands.com)).
Anyone in SA who knows a bit, or is in a similar situation - all input is helpful.
Firstly: I'm "closely knit" to detail. I like to have the best solution possible.
Now, I would like to create a knowledgebase for many South Africans who like to do the same (and trust me, we're a minority).
I'm mostly interested in exchanging information - - as technology is finally moving again in South Africa (and I'm mostly talking about the HD movement).
Also, it would be useful if you know a bit before posting..
I'm going to shoot off with my scenaria and where I'm (wanting to) get to.
Ok, up to now I connect my TV-Card and DSTV decoder via S-Video (the newer decoders do not have S-Video anymore ... we should not/cannot expect the best possible option in South Africa - remember that!).
I'm very unwilling to go to composite! Why should I? So I've stuck with my crappy old decoder.
Now as things have progressed, I, at one stage may need to consider XtraView - but the decoders used for this do not have an S-video out (I'm not yet talking HD). With such an "advance", I cannot move to XtraView!
Well, now with HD decoders - it's time to move to an HD capable TV-Card. But, being in South Africa - it's too risky at this moment (which card etc..).
Most of the HD cards are DVB-T/S cards, and South Africa does not have DVB yet. So the only HD content we can catch is with an HD satellite decoder. But with this, comes complications when we do not use a TV, but a PC.
You cannot easily find a TV-Card that accepts an HDMI input (you can look at a BlackMagic card), but say you do, then comes the issue of encryption.
As far as I'm concerned, the decoder decrypts and decodes the satellite feed, but then it only sends an unencrypted stream to a "viewing device" and apparently encrypts the stream for capture devices. So stuck again.
If I now move back to SD video (but with the HD PVR), I cannot myself say for sure whether or not the HD PVR has S-video output. But say it does - these may now also be encrypted (apparently)! So I wouldn't even get SD channels if this is the case.
If the S-Video output is not available, I've heard of using the SCART connections (SCART to S-VIDEO), but don't know where in SA you could find such a cable or whether it is the case - and would it be the same or just an adapter and thereby a worse off picture than a direct S-video feed?
I've got many questions and I don't know what the future holds for my hobby.
I actually watch on my PC, but I capture a lot! You can check out some of my videos at http://cid-71e934c6878db107.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public - but some of these are/are not good quality - depending on the source (many more of my videos are up elsewhere - sitting mostly on an ftp site - but I don't think they've been made public yet (www.aussiemybands.com)).
Anyone in SA who knows a bit, or is in a similar situation - all input is helpful.
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