DBOX2 Into PC - Possible??

Is it possible to have my dbox plugged into a pc so I can watch channels through windows media centre and use its PVR functions?

If so, what type of card do i need and is it a simple set up?

Secondly, can I take the dbox out the equation altogether and have the cable feed directly into a pc and decode with a windows prgram somehow?

Thanks

You can connect the dbox to your PC via a crossover ethernet cable. Not sure how it works with media center as I have XP.

You will need a DVB-C card before you could to the second option.

and this being the best site on the net we have a dvb section

http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=289

All the information you should need plus a little extra.

ellie1998 said:

and this being the best site on the net we have a dvb section

http://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=289

All the information you should need plus a little extra.

Click to expand...

It certainly is the best! Better get reading! Thanks

For Media Centre (xp or vista) you can only connect a dbox with a PVR card - something like a Hauppauge PVR 150, 350 or 500... these let you connect the SCART out on the dbox to a s-video in on the PC and work very well.

There are other MCE alternatives that allow dbox ethernet streaming (mythtv on linux or MediaPortal for xp come to mind)

I personally use MCE, and have 2 dbox's connected to my pc using a Hauppauge PVR-500 card (it has 2 tuners so can let you record 2 things at once etc). MCE can change the channels on the dbox and it just works!

I also managed to get the dbox working with Tivo (I loved my old tivo - if only it had multiple inputs/tuners) and could post a guide if anyone still has one of these that wanted to get it working.

Let me know if you have any queries & good luck.

bob808 said:

I personally use MCE, and have 2 dbox's connected to my pc using a Hauppauge PVR-500 card (it has 2 tuners so can let you record 2 things at once etc). MCE can change the channels on the dbox and it just works!



Let me know if you have any queries & good luck.

Click to expand...

This sounds just what im after, Ill go get me a PVR card and see how I go!

Thanks

Hi Bob

I took your advice and got a pvr 150 card for my pc. I have the dbox working into media centre so thanks for that.

Just a couple of questions, The remote functions are not quite the same and also the tv guide is set for cable numbered channels and not dbox. How did you get around this?

Thanks

showders - sent you a PM in reply to yours... you can re-number the channels in MCE - go to settings, guide, edit channels, then edit numbers

what other remote functions do you mean when you say they are not the same?

Thanks for all your help bob!

All sorted after your great advice! Working just how i wanted!

Anybody else thinking of setting this up, its well worth it!