massive N00b Alert - Dibbers checking in

[dibbers]

so.....chaps.....hello....

well i won't go in to detail and that, but as some as you know i have been ripped buying a 600c and that...long story....(stay away from the japs)...any way.....what and where do i start.....i'd love to get the TV back and that and have the ability to record and stuff and then mess with the recordings on my puter.....can i really get something to get TV.....or shall i purchase another 600c or a 500.......noice one chapo's

the n00b - Dibbers

 

[señor ding dong]

If you're at all apprehensive about this, the easiest way to start is to just buy a DVB card and put it in your current computer, have a play with the available software, and see if you think this is the way forward for you.

If you like what you see, you can either buy a ready-made HTPC from eBay or any number of custom PC sites, but it will probably be cheaper to do it yourself, particularly if you have some spare parts from old PCs already laying around.

Like I said in the DM thread, I use a Technotrend 1500 with DVBviewer. Other popular cards would be Twinham or FloppyDTV, and Media Portal is a super fancy media app that works a lot like Windows Media Center, which is also an option, though quite tricky to get to work with cable.

 

[dibbers]

man i can't thank you enough for your post in here and also in the other thread, i have had a look at them on youtube and they look pretty mint, the only thing that's putting me off is the fact that i have struggled to get my laptop to show on my TV and I'm wondering if I'll hit the same problems with this....

i take it I'd need an out put (so a graphics card) and then use the DVB card as the input, i am right in thinking that this will pick up all the cable channels that exist down the feed? I'm just astonished that they can do this..... so any DVB card will do it? it's not just free to air one's is it?

Thanks again buddy.


EDIT: just had a look at that floppy tv and can see the following

PayTV channels require a CAM and a valid smartcard (subscription)

so i take it i'll need a reader and then do the keys and that to the card?

 

[señor ding dong]

i take it I'd need an out put (so a graphics card) and then use the DVB card as the input,

The DVB card is where you plug in your regular sat, terrestrial or cable feed, just like you would with any set top box. Depending on which motherboard you go for, it will most likely have onboard graphics and output options like HDMI or DVI. If you haven't made the jump to LCD/Plasma yet, many motherboards also have s-video out as part of the onboard graphics. If not, you can put in a cheapo video card. If you want RGB/scart or component, that gets a little more tricky, but there are various custom cards for this purpose as well. I haven't looked at it too closely, as I didn't need one myself.

i am right in thinking that this will pick up all the cable channels that exist down the feed?

Yep, they will pick up anything a Dreambox will pick up.

so i take it i'll need a reader and then do the keys and that to the card?

There are two ways to go about it.

1. Hardcam. The CI slot on DVB cards is just for hardcams, meaning, you'd use either a subscription card or a dodgy card running decryption software. There are various discussions around here about Zeta, Joker, etc, that might make worthwhile reading.

The benefits are less CPU usage, faster channel changes, and direct compatibility with software that won't allow soft cams. The FloppyDTV card is popular because it has an onboard CI slot for this purpose, and is one of the few cards that can be made to work with Windows Media Center.

The negatives are that you have to invest in extra hardware, and that it seems to be slightly more of a headache to get it working.


2. Softcam.

A softcam works just like what you'd be familiar with from a Dreambox. No cards or hardware required. Popular choices are the Yankse/Fenrir combo and Vplug. The former is slightly outdated, but I think it still auto-updates for UK cable. I believe there are also a few other options.

The card I use comes with an optional CI reader, but works perfectly fine with a software emu. Without it, it only decodes FTA channels.

The benefits of a softcam are that it's just software, and very easy to set up.

The negatives are higher CPU usage and slower channel change.

If anybody thinks I've missed something obvious, feel free to chime in.

 

[dibbers]

Thanks for all your info mate, i still can't decide, don't know if i should just stick witha dream, but then again i'm loving the look of all this that you have showed me....i simply can't decide...

 

[señor ding dong]

I can't really say what's right for you, of course, but like I mentioned earlier, I was very much in the same boat, looking for a good recording option, and I had more or less decided on the DM600 option, when someone suggested putting together my own HTPC.

First thing I did was just buy a cheap DVB card and set it all up on my regular PC. At first, I was a bit frustrated with the software, but it's come on leaps and bounds in the last year or so, to the point where I felt pretty happy about taking the full plunge, and once you get it all set up and the remote configured, it's just heaven. It really doesn't feel like a PC at all. It's as quiet as a Sky+ box, it looks like a set top box, and having also replaced my DVD player, it's not like it takes up much more space, but even if that's an issue, you can get slimline HTPC cases that are the same size as any other set top box.

I also download a lot of TV and movies, so being able to play those directly on the box, as opposed to the re-encoded crap on the Dreambox, is a huge bonus.

If you're only after SD recording and PVR functionality, the DM600 is an adequate and cheaper option, but if you're looking for a bit more flash and adventure, I can thoroughly recommend the HTPC option.

 

[dibbers]

yeah just looked at them cards and that and they are £150, and then i was pricing up what the rest of the hardware would cost me. i can get a 600c for 239 and then i'm thinking for a hard drive on top about 70 quid so that's over £300...and i could prolly build a nice machine for that and buy the card.....a nice MB and memory and a case and a hard drive for around that or maybe just over and then the thought of having media player would be a bonus.

i own an ME1 it streams films and that from any where on my network....so that's cool for playing back films and that.....

then i just seen a 500c from canada for £44.25 and i'm wondering if i should...lololol man.....it's a tuff one

 

[dibbers]

what do you think of this card mate?

card here

 

[señor ding dong]

Looks good. It has a BDA driver, and I checked the forums on both DVBviewer and Media Portal, and it seems people are pretty happy with it, although some seem to be experiencing problems under Vista/Windows 7. XP looks fine.

Very good price for a card with CI built in.

 

[dibbers]

great i'll order it then i think, i'm just looking to see if it's hardcam or softcam.....if it's hardcam then i may as well get the full shabang, card and writer/reader with it.....thanks again buddy.

edit: need a card and a reader, could you recogmend one ?

 

[reggie124]

am also thinking of building HTPC..

is this cards any good?

TerraTec - Products - TV - DVB-C (Cable) - TerraTec

TerraTec - Products - TV - DVB-S (Satellite) - TerraTec

 

[señor ding dong]

great i'll order it then i think, i'm just looking to see if it's hardcam or softcam.....if it's hardcam then i may as well get the full shabang, card and writer/reader with it.....thanks again buddy.

The CI slot allows you to add a hard cam, but a software emu should do the trick, just fine.

edit: need a card and a reader, could you recogmend one ?

Can't help you there. Never used one myself. Have a look round some of the other threads, and see what people are using.

am also thinking of building HTPC..

is this cards any good?

TerraTec - Products - TV - DVB-C (Cable) - TerraTec

TerraTec - Products - TV - DVB-S (Satellite) - TerraTec

I would have thought so. Generally speaking, if it has a BDA driver, you should be OK, although checking the DVBviewer forums, some people did report various issues with this card. I couldn't say if these were isolated hardware or driver problems, though. I don't know how much this card is, but for cable, there's no need for h.264, so if it's expensive, you might be better off going for a cheaper one with only MPEG2 support.

 

[dibbers]

nice one man....think i'll buy that card and stick it in me normal pc and have a play with softcam, until i can find a funcard/programmer....

 

[MFCGMFC]

for funcards mate just use the infinity usb unlimited it does the trick perfectly

if i can find a link al post it up

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[willin]

what do you think of this card mate?

card here

Gotta say that card don't work with a cam for me https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/index.php?threads/200931/ works perfect with vplug though!

 

[dibbers]

i'm not sure if i should splash the cash for a floppydtv one for the time being then, i need to make sure that i can 1st of all get a computer to show on my tv, it's an old rear projection and i haven't managed to get my laptop to display on it, so if i get that cheapo card and use vplug it's a cheaper way to mess on with a HTPC for the time being until i master it and then spend the cash on card, cam and cards and readers....will vplug be ok then? is it worth it or not?

 

[willin]

i'm not sure if i should splash the cash for a floppydtv one for the time being then, i need to make sure that i can 1st of all get a computer to show on my tv, it's an old rear projection and i haven't managed to get my laptop to display on it, so if i get that cheapo card and use vplug it's a cheaper way to mess on with a HTPC for the time being until i master it and then spend the cash on card, cam and cards and readers....will vplug be ok then? is it worth it or not?

You'll be hard pushed to find a cheaper card (twinhan) at that price, especially as most come from in and around germany, also there is a chance someone may find a cam that will work with this card. vplug works very well at the moment.

 

[dibbers]

great, so for now, until i overcome getting a pc to show on the tv i think i'll get one and play about with it... i'm looking for a VGA to SCART adaptor as i think i'll have more chance of that working than the SVHS or the yellow plug..... if i plug my laptop into another tv that i have picture displays, plug it in the 50 inch rear projection and nothing.......cheers think i'll get it!

 

[MFCGMFC]

what online shops are you looking at lads?

Cheers
MFCGAVMFC

 

[dibbers]

post no.8 and 11 mate in here.....and the do a search for floppydtv and that's the dear one mate, but from the sounds of it the one that will work with hardcam