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potatochobit
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How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:49 am

I am going to buy a TV tuner for DVR recording on my PC
but I am not quite sure how it works?
this is the model I was looking at

I have a time warner digital cable box
so if the cable box is off, how does the Tvtuner record digital cable from the high channels 100+?
also, the line out from the digital cable box, I then need a second splitter, one to TV and one to PC? (first splitter is modem/box)
and lastly, if the cable box is ON, can I watch one show on TV and still record a different channel on PC?
 
just brew it!
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Fri Aug 27, 2010 12:27 pm

potatochobit wrote:
I am going to buy a TV tuner for DVR recording on my PC
but I am not quite sure how it works?
this is the model I was looking at

I have a time warner digital cable box
so if the cable box is off, how does the Tvtuner record digital cable from the high channels 100+?

If the cable box is off, it can't. Typically you need some sort of "IR blaster" functionality, to allow the PVR software to control the cable box. It does not look like the tuner you linked has built-in IR blaster capability.

also, the line out from the digital cable box, I then need a second splitter, one to TV and one to PC? (first splitter is modem/box)

Yes. Note that this would need to be a video splitter, not an RF splitter.

and lastly, if the cable box is ON, can I watch one show on TV and still record a different channel on PC?

Only if at least one of the two shows is on an unencrypted channel.
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potatochobit
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:19 pm

Ok so I need a IR receiver to use with a set top box
now, last time I used IR was back when I had an acclaim wireless controller for my nintendo entertainment system
does this IR blaster thing need to have sniper aim precission?
because my computer is parallel to the TV or does it have a long cable so I can route it to the TV stand?
I also cannot find an IR blaster with a single tuner, dont really need to record 2 programs at once though

and lastly, what about a cable card?
this can replace my set top box I think? so would that be better?
 
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Wed Sep 01, 2010 12:15 pm

just brew it! wrote:
potatochobit wrote:
I am going to buy a TV tuner for DVR recording on my PC
but I am not quite sure how it works?
this is the model I was looking at

I have a time warner digital cable box
so if the cable box is off, how does the Tvtuner record digital cable from the high channels 100+?

If the cable box is off, it can't. Typically you need some sort of "IR blaster" functionality, to allow the PVR software to control the cable box. It does not look like the tuner you linked has built-in IR blaster capability.
The high channels are most likely scrambled so you need the cable box to unscramble it for you. The low channels may be in ClearQAM (unencrypted) so you can record those without the cable box. Not too sure how you can record the high channels but off the top of my head you can see if the cable box can output in S-Video where the card you linked has an input for. Or you need to get a capture card that can take component inputs (assuming the cable box has component output). CableCARD could be your answer too (see below).

just brew it! wrote:
also, the line out from the digital cable box, I then need a second splitter, one to TV and one to PC? (first splitter is modem/box)

Yes. Note that this would need to be a video splitter, not an RF splitter.
Would be nice to know what output the cable box supports too. May need to split the audio signal too. :o

just brew it! wrote:
and lastly, if the cable box is ON, can I watch one show on TV and still record a different channel on PC?

Only if at least one of the two shows is on an unencrypted channel.
Then you will need a coax splitter before the cable box so the tuner's ClearQAM mode can get to work. The scrambled channels are SOL there.

potatochobit wrote:
and lastly, what about a cable card?
this can replace my set top box I think? so would that be better?
CableCARD is a mess. Presumably this is the "proper way" that the cable industry sets up for us DIY types to record their channels. You need to double and triple check with your cable provider to see if the model you have in mind works, for both the unscrambled and scrambled channels. That is why sometimes it is just better to hop on a promotion and get their PVR instead of trying to roll your own. It is a sad state of affairs and one reason why the DIY types tend to want to go OTA to avoid all these mess.
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Wed Sep 01, 2010 3:17 pm

The problem with CableCard is the price. The Ceton card is a game-changer, but $400 is still too rich. Maybe we'll see the HD HomeRun CableCard help bring prices down.
 
potatochobit
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 11:22 am

Ok I picked up a real cheap HVR1600 off ebay but I think it's defective?
windows 7 keeps losing signal and the picture is never clear
I have tested all the cables and the picture is completely clear moving the coaxial cable from the computer to a regular old TV
this could not be a driver problem or anything else right? I think i have the correct drivers from the hauppauge website
I have a new ASUS tv tuner on the way, should be here friday




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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Wed Sep 08, 2010 6:46 pm

I have the HVR1600 and no problems in Win7. I'm using the drivers from Windows Update.
Are you tuning NTSC, ATSC, or QAM channels?
 
Flying Fox
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:33 am

Looks more like a scrambled signal. Do all channels look like this?
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potatochobit
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:33 am

I have time warner digital cable
I plug the cable directly from the wall into the computer and all channels look like this
so shouldnt it be running analog?
if I take the cable from the pc, without doing anything else, and plug it into a 10 year old SD television, I get a clear picture
I also tried using the cable box between the wall and PC and still the same
and I tried installing this card in an old XP media center computer and it is still the same
some times the computer says no TV signal
what is really weird is one time it was displaying my web browser, can u see the word google here?
 
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:18 pm

For some reason (backward compat?) there should be some channels still on the analog signal. According to this you need to connect the cable to the analog connector on the card I think? You probably still need to do some configuration in the tuner driver or Media Center to do analog or digital (has to be ClearQAM).

What outputs does your digital set-top box support?
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Usacomp2k3
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:45 pm

Yeah, the 1600 has separate antenna connections for NTSC and ATSC/clearQAM. You need to put it into the former to get the signal. Just to warn you, the PQ is pretty bad for NTSC stuff.
To changet between ATSC and clearQAM, that should be in the TV setup of Media Center.
 
potatochobit
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:01 pm

I did try both the connections
if the signal was scrambled or QAM my 10 year old TV would not be able to display either, correct?
yet it works fine

anyway, the newASUS tv Tuner card arrived today
I plugged it in and downloaded the latest drivers and picture is fine

except the remote can't change channels....
the media remote is USB and the IR plugs into that USB dongle which is great
but the red light flashes and my tv tuner box... it does nothing...
I have tried and tried to configure it all day
but windows media center does not display a list of digital cable boxes, it only shows a list of frequencies
that is retarded
how do I know what frequency mine is?
anyone know how to do this without going through the list of all 20 one by one?
or should I ask to exchange my cable box for a different model?

anyway, for now I bypassed the tv box and am running analog
recording the channels when I am away is most important


EDIT:
LMFAO, "the IR blaster needs to be placed within 2 inches of the cable box"
they should put this stuff in the instructions, I had it on the side wall of the entertainment center about 6 inches away
let me see if I can get it to work now
 
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:02 pm

Yeah, you normally tape them on right to the IR receiver.
 
potatochobit
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Wed Sep 15, 2010 1:46 pm

ok got the remote working after having to set it up in media center a few times...
media center is not the brightest and might be buggy in the receiver settings

and now for the hard part

how do I watch my videos on my home network?
and to make it even harder, my laptop is a macbook pro

so what do I do?
mediaplayerclassic cannot play these .wtv files
can i stream these with VLC player?
 
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Re: How does a PC tuner work with a digital cable box?

Fri Sep 17, 2010 5:46 pm

Install Windows on your Mac? Other than that, you can just convert the .wtv files to .dvr-ms files and VLC will play those without a problem. It might even play .wtv files, I don't know.

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