receiver box required or not?

[spockware]

Hi!

I understand SageTV is quite versatile. I am just clueless about which avenue to pursue to get my SageTV/Hauppage/350 bundle working with DirectTV. Do I need to plug the cable from my dish to my satellite receiver box and then plug another cable from the satellite receiver to my 350? Or, can I just plug the cable from the dish directly into my 350 card and bypass the DirectTV satellite receiver box?

Hmmm... also, if both are possible, if someone could post an "beginner" link pointing to pros/cons of each, that would be great

thanks,
spockware

[JUC]

you need to connect the feed to the STB first, then into your capture card (350).
JUC

[spockware]

I tried connecting my STB to my 350 card. At the most basic level (just WinTV2000App), I scan and get 2 channels (3 and 14). 3 shows whatever I have on my DirecTV STB at the time. For instance, I can change the STB channel with its remote (not the Hauppage remote, have not set it up yet).

Thus, I get TV on my PC ,but only when I have WinTV2000's CH3 set.

Since I got video of some sort, I setup SageTV. I scan channels and get my DirecTV channels, but of course, these come from the Internet, not actually from my STB.

However, in SageTV, when I goto Channel Setup to Enable/Disable/View a channel, I get black & white when I click View. Is there some SageTV property or physical connection/configuration I've missed that tells SageTV to automatically controll my STB channel from the PC?

thanks,
spockware

[Wheemer]

you will need an IR blaster to allow your computer to control the STB. I would recommend the USB-Uirt.

I would use an S-video cable from your STB to your tuner card for best quality.

Sgae has no way to control your STB without setting up an external tuning device.

[spockware]

Thanks, again. I will get one ASAP and continue my setup!

[Opus4]

I think you can look into using a serial cable to control the DirecTV box too. Channel changes should be a bit quicker and get rid of possibly missing the IR code.

- Andy

[spockware]

I've got a Hughes Gold Edition STB. It is about 2.5 yrs old. I don't see a serial cable connector on it. How do you recommend connecting it to my HTPC using a serial cable?