HD-PVR and scart output

[mikesusangray]

Hi guys!

My cable company here in Switzerland has switched to a set top box that can't put out a composite or s-video signal. There's no HD yet, just SD. The only output it offers is an RGB Scart output, which I can't convert to a signal my ATI 550 Theater Pro is able to process. So I need to find a way of dealing with an RGB signal. Enter new Hauppauge box.

The question is, can I run it on my system?

I run SageTV under XP-sp3 on a Northwood 2.8 gig HT system, 1gig RAM, Radeon 9500 (128mb). So no dual core here and only 128mb on my graphics card. But then again, I'm not trying to watch 1080 or even a 720 stream - all I can get (for now) is SD stuff. Am I going to be OK with one of these units?

BTW, I was looking at getting one of those Sweetspot/PDI deluxe cards until I saw this - but this seems like a much better choice for the same money. In particular, the Sweetspot cards don't work well with SageTV, and though I'm an old Dscaler guy, I would miss time shifting, EPGs and a lot of other nice features of SageTV. Also, the Sweetspot cards can't handle an HD stream, whereas as this one would have me future-proofed, so that I could use the box with a HD signal on a more powerful system.

What say?

[HelenWeathers]

Look into this for your SCART box:
http://www.svideo.com/ypbprsv1.html
It will solve your s-video issues for now and the YPbPr for later, assuming you have L/R audio outs on the STB.

Your system probably would be able to record from the HD PVR but is way underpowered for playback of HD content IMO. You will eventually need to upgrade to a better system (CPU/Video/MB/Memory ??)

[mikesusangray]

Heya - thanks for the response!

I have one of those converters already, but for it to be usable, the set top box ALSO has to be able to change its signal type - otherwise you get only black and white. The old line of set top boxes did that; the new ones can't. So it's either SCART or component or nothing.

What I'm thinking right now is this: Just now, all I need is for my system to record and play SD material recorded by the hd pvr. If it's powerful enough for that, I'm fine.

However, in another year or two my cable service will probably expand their HD service enough to interest me in subscribing to that. Then - and only then! - I'll look at upgrading my cable subscription AND my motherboard/CPU/GPU/storage. And at that point the "hd pvr" box will still be serviceable. Maybe a little behind the curve, but I expect it'll still be good foa couple more years.

But I need to find out whether my PC can handle the box's SD output.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by mikesusangray

But I need to find out whether my PC can handle the box's SD output.

Your PC is fine for SD recording and playback. You just need to be able to get a coax, component or s-video signal from your STB.

EDIT: component above should have been composite: notified mikesusangray of my error via PM.

[mikesusangray]

Great! I've got component, so I'll be in business.

[HelenWeathers]

If your STB has only SCART & component outputs and you can by a converter to convert component to s-video. Those converters are $150-200 as far as I know, and that's a lot to pay for a short term solution.

Maybe someone that reads this is aware of a converter for less and will post a link.

[sleonard]

I don't know who makes it or where you can buy it but I have seen a PCI card mentioned in these forums that is standard def only but does have component inputs. Probably a lot cheaper than the HD-PVR. Try searching the hardare forum if you're interested.

S

[mikesusangray]

Whoa -

Umm, are you guys saying that the HD-PVR is not able to read SD if it comes in through the component input - i.e., that SD can ONLY come through the s-Video or composit inputs, that the comonent inputs are ONLY for HD??

That sounds really, really weird - but since I've already ordered a unit, I'm now officially scared! One way or another, I will be finding out quite soon!

[mikesusangray]

Originally Posted by sleonard

I don't know who makes it or where you can buy it but I have seen a PCI card mentioned in these forums that is standard def only but does have component inputs. Probably a lot cheaper than the HD-PVR. Try searching the hardare forum if you're interested.

I know it - it's called either the Sweetspot (UK and Europe) or PDI Deluxe (US). It has some serious drawbacks, however. First, it costs about the same amount. Second, it doesn't do hardware encoding, so you have to use software encoding if you want to record or place-shift - and that's a significant burden on the system. Third - as a result of (2) - it seems to be only marginally compatible with SageTV.

It does work well with Dscaler 4 - and Dscaler 4 is a cool program. But given all the above, I'd definitely prefer the Hauppauge machine, and count on using it to pick up HD in the future.

Mike

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by mikesusangray

Umm, are you guys saying that the HD-PVR is not able to read SD if it comes in through the component input - i.e., that SD can ONLY come through the s-Video or composit inputs, that the comonent inputs are ONLY for HD??

No, it records whatever format is coming into it via the component cables, up to 1080i. You should be fine with a component connection.

- Andy

[HelenWeathers]

The only output it offers is an RGB Scart output.....I've got component, so I'll be in business.

Ok, you confused me. You initially said you STB only has Scart. Now you say it has component. If it has component then you can feed that to your HD PVR.

But I need to find out whether my PC can handle the box's SD output.

Which box? The cable box or the HD PVR?

So no dual core here and only 128mb on my graphics card. But then again, I'm not trying to watch 1080 or even a 720 stream - all I can get (for now) is SD stuff. The question is, can I run it on my system?

No matter what kind of signal you feed the HD PVR the output from the HD PVR is H264 (HiDef). Your system probably would be able to record from the HD PVR but is way underpowered for playback of most HD content IMO. That's why I suggested you may need to upgrade your system to play HD. I was thinking you might just use a standard capture card until then, but that would only work if you had coax, composite or s-video.

Now that you have ordered the HD PVR and have said that your STB outputs component you should be able to record HiDef. You may have some playback issues though.