Sky+ to PC (DVD writer) advice?

[rlcoach]

I have done a search about the forums and found plenty of information regarding connecting a PC to an analogue video source but have found the results to be inconclusive. Maybe there isnt one perfect answer.

My situation is I am recording programs onto sky plus (UK satellite pvr), however I have no way of archiving things off. I would like to take certain important recordings off sky plus and onto DVD. I dont have a dvd recorder but do have a dvd writer/firewire on my pc so thought that might be the way to go. So far I see the following options to my problem.

1) Buy a DVD recorder and connect to sky plus to record things off (v expensive for a decent recorder)
2) Buy an external analogue to digital converter, plug into firewire and capture video, have the option to edit before converting to MPEG2 and writing to DVD
3) Buy an external analogue to digital (MPEG) converter with USB 2. Something like the Hauppage wintv dvr USB2.
4) Buy an internal MPEG capture / graphics card.

From what Ive read using something like the ADVC-100 is a sound way to go, but wouldnt I use lose quality by having to encode twice? The ADVC converting to AVI and then the PC encoding to MPEG2? If I do lose quality this way, should I be looking at getting an MPEG2 capture card.

What advice can you guys give me?

[andydd]

no 1) is the way to get, yeah a bit pricey but damn easy.

[Will Hay]

1)Buy a DVD recorder and connect to sky plus to record things off (v expensive for a decent recorder)
2) Buy an external analogue to digital converter, plug into firewire and capture video, have the option to edit before converting to MPEG2 and writing to DVD
3) Buy an external analogue to digital (MPEG) converter with USB 2. Something like the Hauppage wintv dvr USB2.
4) Buy an internal MPEG capture / graphics card.

I'm the option 2 guy.
I regulaly record from Sky to PC via my ADVC-100 and always go the avi > mpeg2 > DVD-r route.
I can't distinguish from the source.
I've also been using the ADVC-100 with the MainConcenpt MPEG Encoder and 'capturing' directly to mpeg2 with excellent results, but only when I have no need to edit.
I was formerly using an ATI Radeon ViVo and whilst great I'd never go back.
Will

[rlcoach]

I do like the idea of using the ADVC-100, it appeals to my geeky side and will also allow me to do some editing before writing to DVD.

The main stumbling block apart from the cost is that my sky/amp is downstairs and my pc is upstairs. From what Ive read, it would best if I have the ADVC-100 close to my satellite, connect it with a high quality s-video lead and then firewire to my PC. However my pc is upstairs . Again I have several options.....

1) run a firewire cable up the front of my house and into the above bedroom, thus keeping lead under 10m.
2) Use my laptop to plug into firewire and copy to upstairs computer via my network. 2 problems here are that my laptop is showing its age, a small 10 gig hard drive and 600mz celeron processor as well as only being connected to my home network by a 11mhz wireless connection
3) Use a video sender, but I guess that would intefere with my wireless LAN and would also mess up the quality of the video somewhat.
4) ummm dunno are there are any other options?

[Richard_G]

4) ummm dunno are there are any other options?

Move the pc downstairs......

Although a lot of people believe most of the Hi-Fi mens type bullsh*t about loss of quality with long cable runs, it isn't that critical. I've used a 10m S-Video cable between pc and TV and any loss in quality was so slight as to not be noticable. Admittedly, it was a decent quality one so you could try the same and have the ADVC-100 upstairs next to the pc.

[rlcoach]

4) ummm dunno are there are any other options?

Move the pc downstairs......

Although a lot of people believe most of the Hi-Fi mens type bullsh*t about loss of quality with long cable runs, it isn't that critical. I've used a 10m S-Video cable between pc and TV and any loss in quality was so slight as to not be noticable. Admittedly, it was a decent quality one so you could try the same and have the ADVC-100 upstairs next to the pc.

I`m afraid I cannot move the PC downstairs .

If I connect ADVC-100 directly to PC, would a 10m firewire cable be okay. I thought better to have a longer firewire cable and shorter video/audio cables to make it neater.

[TTE]

I use a wireless Digisender to relay the signal from my satellite box downstairs to my PC upstairs. Actually works surprisingly well, better than previous cabled options that I tried.

[feenix]

I haven't got one, but isn't the ADVC-100 'video out' as well as video in?

Just an idle thought but if the above is true and you went the long firewire cable route. Wouldn't it be very simple to connect the analogue ports (assuming there are some) to your television (or reciever) and view all your captured and edited mpgs before you burned just to see what the results would look like on a television screen?

Maybe not important but I think I would use this facility is it was available.

[rlcoach]

That sounds like a good idea, is the firewire 2way then?

[feenix]

I believe so. It will take someone who know's for sure to confirm though

[Will Hay]

My satellite signal is received in my sitting room, sent up to the loft and then distributed to each of my bedrooms via RF.
My ADVC-100 is connected to a TV in my main bedorom via a scart adapter and composite leads and trust me, my signal upstairs is as good as it is downstairs.
I have trouble taking screenshots because for some reason I get red saturation and a little darkness when I do, but as I say I don't sufer any drop in quality.
Will

EDIT:

Just an idle thought but if the above is true and you went the long firewire cable route. Wouldn't it be very simple to connect the analogue ports (assuming there are some) to your television (or reciever) and view all your captured and edited mpgs before you burned just to see what the results would look like on a television screen?

Yes, you can.
Just to re-iterate, I connect a scart adapter (set to output) to the back of my TV (the TV which receives the sat signal via RF) and run a composite cable to the ADVC-100.
The ADVC-100 is sat next to my PC.
Will

[bugster]

Buy one of the cheaper standalone DVD recorders. Connect to your Sky+ using the RGB connection and record to RW disks. Take these disks to your PC to deit. No problems if all you want to do is cut and splice. Then add your own manus and burn to DVDr.

My setup is Sky+ and Phillips DVDr75 (£199.00 from Richer sounds) connected to Sky+ via the RGB connection (nor S-Video or composite). If you need the 1 RGB outputr for your TV simply loop it through the DVD recorder. With this I can 'archive' several TV programs in one go to the DVD recorder using the SKy+ 'copy' function whilst I sleep, then edit to my hearts content the next day.

If you want to do fancy transitions and stuff in your editing, capturing to avi is the way to go. If all you want is to archive TV shows and movies, but remove commercials, a DVD recorder is a much simpler method.

[Will Hay]

That sounds like a good idea, is the firewire 2way then?

You simply fit the composite cables in the back of the ADVC-100, rather than the front.

I do like the idea of using the ADVC-100, it appeals to my geeky side

WHAT?!??!?!
What's geeky about a peice of hardware like this?
Will

[rlcoach]

That sounds like a good idea, is the firewire 2way then?

You simply fit the composite cables in the back of the ADVC-100, rather than the front.

I do like the idea of using the ADVC-100, it appeals to my geeky side

WHAT?!??!?!
What's geeky about a peice of hardware like this?
Will

I meant geeky in a good way 8). I like the idea of the pc being directly connected to sky and not having the extra step of the dvd recorder. However it does look that the DVD recorder in theory is going to record at the best quality.

[rlcoach]

Buy one of the cheaper standalone DVD recorders. Connect to your Sky+ using the RGB connection and record to RW disks. Take these disks to your PC to deit. No problems if all you want to do is cut and splice. Then add your own manus and burn to DVDr.

My setup is Sky+ and Phillips DVDr75 (£199.00 from Richer sounds) connected to Sky+ via the RGB connection (nor S-Video or composite). If you need the 1 RGB outputr for your TV simply loop it through the DVD recorder. With this I can 'archive' several TV programs in one go to the DVD recorder using the SKy+ 'copy' function whilst I sleep, then edit to my hearts content the next day.

If you want to do fancy transitions and stuff in your editing, capturing to avi is the way to go. If all you want is to archive TV shows and movies, but remove commercials, a DVD recorder is a much simpler method.

What is the dvdr75 like? I dont feel entirely comfortable with philips recorders as my 880/890 has been rubbish.

What is the sky+ copy function?

[bugster]

I have only had the DVDR75 a few weeks but so far I have been pleased with it. Quality om shorter modes (up to 2 1/2 ) hours with RGB input frpm Sky+ is excellent. Havn't tried anything beyon 3 hours yet.

Sky+ has a 'copy' function. From the SKy+ program planner screen use the Blue button to mark several recordings to copy, then press select. It will then play all the selected programs one after the other. In this way you can copy several sky+ recordings to an external device (VCR, DVD recorder) in one go without any manual intervention. Check your manual for details.

[rlcoach]

The copy function sounds good, so if I did go down the ACDV-100 road I could set the copy function on everything I want and then leave PC capturing all day. Very clever.

So the question is.

DVD Recorder or ACDV-100. Its a tough one

[SatStorm]

One alternative goes like this:

1. Use a media center to transmit from your sky digibox to your PC upstairs. Use a SCART splitter if you don't have free SCART.
2. Receive upstairs the signal. Feed it to any Video - In capable card (bt8xx(x)/nvidia/ati/philips/whatever)
3. Capture analogue direct to mpeg 2 with mainconcept 1.4.1. For 1/2D1 use an average of 2400, for full D1 use an average of 3200
4. Feed your result mpeg 2 to tmpgenc author (or dvdlab). Author
5. Burn to Disc.

[rlcoach]

What is a media center and how much are they

[jamez666]

Hi, I am also looking to archive my Sky+ programs to PC but want to to it at the best video quality currently possible. I do not want a stanalone DVD recorder as for me it's a totally unnecessary step, waste of disks and you can't to edits (removing adverts, etc). I think the Sky+ box has RGB SCART out (is this the best option?) A number of people have recommended the sweetspot card as it has component in's? (Which i think are better than the inputs on the other capture cards mentioned in this post) http://www.pluggedin.tv/sweetspot/
Is this the best option or are there any alternatives to this card?
Many Thanks, James