Cheap Digital Converter over the Web?

[techiejustin]

I have a friend who is heading to Asia for an English teaching job. She'll probably be there for a year.
What is the best way to stream the output from one of those cheap digital converter boxes? It is oly going to be for her, and since I have an extra one of these boxes sitting around collecting dust, I figure I might be able to set up a little steaming server she can watch my local TV stations. I'm only talking about free over the air digital TV - not Comcast. I have enough spare PC parts to toss together a little Linux or Windows machine so a devoted PC isn't a problem. Since it would only be standard definition, bandwidth wouldn't be a problem either.

[usually_quiet]

I have never done anything like this, but I have some ideas.

If you use a converter box, you will need a capture device with an RCA composite video input and RCA stereo audio inputs or an analog PC TV tuner to feed video and audio to a PC. VLC can stream captured video to the internet. Either VLC or DScaler could provide a viewer she could access with remote desktop software. However it will be difficult for your friend to change the channel on the converter box from a remote location. You would need to take care of that for her.

An inexpensive digital (ATSC) PC TV tuner would be preferable to a converter box. That way your friend could use some kind of remote desktop software to control the PC and the tuner. You will need to position the antenna so she can receive the channels she wants. Note that PC TV tuners often need an amplified indoor antenna for weaker signals that a converter box may tune with an unamplified antenna. If you install and set up NPVR (Windows) or MythTV (linux), she could watch live TV or record shows to view later.

Here are some examples of digital PC TV tuners in the $40-$50 dollar range. There are cheaper PC TV tuners, but I wouldn't trust them. An internal card is a better choice than a USB stick for something that will be on all the time. The KWorld tuner is not the best product of its kind but there are few PCI digital TV tuners to choose from. The Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 is likely better, but also much more expensive

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815127009
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100042
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815260032

If you plan to use Linux, you would probably need something different due to Linux drivers not being available. Hauppauge's products would be your best bet http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Hauppauge

Here is a link with information about some free remote desktop software http://lifehacker.com/5080121/five-best-remote-desktop-tools

[Edit] A Slinbox Solo might be something else to look into. It may work with a converter box to some extent, and plugs into your home network. It is supposed to be easy to use, although it isn't cheap.

[techiejustin]

Ah ha!
Slingbox! That should do the trick. I'm looking at the Slingbox AV on ebay. Cheap and simple. The AV has composite inputs on the back so I can use any video source, which would be great if I ever decide to set up some sort of spycam.

EDIT:
If I really want to be a cheap bastard, I can get a Slingbox "Tuner" which has a coaxial input instead of RCA composite. Since it takes the old analog signals (here in the US we switched to digital last year) they're going for fairly cheap on eBay. Have the coax output from the digital converter go to the Slingbox Tuner and let it do its thing. It has some sort of IR probe that lets the user change channels from afar.

Attached: The Tuner versus the AV. Whichever I can get cheapest it the one I'll go for.

[usually_quiet]

You may or may not be able to change channels with a Slingbox. If the Slingbox has a remote learning function it will be more likely to work for changing channels on a converter box. If Slingbox pre-programs their products with the remote control codes for the set-top boxes used by various cable and satellite provider that is a different story. I have only heard of a few converter boxes that use the same remote codes as those used by one of the other kinds of set-top boxes.

[Edit]Since the Slingbox tuner is an analog tuner, it won't control your converter box. When it changes channels, it only changes itself, and that would disconnect the converter box, which has to be set up to use analog channel 3 or 4 for coax.

[techiejustin]

You may or may not be able to change channels with a Slingbox. If the Slingbox has a remote learning function it will be more likely to work for changing channels on a converter box. If Slingbox pre-programs their products with the remote control codes for the set-top boxes used by various cable and satellite provider that is a different story. I have only heard of a few converter boxes that use the same remote codes as those used by one of the other kinds of set-top boxes.

[Edit]Since the Slingbox tuner is an analog tuner, it won't control your converter box. When it changes channels, it only changes itself, and that would disconnect the converter box, which has to be set up to use analog channel 3 or 4 for coax.

I keep getting outbid on eBay for the Slingbox AV. Those things go for upwards of $70 sometimes.
I'm also looking at products from silicondust - but it appears they are HD only and are designed for intranet only - not streaming out to the world.

Are there any Slingbox like competitors out there that I'm not seeing?

[usually_quiet]

I keep getting outbid on eBay for the Slingbox AV. Those things go for upwards of $70 sometimes.
I'm also looking at products from silicondust - but it appears they are HD only and are designed for intranet only - not streaming out to the world.

Are there any Slingbox like competitors out there that I'm not seeing?

Sorry, I haven't heard of anything else that works like a Slingbox.

[techiejustin]

I keep getting outbid on eBay for the Slingbox AV. Those things go for upwards of $70 sometimes.
I'm also looking at products from silicondust - but it appears they are HD only and are designed for intranet only - not streaming out to the world.

Are there any Slingbox like competitors out there that I'm not seeing?

Sorry, I haven't heard of anything else that works like a Slingbox.

I did some research.
Hava Gold is one that gets decent reviews and tends to be cheaper than the Slingbox AV. Their capabilities are alost identical, I don't know why the Slingbox AV is so much pricier. Name recognition?
Sony has a product called the "LocationFree" but there's no Mac support.
At any rate, thanks for the input, I'll have to see what kind of lucky deal I can get on eBay.

[techiejustin]

This is what it looks like.
She has a decent connection for now. I have my Comcast Cablebox connected to the SlingboxAV. I wish it has pass through connectors though. However I have a composite amp/splitter so it seems to work fine.