Newbie wondering what I'd need

[nonoitall]

We subscribe to a regular (not HDTV) Dish Network package, and I've been wondering if it would be possible to capture the video/audio streams digitally (on my PC), and if so what I'd need. I've already done some capture with analog TV tuner cards, but in the interest of quality, capturing the digital stream directly would be preferable. Do I just need a DVB-S capture card which I could hook up the coax cable from the satellite to, or is more equipment (and $) involved? Despite all my forum searching and Googling I'm still a little lost as to where the smart card goes. Sorry if this has been asked a million times before.

[lordsmurf]

It cannot be done legally. In fact, I don't think it can be done illegally either. North American satellite services simply do not offer the ability for access cards (CAMs) to be used in a computer based system.

Not possible.

Capture it to a DVD recorder or computer capture card. Quality won't really be reduced.

Even if you could grab the satellite files, they are voodoo-like DVB files, they are not compatible with DVD-Video and they're hard as hell to edit because of how the DVB files can mix interlaced and progressive, as well as change framerates or even reverse interlaced, in the middle of a transmission. Multiple times, even!

DVB captures are largely a European luxury.

[elister]

If your DishTV box has a FireWire/1394 output, then you can connect it to either a DVD Recorder (100-150$) via the mini FireWire or iLink connection. You can also capture the stream to your PC should it already come equipped with such a connection, if it doesnt, then you can buy a FireWire/1394 PCI card for 20-30$. Im not sure what software you can use to capture it, but some 1394 cards come with basic editing/capture applications.

[lordsmurf]

Since when do receivers come with Firewire output?

[nonoitall]

Guess I'll stick with analog capture for now. Thanks for the help.

[elister]

Since when do receivers come with Firewire output?

I assume that most HD recievers have Firewire outputs. I actually work for a small cable company and we offer the DCT6200 as an HD box, which sports a firewire output.

The normal digital cable box (DCT2000) has no firewire output.

What nonoitall might want to try, is to upgrade to a HD reciever box by Dish Network (assuming it has a firewire output) but set the component video output to 480p/480i. It may cost an additional 10$ (5$ for HD lineup + 5$ for box rental, but your probably already paying 5$ for the rental on the current SD box).

EDIT: Nevermine, the Dish Network only offers this VIP 211 as a HD receiver, which not only requires you to get your local HD channels over the air (no QAM tuning) but does not have a firewire output.