Gaming cpu to record HDMI input

[impelledram]

Hello all, I am considering buying dual SLI GeForce GTX 480 gaming system and would like for it to double as a home theater machine. I am a bit confused so any help would be appreciated. What I want to do sounds pretty simple however I'm not sure of some of the interfaces. I'm pretty sure I will need a HDMI video capture card (PCI-e?) but will this video also be able to be output through the SLI's? Most of the TV tuners process the video and output after compression on the same board. This is not what I want; I want to take full advantage of the system. Will I need 4 PCI-e slots if I am using dual SLI, PhysX GPU, and HDMI capture card?

Basically, I want to watch cable TV, record cable TV, play 3D blueray, and play 3D games on a TV or projector. My TV comes in through twisted pairs (dsl) then is wireless to the set top box so there are no coaxial or "cable" interfaces. Just HDMI or YPbPr out of the set top box. So I suppose I would like my machine to replace one of those hd PVR boxes. Can this be done?

Thanks for the help.

-Cheers

[jagabo]

You will find little on cable TV to watch or record via HDMI because it is all HDCP encrypted. If you're lucky, you'll be able to record local broadcast channels. But you could just as well get those as MPEG transport streams off-air (ATSC) or via QAM.

You can capture HD gaming vis HDMI but not on the same computer that's playing the game -- it's too compute intensive.

[impelledram]

Ok so your saying that something like the blackmagic intensity shuttle will not record the cable company's video out because of HDCP encription? Does my Hitachi HD TV decript this data stream?

[jagabo]

Ok so your saying that something like the blackmagic intensity shuttle will not record the cable company's video out because of HDCP encription?

Yes, that is what I am saying.

Does my Hitachi HD TV decript this data stream?

Yes. But you can't record the encrypted stream with an Intensity Pro then expect your TV to decrypt the video while it plays the file. The originating device won't send the encrypted stream to the Intensity Pro. Even if it did, the Intensity Pro would not record the signal. And even if the IP recorded the signal, HDCP is a realtime, secure, fully handshaked encryption between the originating device and the receiving device. You can't just send the TV an ecrypted stream and expect it to decrypt and display it.

Your only real option is to record the component analog output of your cable box with something like the Hauppauge HD PVR. But beware, most HD cable boxes will not output both HDMI to the TV and component video at the same time. Which basically means you have to disconnect the HDMI cable from the TV if you want to record component video. And cable companies can disable the component output any time they want.

[DarrellS]

I had to use splitters on my Component cables to connect the component out from the SA8300 to both the HD-PVR and the TV. I also had to use digital coax out with an optical adaptor to get audio to the Hauppauge. I tried to use an optical splitter but the Hauppauge wants optical passthrough to work and if you turn the Hauppauge off then you don't get audio passthrough to the reciever. Somehow it's able to get audio with the coax converter. I have an optical out from the Hauppauge connected to nothing to fool it into passthrough to get it to work.

The splitters that I used were just heavy audio splitters but they work. You could buy a Component splitter off the internet.

[edDV]

Splitters create an impedance mismatch that will affect levels and picture quality. Better to use a component distribution amp to keep quality.

[edDV]

Basically, I want to watch cable TV, record cable TV, play 3D blueray, and play 3D games on a TV or projector. My TV comes in through twisted pairs (dsl) then is wireless to the set top box so there are no coaxial or "cable" interfaces. Just HDMI or YPbPr out of the set top box. So I suppose I would like my machine to replace one of those hd PVR boxes. Can this be done?

Thanks for the help.

-Cheers

The HD-PVR can capture the input. You would use the included IR Blaster to control the set top box channel selection from PVR software (e.g. MCE, BeyondTV, GBPVR, SageTV...). Make sure their guide supports your TV service.

On the export side, you would feed HDMI off the primary SDI card to the HDTV or projector. Both need to be HDCP compatible to play Blu-Ray directly.

[DarrellS]

Splitters create an impedance mismatch that will affect levels and picture quality. Better to use a component distribution amp to keep quality.

Could I use the HDMI out from the cable box to the HDMI in on my Sony STRDH810 and use the HDMI out from the Sony to my LCD and the Component out from the Sony to the Hauppauge HD-PVR to get around the cable company killing component out or use the Reciever as a component splitter? Well, after looking at the manual, the first question is no. I'll have to try the Compoment cables.

[edDV]

Even if your receiver is capable of HDMI to component conversion, HDCP prevents this from being done from an encrypted set top box feed. The box will refuse to output if the receiver attempts to decode. You can test this now. Send HDMI to the receiver and component to the TV.

[jagabo]

You want an HDFury2 or Mux HD.

[DarrellS]

Even if your receiver is capable of HDMI to component conversion, HDCP prevents this from being done from an encrypted set top box feed. The box will refuse to output if the receiver attempts to decode. You can test this now. Send HDMI to the receiver and component to the TV.

It says in the reciever's manual that if you hook up HDMI in that it will not output video from any other video outs or audio from the audio outs. Only from the HDMI out.

I know already that the COX cable box kills the component out if I have the HDMI hooked to the TV. That's why I had to split the component out to the TV and the Hauppauge. Well, I could've ran it to the hauppauge and out to the TV but it won't work if I turn off the Hauppauge and I don't really want to have to leave the Hauppauge on when I'm not using it.

I have no idea why the audio won't work in the Hauppauge unless I have it hooked the way I do. I always thought passthrough meant it would pass the signal through without the unit being turned on. That's how every other device I've used worked. I wasted my money on the optical audio splitter (it works, just not with the Hauppauge) and would've had to buy the coax to optical adapter if I didn't already have it.


EDIT: Nevermind, I thought it had one component input and three outs but it has three inputs and one out.