integrating set-top box

[dalanik]

Was just wondering if there's anything that can be done with set top boxes to integrate them in XLobby... Since they stopped analogue TV in the Czech Rep from 01/10, I was forced to get a set top box. It has scart-out for connecing to recorder devices, so I thought whether this can be used somehow to route the signal to tv card in PC or something...

Anybody any experience with this? The best "integration" that I managed so far is to program my Harmony for set top box Any other ideas?

D.

[lar282]

Analog tv card in pc
ir blaster for changin channel
Mediaportal plugin for xlobby
mediaportal tvserver in the backend.

should work, but I have no expierience of it. I only use digital tv cards since the pic quality is so much better.

//Lasse

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

As Lars mentions above cards are the way to go. If u however took the other route i seriously hope u didnt blow 500€ to one of these boxes which turns your TV well into a TV, when u could have invested 50 more and order PS3 and playTV from UK. Then u would not only have regular DVR capabilities, but also integrated blu-ray player and not forgetting improved WAF with "It cures cancer" argument. Oh did i yet mention it plays videogames too.

Well if u despite all that got fooled by one of those box manufacturers, i really hope it was Dreambox who fooled u. Their STBs are basicly somekinda linuxboxes so avenues for tweaking are endless and i believe theres already a vibrant community in place... With one of those the first tweak u should perform though is prolly a box mod

If u bought something else... i can only hope danube flows near...

[dalanik]

Ha, ha, thanx for both replies, especially to P3rv, he go me laughing

No, the Danube is not nearby, but Vltava is, and it could serve the purpose as well. I didn't buy anything, they gave me one with cable subscription for free. It is cheapest one I suppose, but serves it's purpose

So basicaly, what you both are saying is to hook up set top box to analogue tv-in of my tv card and use some sw to display it on HTPC.

Just one thing - the box has SCART, and tv card has (i suppose) chinch (composite). What can be done with this? My card is a 3-combo analogue/DVB-T/DVB-S tuner card, but I have to use set top box, because subscription to cable has to use decoding card.

here it is:



and the connectors:



TV card is LifeView FlyDVB-T trio PCI:



Can these cooperate?

D>

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

because subscription to _cable_ has to use _decoding_card_.

Ok sorry, PlayTV is DVB-T and has no card slot so its definitely out for your application.

As for your question looks like cinch is sadly only way to go... u prolly can select within box menu either COMPOSITE or COMPONENT(RGB), chooge composite, or video or whatever its called there and use regular break-out cable for scart. This will give u rather lousy PQ thought. S-vid already would be huge improvement, check if theres option for that in the menu... because S-vid was later added to SCART "standard" not all devices support the possibility.

EDIT: just pay attention u dont degrade the tv-scart output from component to composite. Come to think of it, cause it says "VCR" on the other one itll prolly wont even offer to output component signal to that scart, but there might still be choige between composite and s-vid.

EDIT: or perhaps "VCR" outputs s-vid as default try to connect it with scart brekout cable, which has s-vid, to the card and if u get only black and white pic go look s-vid option from the menu.

[defrag]

what's wrong with s-video to s-video? This is how I record from my UK SKY+ box. Your box has a mono plug s-video socket - as does your tv card. Audio you will have to route seperately but you have 2 choices of audio connectors on the back.

[lar282]

what's wrong with s-video to s-video? This is how I record from my UK SKY+ box. Your box has a mono plug s-video socket - as does your tv card. Audio you will have to route seperately but you have 2 choices of audio connectors on the back.

svideo is better than composite, but not all boxes send svideo through the scart.


//Lasse

[Marbles_00]

According to the manual:
http://www.telesystem.com/media/2008/6/ ... iL_Eng.pdf, he does have a selection between component, composite and s-video output to the TV via SCART connection. He most likely is limited to s-video on the VCR connector. If so, he should pick up an adapter like this: https://www.best2serve.com/Home-Cinema/ ... er-(L1717A)/p,shop.flypage/pid,167/cid,1059/ (copy url to new window for full link) to make all the connections to his tuner card.

Your box has a mono plug s-video socket

If your referring to the yellow RCA jack, that is not a S-Vid connection. That box doesn't have a standalone connection for S-Video outside of the SCART connection.

The only kicker is if they (meaning the cable provider) has limited the SCART outputs, or turned off the VCR output somehow, then he may be limited to using the composite RCA jack

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

thats pretty much what i tried to say up there, but marb does it better... my rambling are almost as confusing as SCART-"standard"

Sorry Mr. D but i just gotta loan your thead for a moment to query Lasse or other swedwellers about status of terrestial HD in their state... So basicly is there HD DVB-T boadcast in sweden and if so on which parts? or more speficly is there HD on air in västerbotten? Also is there a official site where i can learn details (jag kan läsa svenska också)?

Reason why im asking is because the dude who decides these things in our state is f***ing senile who believes its best interest to wait for UHD... WTF? there is and always will be new technology looming behind horizon... uhhh dont get me started on this retard...

well anyway im planning to align sunspots just correctly to form an information bridge over kvarken for radiowaves to travel and steal HD-crumbles falling over the table of swedish folkshem. Thats only thing we finnjävels are really really good anyway

[dalanik]

According to the manual:
http://www.telesystem.com/media/2008/6/ ... iL_Eng.pdf, he does have a selection between component, composite and s-video output to the TV via SCART connection. He most likely is limited to s-video on the VCR connector.

Yes, but I believe that is only for SCART which goes to the TV. I'm not certain it is for the SCART which is labeled "VCR".... (since the unit is going to be connected to the TV (no need to have to turn on the PC at all times in order to watch TV, and also WAF)

[dalanik]

OK, I had a scart to composite+audio cable and tried it from VCR SCART but it produced nothing. Then I took simple chinch from composite out of set top box to tv and it was ok. Time to connect to TV card. OK as well... that is, with original program supplied with the card. It has AV button, so I was able to switch to AV input to which I connected TV card. But... how does one do that from MediaPortal??? There is no AV button or anything like that in the settings....

[billberet]

Just an alternative option.

i have 3 fios STB's controlled by my xlobby thru IR
i know you want it internal to xlobby, but you can do the external route.

For me, i have a gefen 4x4 component matrix
4 inputs, 4 outputs
so i have multiple STB's on the input, and output to multiple tv's
i have 3 stb's now, and one has a DVR in it, so depending where my wife is, she sends the DRV STB to the appropriate tv.

the gefen is IR controlled so you can send input 1 to output 3 etc. (all done thru IR)


Hope it helps
-bb

[dalanik]

I managed to set it up under MediaPortal. I have the picture (the sound goes through AMp anyway) but the picture quality is not good at all. And also, even worse, there is like 3-4 second delay on screen when I i.e. use STB remote to change channel etc. So I can't use it. Guess all the "integration" will be through "harmony" remote....