[mike_pro]

Greetings. I'm currently a Dish network subscriber. When I receive my new Samsung HLN507 (soon I hope!), I'll probably be switching to Comcast HDTV and giving up the PVR, which I LOVE!


Has anyone come up with a good PC based replacement for a PVR? I'm not inetrested in a TiVo or ReplayTV or anything that charges me a monthly fee and won't let me archive the content. I've been looking at the Hauppage cards and the ATI All in Wonder cards. I've got an extra computer I can dedicate for this use.


Does anyone have any experience with these (or other solutions)? I want something that will record with decent clarity, since I will be viewing it on an HDTV. Also, something that preserves the digital sound so I can feed it back to my receiver. Also, how do these things work if I try and record a Hi Def signal? With copy protection, will it only be able to handle something like S-Video ins and out?


Thanks a lot, and please forgive any "newbieness" here.

 

[DaveInFL]

and in my case the ATI All in Wonder cards have been ideal as far as PVR and overall recording. If ATI could complete their work on a HD card then things would be even better.


Right now I use the AIW Radeon for recording and editing, and the MYHD card for high Definition recording.


You can see my setup at davidjohnston.tripod.com


Dave

 

[hindif]

Quote:

Originally posted by mike_pro Has anyone come up with a good PC based replacement for a PVR? I'm not inetrested in a TiVo or ReplayTV or anything that charges me a monthly fee and won't let me archive the content.

is there a way to archive content stored on the DishPVR other than the "dump to tape" method? I'm looking at getting one of these for my Dish feed but would really prefer a method similar to hacking a Tivo.

 

[mike_pro]

There is no way I've found anywhere on the 'net to get the content off of the DIsh PVR.

 

[zxlr8]

What would possess you to switch from dish to cable?? I have Dish Network with their model 6000 and I love it. They have the most HD channels available. I have to say, if you can wait a couple months for the pvr921, it will record 120 gb worth of HDTV as well as having dual tuners. I am pretty sure it is going to be the Ultimate for all pvr based solutions. I plan on saving the $ in upgrading my HTPC to use on the pvr921. You will be very annoyed trying to run a pvr on a HTPC. It will never even come close to being as user friendly as the Dish Network Based PVRs. (Just my opinion)

 

[mike_pro]

Well, what would possess me to do such a thing is that I can get Comcast HDTV for slightly less than I am paying per month now for Dish Standard def. I really don't want to have to shell out around $1000 for the PVR921 when it comes out. If Dish would come out with something where current subscribers could get these new receivers without being screwed so badly I would stay. Comcast will give me a HDTV box for $5/month. If Dish will let me do something similar, I'd stay.


For a few hundred bucks for an ATI AIW card, I can turn one of my spare PC's into a PVR, and that computer has 120GB of disk space too. Seems like a no brainer to me, but maybe I am missing something??

 

[zxlr8]

Well here are the costs of HTPC

AIW Card-$200

Various Software-$100

Cables and Transcoder if needed to pass HD-$200

Better sound Card(optional)-$80-$120

Wireless Mouse and Keyboard with RF-$100(gyration)

Install time and Powerstrip tinkering-$$$(lots)

2.6 p4 to run and stream HD-$231

120 HD-$free for you


My point is you are almost to $1000 and I have missed a few things. You then still have to mess with the not very user friendly pvr function of the HTPC. I am in your same shoes and I am building a HTPC setup right now. I just hope it is worth it. I will buy the pvr921 as well as I don't plan on using the pvr function of the HTPC.

 

[GaryHDTV]

Quote:

Originally posted by mike_pro There is no way I've found anywhere on the 'net to get the content off of the DIsh PVR.

There is a Yahoo group called 'dishrip' dealing with this subject.

 

[mkerdman]

GaryHDTV


What is the exact name of the "dishrip" Yahoo Group.


Can you give me a URL.


Thank you in advance for your prompt assistance in this regard.


Murray Kerdman

 

[mike_pro]

Well, I think I can do it cheaper than that. My extra computer is fully adequate, just needs an AIW card. I can get an 8500 for $150. I don't know about the cables/transcoders you mention, I'm completely ignorant on that. I gather that is to record HD programming? I think I would be happy if I could just record the analog/digital cable signal. It would be nice to record in full HD, but if I could record a show with decent quality I could live with that, since I use it mainly for timeshifting.


I would probably use a keyboard/mouse (and VGA) extender that I have. I like that better than having to change batteries in a wireless keyboard/mouse. But it means I'd need to run the wires through my suspended ceiling. With my setup that will work out OK, but for most people wireless is probably far better. Another solution I've thought of is to use a laptop to control everything through a remote desktop. Kind of weird, but it actually works really well, (and I've got a spare laptop too. Man, I'm a geek!)


So, I think I could do it fairly affordably. But, I'm sure it won't be as nice (or as good of quality) as my current integrated 501 PVR receiver. It just really irkes me that Dish practically encourages their customers to leave because it makes getting their new receivers and hardware so expensive. So, screw them, I'll go back to my cable company that give it to me for $5/month. :-(

 

[0db]

I don't believe it's terribly difficult to pull the HD out of a 501 and dump the programming onto your PC. In fact some BEV users have used the canadian equivalent of the 501 (the 5100) to record the HDTV stream off satellite and play it back via PC, although this process is a little sketchy.

 

[GaryHDTV]

Quote:

Originally posted by mkerdman GaryHDTV What is the exact name of the "dishrip" Yahoo Group. Can you give me a URL. Thank you in advance for your prompt assistance in this regard. Murray Kerdman

It's called simply 'dishrip'. Do a search of that word at yahoo and it's the first item that will appear.

 

[GaryHDTV]

Odb, I don't think the HD channels will show up in the channel guide of a Dish Network 501 PVR, so recording Dish HD with one would not be possible. The do show up in Bev's guide.

 

[0db]

Yeah, I know it won't work with Dish but the fact that people are actively doing this with the same exact receiver makes me confident that there is a workable way to dump files from the 501's hard drive onto a PC for archiving. This does make me want to convert my 501 to receive BEV and catch a few HD movies for long-term storage and use. Of course there's no way to do that legally so I guess I'm out of luck.

 

[mkerdman]

GaryHDTV


Thanks.


Searching groups diod not bring it up.


Murray Kerdman