Newbie question on Cable viewing threw PC.

[Isy]

We have cable downstairs in the living room. I have recently put together a PC and want to try and connect it to the cable box downstairs. I need to know the following: -

- Can it be done?
- What hardware (video card, cables, etc) will I need?
- Will I be able to record tv series, movies using the software/hardware?
- What combinations of hardware can I use for different purposes (e.g. from just simple viewing, to recording features)?
- will I be able to control what channel I can view (threw PC) or will the box downstairs determine this?

Thanks in advance.

[kasavien]

my guess is that this -> http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ...ta_hvr950.html would do what you're after, haven't found anything else, but remember google is your friend

[nichomach]

That's an American product, kasavien, so won't work in the UK (NTSC). The problem is that UK cable services only work with their own supplied kit, so unlike Freeview, you HAVE to use the crappy STB that they provide (I love Telewest's service but utterly HATE the horrible overheating underpowered little Pace box that they provided).
Possibly the cable decoders available from http://www.firedtv.co.uk/ might help, but I haven't used one myself.

[kasavien]

ah sorry my mistake, didn't look to see it was NTSC. You could always use a video capture card, this would allow you to see the output from the reveiver on you PC, but as far as i know you would only be able to capture SD output and you would have to use the receivers remote to control it, but you would be able to record and watch things on your computer.

[Isy]

I just discovered I have a D-box (from Nokia). Does anyone know how I can connect this to my pc. E.g. What cables do I need and what card I need to put into my PC.

I am only interested in viewing and recording. I don't want to use the pc to change channels.

[ponders]

Isy, i think (not possitve) all you might need is a cable splitter adapter and long enough cable running up to your room, messy but cheap.
attatch the splitter to the normal input for the receiver, attatch the cable that would normally plug into the receiver carrying the signal into one of the splitters socket, then in the remaining female socket in the splitter is the long cable, to which the other end runs to the apropriate video input on tv.

this would mean that what was watched downstairs would be seen upstairs, now, i dunno if this would be the same for a pc ( newbie too) i guess the right software would be needed to display the picture, unless the cable was connected to your screen, but then i dont know how you would record.

if the cable was attatched to say an s-video input on a graphics card maybe this would be better, but i really dont know for sure as i'm still learning bout these!! Soz cant be more helpful