hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

I have a new laptop which has a DVD writer on it. Is it at all possible to
hook the laptop up somehow to the sky+ box to copy recorded programs to
disc?

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Beck wrote:

I have a new laptop which has a DVD writer on it. Is it at all
possible to hook the laptop up somehow to the sky+ box to copy
recorded programs to disc?

If it's got a capture card on board, preferably with S-Video input.
Failing that, get an external capture box. Something from Procoder would
do the business.

Regards

Mark
--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Beck wrote:

I don;t have a capture card unfortunately. Are these external boxes
expensive? Is it worth my while just getting a standalone DVD recorder?

Yes, just buy a cheap(ish) DVD recorder that will record to DVDRW or
DVDRAM. Then edit and reburn to DVDR on your PC.

--
Digibox problem? : A reboot solves 90% of these.
The Sky Digital FAQ: http://tinyurl.com/8vef5
UK TV overseas: http://tinyurl.com/6p73
BBC reception questions? ; http://www.astra2d.com/
Fed up with on-screen logos? : http://logofreetv.org/
----
Only the truth as I see it.
No monies return'd. ;-)

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Jomtien wrote:

Yes, just buy a cheap(ish) DVD recorder that will record to DVDRW or
DVDRAM. Then edit and reburn to DVDR on your PC.

Yep, would be my advice too, though if you're not bothered about fancy
menus and frame-level editing you don't need to include the PC part at
all. Somewhere inbetween the two would be a hard drive enabled DVD
recorder. That allows you more recording time and more editing functions
should you want to finally transfer to DVD.

Regards

Mark
--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Jomtien wrote:
Beck wrote:

I don;t have a capture card unfortunately. Are these external boxes
expensive? Is it worth my while just getting a standalone DVD
recorder?

Yes, just buy a cheap(ish) DVD recorder that will record to DVDRW or
DVDRAM. Then edit and reburn to DVDR on your PC.

Probably easier and cheaper if I buy a notebook TV card.

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Mark A wrote:
Beck wrote:

I have a new laptop which has a DVD writer on it. Is it at all
possible to hook the laptop up somehow to the sky+ box to copy
recorded programs to disc?

If it's got a capture card on board, preferably with S-Video input.
Failing that, get an external capture box. Something from Procoder
would do the business.

Perhaps something like this?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...l?msi-dvbt&P=3

Its a Freeview USB card. From what I understand it comes with its own
little aerial so I don't have to worry about using it with rooftop aerial
(which cannot get freeview).

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Beck wrote:

Perhaps something like this?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...l?msi-dvbt&P=3

This is entirely self contained and whilst it would allow you to record
Freeview programmes it won't allow you to record from another external
device such as a Sky+ box.

I'd also be a little concerned about getting a good quality Freeview
signal from a small indoor aerial. Terrestrial digital signals are much
lower powered than analogue terrestrial signals.

Regards

Mark
--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Mark A wrote:
Beck wrote:

Perhaps something like this?
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...l?msi-dvbt&P=3

This is entirely self contained and whilst it would allow you to
record Freeview programmes it won't allow you to record from another
external device such as a Sky+ box.

I was thinking of using it as an alternative to recording from the sky+ box

I'd also be a little concerned about getting a good quality Freeview
signal from a small indoor aerial. Terrestrial digital signals are
much lower powered than analogue terrestrial signals.

That could be a problem but can only check if I actually get it. No win
situation. Of course if I buy it online then I have 7 days or so under the
distant selling regs?

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Beck wrote:

Of course if I buy it online then I have 7 days or so under the
distant selling regs?

True, or you could take your laptop into somewhere selling one and ask
to hook it up - see what sort of picture you get in the shop. That ought
to be a reasonable indicator, though I'm sure when it's crap they'll
try and tell you it's because of the lights, or the other TVs, or
phases of the moon. The real answer will be that unless you're sitting
next to Alexander Palace it will most likely be rubbish.

Which isn't to say that it wouldn't be perfectly fine with a good
wide-band external aerial connected to it.

Regards

Mark
--
NewsGuy.Com 30Gb $9.95 Carry Forward and On Demand Bandwidth

hook up laptop to sky dish?
 

Mark A wrote:
Beck wrote:

Of course if I buy it online then I have 7 days or so under the
distant selling regs?

True, or you could take your laptop into somewhere selling one and ask
to hook it up - see what sort of picture you get in the shop. That
ought to be a reasonable indicator, though I'm sure when it's crap
they'll try and tell you it's because of the lights, or the other
TVs, or phases of the moon. The real answer will be that unless
you're sitting next to Alexander Palace it will most likely be
rubbish.

Which isn't to say that it wouldn't be perfectly fine with a good
wide-band external aerial connected to it.

Trouble with taking it into a shop is that they may not have the same
reception as I have at home.
Can you recommend a decent external aerial to go with these things?
Naturally it needs to be not to big if going with the laptop. I do have
freeview in my area, just that I need an aerial upgrade in the roof.