DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Hi,
I am currently building a Media PC and would like to use a DVB-C card such as Hauppauge WINTV DVB-C and its Card reader.
As I understand it NTL locks its card to the Mac address of the current Set top box I use. Is there any way I can view my NTL digital on my PC using a DVB-C card?

Many thanks:D

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

No, sorry the only way you can watch NTL Digital is thought the STB.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Is there a reason for this as the card reader will still lock the information.

Ive noticed that most of Europe can do this so why cant we in the UK?

Thanks

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Moved to the NTL Cable TV Support and discussion board.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

It's probably many things contributing to this (noise being introduced onto the network, customer support, potential fraud, etc.) which is why they say you can only connect equipment supplied by them to the incoming cable.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

I can tell you this much. DVB-C is a european standard that should be corss platform, so in theory you could get:
DVB-C card (although it must have correct BDA drivers to work with media center) also have a slot for a CAM
- A Cam of the correct encryption type, I think it's nagravision.
- A valid NTL subscriptions with NTL Nagravision card.

Now the NTL Nagravision card locks to the Nagravision serial number in the in-built CAM in the NTL set top box, so it wouldnt' work unless you could some how change the Nagravaion number in your sperate CAM to the same one of your set, top box.

At the moment they don't make DVB-C cards that have BDA drivers, so no chance.

However I'll bet within the next couple of years, NTL are supprting this as a feature, and your ringing up NTL to get a new viewing card for your media center PC.

I have Media center connected to my NTL set-top-box, it changes the channel fine and captures via my hauppauge pvr-250. I've got a widescreen projector connected and it's amazing in use. For now I'd just use your set-top-box, the image quality is still excellent despite the Digital-Analogue-Digital conversion.

see www.thegreenbutton.com or www.xpmce.com for more infoormation about media center working with NTL.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

I have been reviewing the improvements in Media Center.

Given the new PC on offer from the US Alienware (they also do a 2TB server version) and the fact that Media Center has been shown to support up to 5 TV capture devices, I am looking into removing the set top boxes from the equation.

As it stands I currently have three NTL STB's. These have been working fine for the last 12 months although they gave me much trouble before then - usually when channels in the 101-120 weren't entering properly and I'd record two hours of Pobyl Y Cwm instead of Battlestar Galactica.

Also, two channels at once isn't always enough. I'd like three (or even four) simultaneous feeds. (Apparently the use of more than two receivers isn't licensed within Media Center outside the US for some reason that I am unsure of).

So, I would like to get rid of my STBs and fit two dual DVB-C cards into my PC with an attachment that could accept my SMART cards to decode the signal.

I understand that this was not feasible given what City Boy said above but I wonder if this situation has changed in the intervening years.

Is it possible for me to pursure internalising the DVB-C equipment inside my Vista Media Center?

(I also see that DVB-C2 is up for approval).

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

No, the situation hasn't changed. The cards still need to be paired to the set-top box, and you are still are not allowed to connect your own equipment directly to the network. You can only use Media Center by feeding in the analogue output from the STB.

Considered a V+ or two? :)

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

you can do it but its illegal.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

I see...

Thanks.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

i've had my DVB cards haupagge at that connected directly into my cable box + v+ box
for years. Scart socket or RCA's both work fine i have no clue why your mentioning
about encryption and locking to mac addresses?

The Inputs are put their to be used Terms and services mean nothing if they
provide the sockets to connect too i..e scarts, RCA's its upto me not them if i use it.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

The poster was wanting to receive virgin media broadcasts by using only the DVB-C card & doing away with the cable box - in which case encryption & pairing card to box is fairly relevant - and there wouldn't be any of the sockets to connect to, that you mention, just an F-connector :)

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

yep what the OP wanted to do can be done but not legally.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

ah sorry miss understood :)

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

btw before anyone asks or has ago i dont know how to do it, all that i know is that it can be done.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Hi don`t know much about this stuff just went out and bought a peak dvb-t digital TV pci card which I thought would be handy so I can record some of my kids favorite cartoons as we pay for Virgin Media.I thought seen as I had a 500 gigg hard drive it was perfect and could record direct to disk almost like a vcr as to speak.Well first off the disk I got wasn't compatible for vista so I downloaded a program off the peak website and it says its working but whenever I scan for channels it doesn't find the channel whats on my TV.Evan though its the same a standard Ariel and on the back of my Scientific Atlanta box saying to TV and then into the TV card.I know the Ariel works fine and if I plug it in a standard TV I can watch cable on it.

additional info
Virgin Media
scientific Atlanta explorer 4200 dvb
peak dvb-t digital TV pci card
Pentium 4 3.6
4 gig ddr 2 Kingston memory
asus motherboard
running Windows vista ultimate
radion 512 graphics card


thanks in advance for any advice given

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

a DVB-T card will not work with cable

The T bit stands for Terrestrial which means through an aerial on your roof.

The cable STBs do not output any DVB-T signals

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

O rite thats why i have been having so much trouble thanks for the reply.Pretty useless this card then seen as the switch over is coming soon and i have no annologue ariel on my roof.If i got a digital ariel put on my roof would i be able to pick up freeview channels or would it be just channel 1 to 5.Also is there a card that i could get to pick up my cable heard about dvb-c but havnt seen any in the pc shop near me.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Your DVB-T card will pick up Freeview signals if you plug an aerial into it. You cannot buy any DVB-C card that can legally decrypt and allow you to view Virgin Media services.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was after doing something similar. Although I can't find anything in the T&Cs about using dvb-c cards, I have a happauge pvr-350 I'd like to know how to use with my vbox.

I have to say though, it's not nearly as good as having 2 cable tuners.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

I would not say that entirely true, you could buy one that legally decyctp it as its not ilegeal to decycpt the signal as long as you pay for it, however what is illegal is to conenct and decycpt it when virgin say it is ilegal

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

It is simply against VM's T&C's for you to conenct anything not supplied by them directly to the cable. Also as stated in this thread thier viewing cards are only partnered with a valid box.

If you're using a viewing card via a DVB-C then it has to be a hacked card which we will simply not allow discussion of in this forum.

If you want to give VM a ring and ask them for a card to be matched to your DVB-C card and see what they say ;)

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

as you say Kymmy, its only against the Virgin Media T&C to connect anything not authorised (to be clearer) by them....

however your comment about "If you're using a viewing card via a DVB-C then it has to be a hacked card" is not quite right,technicly speaking from a contractual Point Of view, your paying for the rental and use of one (or more) devices to decrypt the DVB (Digital Video Broadcast) TV services you pay for.

there are infact ready made matched and available on the open EU markets, paired DVB-C /nagravision CAM suitable for VM use available all over the EU, covered by legal precident to allow any EU resident to connect to your cable supplyer.

so when and if you "give VM a ring and ask them for a card to be matched to your DVB-C card and see what they say ;) " and they say NO you cant do this, and get it in writing from them to be sure....

you could then if you like, potentially bring a simple "small claim" county court case of "invalid clause" restricting your EU rights for connecting any 3rd party equipment to Virgin Media's cable network to use your valid current subscription.

not that anyone has bothered to do so so far OC, but its an option open to anyone that can be bothered to look at the EU DVB-C cable TV, and free trade laws AFAIR.

for instance to try and drag VM into the legitimate EU 3rd party DVB-C hardware marketplace...

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

I never said it wasnt illegal only that it not illegal to use dvb c card and connect it to cable but it illegal to use it on virign network

---------- Post added at 12:13 ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 ----------

That basically what i was saying but i said it dumb terms that didnt make sense

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

technically speaking its still not illegal (illegal refers to breaking a law, breaking a companys T&C's are not breaking a law just breaching your contract ;))

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Unless you use it to receive encrypted channels without a valid Smartcard/Sub ;)

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

as the OP swooney , way back in 04-06-2004 asked "Is there any way I can view my NTL digital on my PC using a DVB-C card?" so made it perfectly clear they wanted to use their VALID payed for Subscription to do this, your point seems rather at odds with the question.

and yes back then, you could also buy first generations of these DVB-C cards, cams etc, so they could have.... :angel:

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

Just don't want there to be any confusion of what is a T&Cs breach and what is illegal

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

indead, just to make things simple.

LEGAL but a breach of your contract with virgin
Connecting a DVB-C card (or box) to VM's network to receive channels you have a valid subscription for. Though as popper has said that clause in VM's contract MAY in itself bee invalidl under EU laws (and thus unenforcable) due to the restriction on free trade it creates.

ILLEGAL AND a breach of VM's T&C's
Connecting a DVB-C card (or BOX) to VM's network when you DONT have a valid subscription, OR using it to view channels/serices your not paying for

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

"MAY in itself be" Invalid "under EU laws (and thus unenforcable)due to the restriction on free trade it creates." and/or the laws that forbid all EU cable operators from restricting 3rd party DVB approved equipment being owned and connected to valid subscriptions cable network by the consumers.

the key being DVB approved, usually anything CE certified ISTR.

Re: DVB-C card and NTL help needed thanks
 

corrected the post thanks popper (though if the clause dose breach EU law then the clause will bee invalid and applying the clause would bee illegal) so the term illegal (in its loosest sence) could bee used :P

oh aint semantics fun hehe