Mac and Virgin STB

Pushkar · 24-04-2009, 20:11

Hey there,

Im considering purchasing a new iMac for my home use and because it's all built in with the screen, I would be getting rid of my Samsung PC/TV Monitor to make way for it.

As the iMac doesn't have scart ports obviously, it does have a DVI slot and you can get a VGA adapter for it.

So is there a way of using the iMac as a screen to watch Virgin TV on the iMac?

Also, I've read that a DVB-C TV Tuner could do the job - if so; when you scan the channels on the box, would it pick up all the paid ones, so on the M package would it pick up E4 and stuff like that, not just the 5 free channels?

I'll probably end up posting this on the Apple forums, but if anyone has done this in the past, i'd love to get some feedback about it.

EDIT: I've found one of the TV tuners for the Mac that is officially supported, but going by this image: http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/main...oduct4.en.html

It is only has the thing for is it RF in? so you can just hook up the TV white lead, and would I be right in thinking that it won't pick anything up apart from the 1-5 free channels, as it would be decoded by your card in the STB.

MovedGoalPosts · 24-04-2009, 20:55

The TV stuff available via Virgin Media cable can only be decoded by a Set Top Box. That STB can only output one channel of decoded content at a time. A TV tuner card will only be able to pick up that one decoded output channel of the STB.

Don't rely on channels 1-5 in analogue. They will get switched off soon.