[Merged] ntl DTV & DVD Recording

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Why can't you? Surely you could write an app to access the FAT of the Sky+ HDD, so you can see the stream. The next problem is decoding it. That would be difficult as you point out the snowballs in hell and modular sky cards scenareo, but ultimately not impossible in time.

I'm sure this can be done with the SA8000 as that must record the decoded stream as you have quality options, thus it is already possible in the US, the biggest market. That box has Firewire and USB2 on it so connecting the HDD to the PC must be a breeze.

As far as I know the encryption is left on the SKy + recording. If you remove your smartcard then I don't think you can watch the recording (that may only be the premium stuff tho). If you buy a PPV movie on Sky + you have a limited time to watch the recording.
Tivo in the UK uses a different file formatting so that you cannot transfer your recordings onto a PC for copying and distribution.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

As far as I know the encryption is left on the SKy + recording. If you remove your smartcard then I don't think you can watch the recording (that may only be the premium stuff tho). If you buy a PPV movie on Sky + you have a limited time to watch the recording.

As I assumed - mentioning snow in sunny climbes

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

Tivo in the UK uses a different file formatting so that you cannot transfer your recordings onto a PC for copying and distribution.

So nobodies written conversion software yet?

[chambece]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

As I assumed - mentioning snow in sunny climbes



So nobodies written conversion software yet?

From what I understand you can get tivo streams to your PC so you could burn them to DVD.

The other thing is if I recall correctly the Sky+ box does *not* have two 'tuners' . It has two LNB inputs allowing you to see two sat streams at once, and if you record, it simply dumps the stream to the HD - no decoding, or encoding is done. So as you only are able to watch one thing at once, you only need one decoder. I suppose the LNBs are 'tuned' but you get what I mean. This is obviously different from tivo, which encodes a video stream, just like the DVD recorders, so if you wanted to make a DTT DVD recorder, you'd need two tuners, and the associated codecs.....

As as someone already mentioned, your sky card then decodes the 'incoming' stream....

Originally Posted by chambece

From what I understand you can get tivo streams to your PC so you could burn them to DVD.

The other thing is if I recall correctly the Sky+ box does *not* have two 'tuners' . It has two LNB inputs allowing you to see two sat streams at once, and if you record, it simply dumps the stream to the HD - no decoding, or encoding is done. So as you only are able to watch one thing at once, you only need one decoder. I suppose the LNBs are 'tuned' but you get what I mean. This is obviously different from tivo, which encodes a video stream, just like the DVD recorders, so if you wanted to make a DTT DVD recorder, you'd need two tuners, and the associated codecs.....

As as someone already mentioned, your sky card then decodes the 'incoming' stream....

How can you get two streams into the box then? You have to demodulate the signal to recover the stream. To demodulate you need a tuner. Two streams then two tuners.

You can get the recording from a Tivo onto your PC but its not a standard function, and its naughty so don't do it !!!

[QUOTE=SMHarman]As I assumed - mentioning snow in sunny climbes
[QUOTE]
Sorry mate missed that bit!!!

[chambece]

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

How can you get two streams into the box then? You have to demodulate the signal to recover the stream. To demodulate you need a tuner. Two streams then two tuners.

Wasn't too sure of the terminology, sorry - if the demodulater is what does the tuning, then sure - but there still is only one decoder though isn't there?

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

You can get the recording from a Tivo onto your PC but its not a standard function, and its naughty so don't do it !!!

It is indeed a non-standard thing - I am a tivo-bod, but haven't gone as far as anything like this - a friend can set his via his phone when he's in the pub!!

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

Sorry mate missed that bit!!!

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

Fair point, no ntl would not add Joe Publics kit to the CAS!!!

Snowballs and Hell come to mind regarding Sky and a CI module tho. They already have 7 million subscribers, and I can't see people leaving them for this functionality.

Again I will point out tho that the broadcasters will not be happy with perfect recordings which can be copied and swopped between people.

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Why can't you? Surely you could write an app to access the FAT of the Sky+ HDD, so you can see the stream. The next problem is decoding it. That would be difficult as you point out the snowballs in hell and modular sky cards scenareo, but ultimately not impossible in time.

I meant I missed the bit in this post where you said about decoding it!!!

[nialli]

Does anyone have any suggestions before I go out and buy a DVD/HDD recorder next month? I've got a Pace 2000 NTL box and want to be able to record RGB. I think my only option of the current boxes available is either of the Panasonic models, but I'm not sure if they work okay with NTL. Also, does the widescreen formatting get recorded onto DVDs or HDD?

Originally Posted by nialli

Does anyone have any suggestions before I go out and buy a DVD/HDD recorder next month? I've got a Pace 2000 NTL box and want to be able to record RGB. I think my only option of the current boxes available is either of the Panasonic models, but I'm not sure if they work okay with NTL. Also, does the widescreen formatting get recorded onto DVDs or HDD?

The widescreen info in line 23 should be recorded, so switching in theory should be retained.
Can't recomend any DVD or HD recorders as I've never used one. I think a trip to another site like AV forums may be the best bet.