Connecting Sky+ to an external HDD recorder? - Page 2

**Chris** · 28-12-2009, 18:31

Hmmmmm ... you may need an HDMI doubler then, so you can output to the TV and the HDD recorder from the Sky+ box. However, if that works at all, it will not allow you to simultaneously archive to the HDD as well as watching something else on the TV.

Tezcatlipoca · 28-12-2009, 18:33

I assume that "Audio Video In" is comprised of one RCA phono socket for composite video (yellow) plus two RCA phono sockets for left (white) & right (red) audio?

In which case, you'll need a lead with a SCART at one end, and composite video plus stereo audio phonos at the other end.

---------- Post added at 17:33 ---------- Previous post was at 17:32 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Hmmmmm ... you may need an HDMI doubler then, so you can output to the TV and the HDD recorder from the Sky+ box. However, if that works at all, it will not allow you to simultaneously archive to the HDD as well as watching something else on the TV.

Recording from the Sky box's HDMI would not be allowed.

Although anyway I'd assume the HDMI on the Verbatim is an output.

Bruster · 28-12-2009, 18:54

Hi Matt, none of these socket are in use.

Coaxial
Optical
HDMI
Component Out
Audio Video in
Audio Video Out

I just need to know how to utilize on the verbatim. Also The sky box still has:
Coaxial
Optical
Audio Video Out
S-Video which are still not in use.

Tezcatlipoca · 28-12-2009, 21:42

AFAIK, the Sky box only uses the VCR SCART for the archive/copy function. So, as mentioned, you need to connect that to your Verbatim box.

Bruster · 29-12-2009, 11:32

Thanks Gents for all your help.
Well apreciated!

Bruster.

Flyboy · 29-12-2009, 12:34

Why not connect HDMI to HDMI? I don't understand why that should be so difficult.

Stuart · 29-12-2009, 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy

Why not connect HDMI to HDMI? I don't understand why that should be so difficult.

Two reasons. First, the Verbatim box is highly unlikely to be able to record from HDMI.

Second, even if it could, the copyright protection built into the HDMI spec would probably prevent the owner copying most of the programmes Sky broadcasting. HDMI (unlike DVI and VGA) is designed to enforce copyright protection at every step in the system.

Flyboy · 29-12-2009, 18:03

But seeing as Sky do not have any problem with copying the stored content on the Sky+ box, that shouldn't be a problem, should It?

**Chris** · 29-12-2009, 18:14

Yes, it would be a problem, for the reason Stu outlined above. Sky doesn't dislike archiving as such, but content owners do dislike archiving via HDMI because HDMI carries a high definition copy of the content that could (potentially) be pirated. For this reason, HDMI has copy protection built in. Whether the protection is implemented is down to the broadcaster - for example, AFAIK the BBC does not employ HDMI's copy protection on any of its HD broadcasts. But the ability to protect it is there, so archiving via HDMI can't be recommended because it may not always work (I'd expect it to be particularly unlikely to work on the HD movie channels, for example).

Stuart · 29-12-2009, 19:08

Sky will do what their content providors want. Content providors tolerate copying via composite video because there is a measurable drop in quality (not counting the drop from HD to sd). There is no drop in quality or resolution if you copy via either hdmi or dvi. This is why the VCR scarts on both the sky and virgin boxes are composite and not rgb.