Directv in HD and the PC?

ItsJustWrong · 07-03-2005, 09:02 PM

I'm getting ready to buy a new HDTV (I'm wide open to which one so opionions are welcomed).

My objective is to be able to hook up both my PC and the DirecTV high def box. I currently have a Sony HD-100 receiver.

Ideally I'd love to run everyting through my PC to use it as a DVR but from researching there seems to be no way to do this with a satelite signal?

My basic questions are what video card and TV have people had success with?

Is there a way to pass a high def signal through a PC from a satelite and have it come out of the PC and still be a high def signal.

This is a great forum and any help would be great.

RSawdey · 07-04-2005, 05:49 AM

Only still compressed Firewire streams can be recorded... if your STB has no Firewire, no recording is possible.

mcullen · 07-24-2005, 11:06 PM

I bought a Dell Dimension 8100 with an ATI Radeon xt850 card and a Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW LCD Panel with the same intent of connecting HDTV through DirecTv. The sales kids at Best Buy said that I needed an ATI HDTV card ($119) and DirecTv HD Receiver ($269). Add in a couple hundred dollars for HDMI-DVI, coax and audio cables; I was all set to have the best of both worlds through one awesome LCD Panel.

With 4 other DirecTv receivers (1 HD Tivo, 1 regular TV, 2 standard receivers) already working, getting the new HD receiver working was a piece of cake. It took me a while (and an extra trip to Radio Shack) to figure out the component audio connection to my PC's sound card (Audigy 2ZS), but it sounds great through the Dell 5650 Surround Sound 5.1 Speaker System. Although, I had to play with the muting the inputs to keep computer generated sound (email notifications) from walking on the TV-generated sound.

The challenges started with the picture. I easily connected the component video from the receiver to the LCD panel, but the resolution was poor (certainly not worth $400-$500 investment). I went back to Best Buy and got the HDMI-DVI digital video cable ($149) to improve the picture quality. When I connected everything, I got the copyright protection message that the LCD panel wasn't authorized to accept the HDCP signal from the HD receiver. At the same time my computer picture quality decreased as I traded the DVI-DVI connection (now occupied by non-functioning HD DirecTv receiver) down to the VGA (15 pin) connection.

I may try to get better component cables, but more than likely I will setup my old computer and a wireless router on my Sony WEGA XBR 36" CRT TV.

Note that the ATI HDTV card was worthless. It comes with its own cheap antenna and is compatible the cable broadcasts, but as far as I can tell (through everything I read and trial and failure) it won't work with DirecTV.

RSawdey · 07-25-2005, 09:07 AM

PC HDTV tuners are only for OTA and unscrambled cable. There's no way to stream HD thru a PC, no HD capable inputs. Incompatible with sat, totally.

Your display seems much more PC monitor than HDTV... what settings are you using in your Sat STB for output? The Dell site says the optimal PC settings are 1920 x 1200...

drfoobar · 12-21-2005, 03:34 PM

am trying to do the same thing ( two days of frustration). Its Dell's fault for not making thier DVI HDCP compliant. Anandtech used a Component Video to VGA (15 pin D-Sub) to get arround the HDCP. (See http://www.anandtech.com/displays/sh...spx?i=2400&p=8) The PQ was very good. Your problems may be the settings. Directv max output is 1080i or 720p. The Dell can achieve more (for example, 1080p) Set the Dell resolution to 1024 x 768 and the Directv receiver to 720p to minimize scalling. Also, the Dell aspect ratio is 16/10 so the reciever need to set to 16/9.

07-03-2005, 09:02 PM	#1
ItsJustWrong What is HD? Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1	Directv in HD and the PC? I'm getting ready to buy a new HDTV (I'm wide open to which one so opionions are welcomed). My objective is to be able to hook up both my PC and the DirecTV high def box. I currently have a Sony HD-100 receiver. Ideally I'd love to run everyting through my PC to use it as a DVR but from researching there seems to be no way to do this with a satelite signal? My basic questions are what video card and TV have people had success with? Is there a way to pass a high def signal through a PC from a satelite and have it come out of the PC and still be a high def signal. This is a great forum and any help would be great. Last edited by ItsJustWrong; 07-03-2005 at 09:06 PM.

07-24-2005, 11:06 PM	#3
mcullen Pursuing HDTV on my PC Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1	Lost Weekend I bought a Dell Dimension 8100 with an ATI Radeon xt850 card and a Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW LCD Panel with the same intent of connecting HDTV through DirecTv. The sales kids at Best Buy said that I needed an ATI HDTV card ($119) and DirecTv HD Receiver ($269). Add in a couple hundred dollars for HDMI-DVI, coax and audio cables; I was all set to have the best of both worlds through one awesome LCD Panel. With 4 other DirecTv receivers (1 HD Tivo, 1 regular TV, 2 standard receivers) already working, getting the new HD receiver working was a piece of cake. It took me a while (and an extra trip to Radio Shack) to figure out the component audio connection to my PC's sound card (Audigy 2ZS), but it sounds great through the Dell 5650 Surround Sound 5.1 Speaker System. Although, I had to play with the muting the inputs to keep computer generated sound (email notifications) from walking on the TV-generated sound. The challenges started with the picture. I easily connected the component video from the receiver to the LCD panel, but the resolution was poor (certainly not worth $400-$500 investment). I went back to Best Buy and got the HDMI-DVI digital video cable ($149) to improve the picture quality. When I connected everything, I got the copyright protection message that the LCD panel wasn't authorized to accept the HDCP signal from the HD receiver. At the same time my computer picture quality decreased as I traded the DVI-DVI connection (now occupied by non-functioning HD DirecTv receiver) down to the VGA (15 pin) connection. I may try to get better component cables, but more than likely I will setup my old computer and a wireless router on my Sony WEGA XBR 36" CRT TV. Note that the ATI HDTV card was worthless. It comes with its own cheap antenna and is compatible the cable broadcasts, but as far as I can tell (through everything I read and trial and failure) it won't work with DirecTV.

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07-04-2005, 05:49 AM	#2
RSawdey Mr. Wizard Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ferndale, Michigan Age: 65 Posts: 5,981	Only still compressed Firewire streams can be recorded... if your STB has no Firewire, no recording is possible.

07-25-2005, 09:07 AM	#4
RSawdey Mr. Wizard Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ferndale, Michigan Age: 65 Posts: 5,981	PC HDTV tuners are only for OTA and unscrambled cable. There's no way to stream HD thru a PC, no HD capable inputs. Incompatible with sat, totally. Your display seems much more PC monitor than HDTV... what settings are you using in your Sat STB for output? The Dell site says the optimal PC settings are 1920 x 1200...

12-21-2005, 03:34 PM	#5
drfoobar Researching Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Shenandoah, Mts, Northan VA Age: 65 Posts: 35	am trying to do the same thing ( two days of frustration). Its Dell's fault for not making thier DVI HDCP compliant. Anandtech used a Component Video to VGA (15 pin D-Sub) to get arround the HDCP. (See http://www.anandtech.com/displays/sh...spx?i=2400&p=8) The PQ was very good. Your problems may be the settings. Directv max output is 1080i or 720p. The Dell can achieve more (for example, 1080p) Set the Dell resolution to 1024 x 768 and the Directv receiver to 720p to minimize scalling. Also, the Dell aspect ratio is 16/10 so the reciever need to set to 16/9.