All-In-Wonder video card question

I just got the AIW X800XL, thinking i could setup a DVR out of my computer

that also recorded HD, well I have Charter Cable, and the damn AIW only goes up to channel 125 and of course all the HD channels are in the 700's

Is there anyway of setting up the AIW to recognize ALL the channels I get?

+karma for the help

In short answer, No..99% sure

Only way you can get those channels is if you get a digital tuner, and even then you still may not get them.

One work around is to hook a box up, and put the tuner on channel 3/4(thats what I do) but then you will have to change the channel on the cable box.

Let me know how you make out!

thats how mine works, my tv tuner box plays thru channel 3 so watching chanel 3 is actually wathing almost every station. i jsut change it on the box

It has nothing to do with channel numbers. HD is passed differently than the standard channels anyway, so you can't record it with a regular tuner. You need an HD tuner to record HD.

ok thanks for the help

my next question

I have a DVR box from charter that can record HD, the cable comes into the box through CoAxel(sp?) so if I run the same cable line into my computer why would i not be able to record HD on my computer


also just to make sure I have it straight

I go cable from street ---> cable box ----> computer? ----> TV

I have an HDTV and I am using it as the monitor for the computer

What about Myth TV, anyone know if that would do the trick?

thanks for the fast help

Just split the line that goes to tv, so you have 2 lines that are showing whats on the cable box.

You can record on your computer, the problem arises with how you encode it, your on step 1, getting it to play!

[quote65b7b71f6f="guelah75"]ok thanks for the help

my next question

I have a DVR box from charter that can record HD, the cable comes into the box through CoAxel(sp?) so if I run the same cable line into my computer why would i not be able to record HD on my computer


also just to make sure I have it straight

I go cable from street ---> cable box ----> computer? ----> TV

I have an HDTV and I am using it as the monitor for the computer

What about Myth TV, anyone know if that would do the trick?

thanks for the fast help[/quote65b7b71f6f]
You can't record HD (in HD) regardless of OS, cabling, etc... if you don't have an HD tuner for your PC. I don't know how much clearer I can say this... Then there's all these other issues of whether or not the HD tuner can capture off of encrypted QAM signals that your cable company probably uses.

You can bypass the tuner altogether and get it directly via firewire if your cable box supports it. Google it.

Ok with the channel thing Almost ALL recorders only go through 125 channels. Most software will let you do a hookup like this....you always leave it tuned to channel three and then buy a Infrared Blaster which you set up with the DVR software to change the channel. The most popular one can be found here. http//www.usbuirt.com/[]http//www.usbuirt.com/ Also if your cable box has a parallel port in the back you can hook that up to your computer and control it through that (easier but most computers don't have it).

Also a bigger problem...you need a HD tuner for HD recording...and also...the premium HD signals through the coax are encrypted (stuff like HBO) so you won't be able to record that. You can still record non-premium HD contect if your tuner supports QAM.

Right now HD tuners are kinda unreliable and still in the early stages...so I would stick with a non-HD tuner and just record the HD content in standard def.

I understand that HD can't be recorded through the computer(although they are broadcast channels, so not sure that they would be encrypted since anyone could get them with an antenna)

but why limit me to 125 channels if I can recieve up to 700 through the same cable?(most of which are not HD)

Also with the channel "3 or 4" thing you are talking about this setup

cable from street -->cable box-->TV--->computer

or

cable from street--->cable box--->computer--->TV

next the cable box has ONE input and TWO outputs

coax IN and coax and composite OUT

if I have cable from street going to the IN on the cable box

then have coax OUT to computer can I also have composite OUT to tv?

and has anyone used MythTV?



thanks to

gafdpc
hehehhehe
nextlevel
mrwzk

for their help in answering my questions

as you can see I am a NOOB when it comes to computer DVR

MythTV is run on linux if I'm not mistaken? I've never used it but its the most popular free linux DVR software that I'm aware of.

I think you can run coax OUT to computer and composite OUT to TV...if not you can just split the coax OUT.

If the HD stations are broadcast stations and you have a QAM compliant tuner card you will be able to record those.

The channel issue is analogous to how you watch cable on your TV (or at least how I do). You have the TV set to channel 3, but you switch what you are watching on your cable box. The computer is set to channel 3, but swtiches the what the cable box outputs with the infrared blaster I mentioned or with a parallel cable. Just about all DVR software can handle this switching.

And it would be something like this

cable from street --> cable box --> computer
|
--> TV
If you wanted to watch your recorded shows on your TV and not just your computer, you'd also have to go computer to TV (in standard def usually through composite or S-video output on your video card...you may need to buy a new one)

If I can help in any other way...

gafdpc you da man!!!

i have S-video output on my video card so I should be in good shape

thanks for all the great info, I am on my way home now to try it out

"The channel issue is analogous to how you watch cable on your TV (or at least how I do). You have the TV set to channel 3, but you switch what you are watching on your cable box. The computer is set to channel 3, but swtiches the what the cable box outputs with the infrared blaster I mentioned or with a parallel cable. Just about all DVR software can handle this switching. "

not sure I totally follow this but what I get from it is that it would be similar to a VCR setup where the TV or Computer stay on channel 3 or 4

and I use the cable box to switch channels...correct?

does this not limit you to recording only 2 shows at a time

i.e. you can record one show and record another show while you watch one

again thanks for the sweet help, I'll update when i get it setup

Yes it would be kinda like switching stations on your VCR while keeping the TV on 3/4.

To clarify...with cable unfortunately you can only record one station per cable box...if you have 2 cable boxes you can record one and watch one OR record two (look below about recording two at once)

With an OTA (over the air antenna) the cable box issue is not a problem because all 125 OTA channels come through the coax. With a cable box the input contains all of the channels (encrypted) and the output contains only one channel (on channel 3/4 and unencrypted)

Also, for each simultaneous recording you need a TV tuner. Most chips have one tuner, a few have two. So to record two shows you would need two chips or a chip with two tuners.

I'm rereading this and it seems confusing...but I can't really clarify easily...so reply with any problems.

And not to KMA whore...but that 0 doesn't look to great D

[quote228b33383d="gafdpc"]And not to KMA whore...but that 0 doesn't look to great D[/quote228b33383d]

done wink thanks again

Wow...you understood all that?

[quoteb7303a9018="gafdpc"]Wow...you understood all that?[/quoteb7303a9018]


oops most of it anyway wink

got the video part setup, but i can't get any sound out of the computer

i.e. system sounds, music ect.

tried reinstalling the drivers and whatnot waited on the phone for over an hour with support, got tired and hung up

I'll try again later

Do you have line in as the preferred method?
Make sure it is set to record, and playback "line in" through your Sound/Volume options.(Make sure you have a wire going from the tuner out to the in on your sound card/mobo. - blue line)

It could be on mute.

Dunno about Linux...but on Windows I would go to advanced volume controls -->properties-->recording and make sure that the they're not muted...it should be the line in but try un-muting all of them until you get it right.