Best way to stream Virgin media TV (1 Viewer)

[eetaylog]

We've just moved into a new house and im toying around with ideas for the new setup of our server and clients.

The main thing im trying to get sorted is the choice of TV server streaming sources. At the moment we have an aerial plugged into a dvb-t card in the server which streams freeview over the network without issue, however I want to move over to possibly using virgin or sky for providing our broadband and TV so we can have the HD channels, but I'm not quite sure how the virgin media would hook up to the server. The service would be over copper (asdl) so presumably I'd need a different TV card? Are these sort of TV services encrypted?

Pretty new to the different ways mp TV server can receive it's channels as we've only ever used dvb-t so any pointers would be great

TIA

 

[mm1352000]

Hello

I'm pretty sure all VM channels will be encrypted. Same goes for Sky, with the exception of channels that are shared with Freesat.

With Sky, you'd get a satellite dish that can be connected to a DVB-S/S2 tuner. I think the SD channels may be decryptable with an appropriate setup (not a topic that can be discussed on this forum). However you won't be able to get the HD channels decrypted due to changes made by Sky last year. Your only option for the encrypted HD channels (ie. not including Freesat HD channels, which aren't encrypted in the first place) would be to connect the set-top-box supplied by Sky to the PC using a supported capture card (eg. Hauppauge Colossus or HD-PVR).

With VM, I know you'd need a DVB-C tuner. I'm not sure if it is possible to decrypt all, none or only some channels.

Regards,
mm

 

[Jasmeet_181]

It's possible to read a VM smart card and decrypt all subscribed channels, including HD. You need to be in a cable area though as Virgin sold their ADSL service to TalkTalk last year and never offered TV over it.

With Sky, the only HD channels that will decrypt are ITV 2-4 and ITV Encore, SD channels work. The BT Sport channels (AMC HD will be added in October) and Premier Sports will also decrypt in HD but are retailed directly rather than through Sky. On top of what you're already getting on Freeview, HD versions of &TV (not on Freesat), NHK World and RT are FTA on satellite but 4seven, Al Jazeera, Channel 4 +1, QVC Beauty and QVC +1 aren't available.

None of the Youview based services will work with MediaPortal (other than the capture card method), TalkTalk TV doesn't even stream any HD channels.

This comparison list might be of some help.

 

[eetaylog]

Good replies, thanks. I won't bother with a TV subscription then, ill just stick with freeview for now as it all seems a bit niggly.

Something I don't understand though is that my in laws have a Sony bravia freeview TV which is able to tune a couple of HD channels over aerial (itv1 HD, and a few other BBC and news channels). They don't have a sky dish so I know for a fact that the channels are being picked up over their co-ax. Can anyone else enlighten me as I didn't think this was possible over the air?

 

[Owlsroost]

UK Freeview has (currently) two muxes that carry HD content in DVB-T2 format, provided that your local transmitter carries them. All you need is a DVB-T2 capable tuner card or USB stick. That will give you almost all the BBC channels plus ITV and CH4/CH4+1 in HD.

Which Freeview transmitter do you receive ?

This is the channel list for Crystal Palace transmitter - https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Crystal_Palace

I've got a couple of these cheap USB DVB-T2 sticks - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MiNi-DVB-...er-FM-DAB-C-/151302022257?hash=item233a4da471 (other Ebay vendors sell the same thing - the base hardware design and drivers are from here - http://www.astrometa.com.tw/integrated_en.html ). They work OK but are a bit slow to tune the HD channels (several seconds).

At the other end of the USB stick price range, the PCTV 290e and 292e are very good - http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCTV-Systems-DVB-T2-nanoStick-Tuner/dp/B004C1176E (I've been using a 290e for several years with no problems at all). But you can by three of the cheap ones off Ebay for the price of a 292e... I suspect the ideal combo might be a 292e plus a cheap one for the situations where you need to watch/record from two different HD muxes at the same time.

(Note the DVB-T2 tuners will also handle DVB-T for the SD channels).

 

[Owlsroost]

If you prefer PCIe cards, there is a secondhand TBS 6280 dual DVB-T2 card on Ebay at the moment - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TBS-6280-...-HD-TV-Card-/171918888220?hash=item28072a0d1c

 

[eetaylog]

Ah right, that explains it. We're on the south coast and use the transmitter on the isle of Wight, which is the same one as my in laws so presumably id be able to pick those channels up as well.

Thanks for the link, I think this might be my problem solved now

 

[Jasmeet_181]

HD channels have been available for nearly six years on terrestrial TV https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeview_(UK)#Freeview_HD. There are three multiplexes but COM7 and COM8 have limited coverage (Rowridge has them all) and will be shut sometime after 2018 (the others will be converted to free up space for mobiles).

Currently there is:
PSB3 - BBC One, BBC Two, ITV HD, Channel 4 HD, CBBC HD/BBC Three HD
COM7 - Cbeebies HD/BBC Four, BBC News HD, Channel 4 +1 HD, 4seven HD, Al Jazeera English HD
COM8 - QVC +1 HD/QVC Beauty HD

Viva, Motors TV, Rishtey, Al Jazeera Arabic and Arise News have also taken advantage of the cheap space on COM7 even though they're in SD and there's also Trans World Radio.

 

[eetaylog]

By the way, is there any advantage of pci over USB? Presumably pci is better as you can get a dual tuner in one slot for around the same price as one of (for example) the 292e sticks.

 

[Owlsroost]

If you have a spare PCIe slot to put it in, a dual-tuner PCIe card is probably a neater solution.

I've always used USB because I don't have the slot space available....

Performance wise there shouldn't really be any difference.