HD over Satellite in North America

[sk1]

So I'm building a house out in the country and the only option for TV is Satellite, which isn't a bad thing because DirectTV is going to have all those HD channels (it's only bad when it comes to internet access, but don't get me started...)

My question is about HD video distribution.  Assuming I have 2 or 3 HD satellite boxes next to my core, and assuming I get multiple DVB-S cards working at capturing the HD signals (and controlling the satellite boxes), and assuming I have Media Directors in different rooms, what is the best way to distribute those video signals?  I assume I don't want to use a multi-zone receiver that outputs the video out of the yellow RCA, right?  Like this model: http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=190ZR8630A&tp=214

I assume the data that the core is sending out the cat6 is still digital (duh) and when it gets to the MDs then I just need an HDMI or DVI hook-up from the MD to the TV/monitor.  I think I just answered my own question but I'll keep going...  Or do I need or want to run some sort of an HDMI switcher like this: http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?search=multi+hdmi&i=670HDMI2X4 and pull HDMI cables everywhere. 

Or is there something I am not thinking of? 

And can anyone recommend a good multi-source multi-zone (6 or more zones) audio receiver/amp that works easily (or possibly) with LinuxMCE?

Thanks, Skip

[frodmda]

I had a similar idea, to solve all the issues all you  need is Media Directors on every tv, try to get Silent HTPC casings or maybe the fiire station is for you ..

I havnt been able to get any dvb-s PCI working, maybe i am not reading the instructions right but i have reinstalled installed compiled and almost anything you can imagine. i have a 2 geniatech 103g, this is because i need a way to decrypt the signal.

The problem that i see is that there is no easy way of geting the HD content from the direct tv or similar reciever into the linuxmce network, i dont think there is a capture card with a hdmi input that the linucmce will recognice and configure.

I think my solution will be to get 2 HD Homerun and connect the rg6 from trh reciever to the homerun input.

[sk1]

So I'm SOL in trying to get HD content?  bummer.

[sk1]

I think my solution will be to get 2 HD Homerun and connect the rg6 from trh reciever to the homerun input.

I looked into the HD Homerun and it seems to not work with satellite: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDHomeRun
but are you saying plug the sat. box into the HD Homerun and have an IR blaster change the channel on the box and then I can watch TV in HD?  Kinda like keeping the TV on channel 3 and changing the channel on the VCR? 

skip

[PeteK]

Currently there is no way for the average consumer to capture HD output from one of the major satellite broadcasters (Dish Network and DirecTV)  HD cable has the same problem (for encrypted channels).  Encrypted Cable channels can be captured using an ATI cablecard tuner, but this only works with special computers (with a special BIOS) and Windows Vista.  Unfortunately, the DRM on video is pretty strict.

[sk1]

So I've run across this thing called R5000-HD.  Its looks like a cable/satellite box mod and it works with SageTV.  Anyone look further into this and find anything promising?  I know Sage is closed source but it runs on Linux so maybe I could just have a dedicated box hooked up to a modded satellite box and only watch recorded TV.  provided it's not in some crazy DRM format that is only viewable in *their* media player...

Anyone have any experience with this R5000-HD?  I'm just looking for something that is easy enough for the wife to use without yelling at me for making something as simple as watching TV too complicated, while at the same time make me happy...

[skeptic]

Hauppauge announced they will be selling a USB card that will encode true HD video via analog component input (ie - from your sat tv HD YPbPr outputs) as well as 5.1 via SPDIF.  It's supposed to be available in the next couple months, but who knows exactly what that really means.

I'm also a directTV user and I've been considering switching to cable, but that's a crapshoot as to if it's any better. 

Another option is to set it up like the demo video, with the sat receiver at the tv (or 1 at each TV), with the HD outputs going directly to the TV and SD going to your MD(s).  With LinuxMCE controlling everything you can watch HD stuff live and have SD for recorded video as well as live TV on TVs without a HD receiver.

[sk1]

Another option is to set it up like the demo video, with the sat receiver at the tv (or 1 at each TV), with the HD outputs going directly to the TV and SD going to your MD(s).  With LinuxMCE controlling everything you can watch HD stuff live and have SD for recorded video as well as live TV on TVs without a HD receiver.

I was laying awake in bed and that is the same thought that occurred to me, and it also will help save on disk space cuz full HD is like 7gigs an hour or something like that...
And then I could also feed the SD into the multi-zone amp and get the output on all the monitors using the 'follow me' feature... 

Things are looking up, maybe I can get some sleep.  This house is stressing me out.  Word of advise: don't be the general contractor on your own home.

skip

[golgoj4]

Another option is to set it up like the demo video, with the sat receiver at the tv (or 1 at each TV), with the HD outputs going directly to the TV and SD going to your MD(s).  With LinuxMCE controlling everything you can watch HD stuff live and have SD for recorded video as well as live TV on TVs without a HD receiver.

I was laying awake in bed and that is the same thought that occurred to me, and it also will help save on disk space cuz full HD is like 7gigs an hour or something like that...
And then I could also feed the SD into the multi-zone amp and get the output on all the monitors using the 'follow me' feature... 

Things are looking up, maybe I can get some sleep.  This house is stressing me out.  Word of advise: don't be the general contractor on your own home.

skip

heh. im the gc on my parents home. i feel your pain! wish you luck on the build.

[sk1]

wish you luck on the build.

Thanks.  There is something about the do-it-yourselfer in me that helped me make the decision to GC it myself, and perhaps that same attitude is what draws me to linux...

skip

[golgoj4]

wish you luck on the build.

Thanks.  There is something about the do-it-yourselfer in me that helped me make the decision to GC it myself, and perhaps that same attitude is what draws me to linux...

skip

its probably that feeling of ultimate satisfaction when your done. I just finished a small room refurbish and I take pride that I didn't sub out a damn thing. Anyways, enough of me hijacking the thread. 

[sk1]

Anyways, enough of me hijacking the thread. 

It's my thread, Jack away.

// that sounded bad

[golgoj4]

Anyways, enough of me hijacking the thread. 

It's my thread, Jack away.

// that sounded bad

if you say so...

in other news, i hate CA sometimes. I would pretty much have to be a fracking millionaire to build my own home out here. Land is freaking expensive! I helped a retired Navy Captain (more like was recruited ) move into his new huge house up in washington state. New house and land totaled out a little over 500k. It was a nice place too. A little generic for me but it was huge and was really one of the only homes I had seen with Cat-5 to every room, central wiring closet and a psuedo smart home system. This was in 2001 so was all the more impressive. To me anyways.

i guess the moral of my rambling is while it is a large job, im a bit jealous  One day i'll escape this insane town and build my own house. I have enough freaking designs.

And the last thing. Going back to the point of the thread, this is some thing that irks me in general. The restrictions on what we can do with our signal. It just seems more and more restrictions are being put on the end users to the point it becomes a serious hassle. When I 1st watched the video, it was clear that a box would be needed in most cases because my current cable co was going to all digital and directv and dish required a box. Its sad to say, but I dont think we are going to get anything more streamlined than that setup. Oh well

/rant

[seth]

  Welcome to my world. I live in the valley at the top of a mountain. No cable here either. My current LMCE setup is:

A Core/Hybrid in the living room with a PVR150 card (dish network) and An Air2PC OTA HD card.
This box captures one of the dish tuner outputs for all regular channels, and the HD card does the local channels in HD.

A MD in the family room with a PVR150 card (dish network) and An Air2PC card for capturing HD local channels.

The Antennas I use are Radio Shack Set Top HD antennas, with remotes. They do quite well. As I am so high up, and there are little to no obstructions from the towers, I get NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS with no problem. For the good channels like scifi I use the dish.

The Dish receivers are using USB UIRT's for control.

As portable MD's I have 2 wireless laptops, on the core dhcp server, that can view live SD (dish) content or recorded HD content.

As for the internet, I have WildBlue. It ain't the greatest, but its better than dial-up.

Best of luck, and congrats on the new house, we just built ours 6 months ago, and I helped the contractor every step of the way.

Its nice to get in while new, allows for easy placement of network cabling and such.

Later.