Using a TV capture card with componant inputs (1 Viewer)

[PhillJones]

I've been lookingarround and found the PDI deluxe and Xcard combo. This seems like a good way forward as it allows me to capture the componant ouput of my cable box for PVR, I think.

The problem is that I only have one set of outputs on the cable box and I think I need to drive my plasma TV directly from the cable box in order to preserve the true HD quality? Does this mean that I can't do both; recording onto hard drive or watching full resolution? Will I have to resort to S-video for TV capture and just connect the cable box direct to the TV for watching HD? On the other hand, might the PDI deluxe card pass the 1080i/780p signal directly to my video card or the xcard, allowing me to recurd at a low res and watch at high res. I'm guessing not, that's just wishfull thinking I imagine.

Cheers,
Phill

 

[Scott L]

No consumer capture card can record HD via analog inputs. Even the expensive Holo3D can only accept 480i on its component inputs. Check out this thread at AVS to check up on the progress of such a card.

You'd have to grab the digital bitstream, I'm not sure how it's done (or even possible) from a satellite source.

 

[PhillJones]

Thanks Scott. I know that I can't capture HD but I was hoping to use componant inputs of say the the Holo3D card or the PDI Deluxe cards to record the ouput of my cable box. The problem is that since I only have one set of outs on my cable box I can't connect it to the PC and seperately to my HDTV so that even though I can't record in HD, at least I can watch HD. Is there a way arround this? I thought I might be able to just pass the HD signal through the PC in some way and just capture at low res. I can't use DVI cause it isn't my cable box to attack with a soldering iron. Should I just get a cheap capture card and conect via s-video? Seems then that my PVR is little better than a VCR.