Is it possible to set up a pc to work as sky+ in UK ie. recording two channels at once or record one and watch one, without being restricted to the channels being on the same transponder.
If so what kit would be recommended and would it be possible using MCE2005

Thanks in anticipation.

Unfortunately the satellite signal from Sky Digital can only be picked up with its proprietary Digibox or Sky+ receiver. However, if you do not mind a slight loss in picture quality, it is possible to connect up the PC to the Sky receiver using a composite AV / SVHS leads, leave the box on the channel you wish to record and schedule your PC to record at the programme’s scheduled time. However, I am not sure if Windows Media Center Edition is capable of scheduling recordings from an auxiliary source.

If you wish to watch one programme while recording another, the best solution I could think of is to record the programmes on the Sky+ receiver itself while you are watching another channel and once you get some spare time, connect your PC up by SVHS / composite and transfer the programmes by playing them back on your receiver and record the playback on your PC.

I do not know much info about Windows Media Center Edition, but I would recommend doing some recording tests to get the hang of recording from the composite in and seeing if it could schedule recordings using this as the source. The only drawback I found about this OS is that its recording software will only record in the Windows Media Format. From what I recall, once you have anything recorded or encoded in WMV, there is not much software available that is capable of converting it to another format.

yes as long as you can figure out a way to use a contidional access module with the skystar 2, the dragon cam currently supports uk sky cards but as a warning just in case sky can potentialy stop the cam from working.

Ragnarok666

I don't think you have to worry about the Dragon CAM not working for Sky. The reason sky don't sell the access card outside U.K. is that it would break agreements and other things with other networks and so on.

They are aware of cards beeing used outside the U.K. and so on but they don't care about it. Just as long as SKY are not breaking rules etc.

It's probaly more problematic getting the SkyStar2 + CAM to work together since you need the sky card in order to get access to it.

What bothers me the most is that there aint really any product from sky that allows computer use :/

And I am only interested in viewing, not recording and so on. I used to watch TV with a card om my computer, that saved me space in not needing a televition and so on.

Ah well anyway. Thanks for the tip on the dragon cam thing.

The sad part is that i would like SkyStar2 USB2 version. :/