SKY+ To DVD/PC

jonuk7

hi just wondering if it is possible to run my SKY+ Box into my pc so i can transfer the things i have saved on it onto a disk?
Cheers Guys

Avoriaz

Yes and no.

Yes you can transfer data but not digitally.

All Sky+ recorded programmes are encrypted and a PC cannot read them. You cannot transfer a file directly from the Sky+, put it on your PC and play it there or burn a DVD etc.

You need to record via the Scart output or the S-Video and RCA audio output sockets. These are in analogue form so you will need a device that converts back to digital. The end result has gone through a digital to analogue to digital conversion but, done properly on decent kit, the results can be very good.

I posted this on another forum about a year ago. It is a bit wordy but hopefully tells you all you need to know:

I record a lot of music performances on my Sky+ box and transfer them to my PC and store them on a hard drive or burn them onto DVDs for future playback. It is fairly straightforward if you have the right kit

You need something that will convert the analogue output from the Sky+ box into a digital format suitable for storage on a PC. There are plenty of available options for both Laptops and Desktop PCs. Laptops usually use a device that connects via USB2 or Firewire. Desktops can use the same method but also have the option of a purpose designed video capture card.

I use an Adaptec VideoOh AVC-2310 device (it cost me about £70 on ebay two years ago). I connect the S-Video and RCA two channel audio outputs from the Sky+ box to this device using the appropriate S-Video and RCA cables. It converts the analogue output into a digital mpeg2 file that is the same format that is used on commercial DVDs. This is fed to my laptop via a standard USB cable. I edit the files to eliminate commercial breaks and any other unwanted bits and then transfer the recordings to a Divco hard disk audio/video server for playback via my TV and hi-fi. I can also burn DVDs but it is easier just to use the server. I am very fussy about audio and video quality and I am very pleased with the end result. Most people would not notice any significant difference between my recordings and a live Sky broadcast or commercial DVD. It is infinitely superior to VHS video tapes. There are other formats that could be used but these would probably give poorer quality results.

Each programme that Sky broadcast via satellite is essentially a mpeg2 file with a few extras and, in an ideal world we would be able to record this file directly onto our PCs and avoid having to do the double conversion I described above. However, for very sound commercial reasons, Sky encrypt their programmes with an unbreakable encryption code and these can only be played back in a Sky box with a valid subscription card. To date no one has successfully decoded or broken the Sky encryption algorithms and you can be certain that, the moment that someone succeeds, Sky will change the encryption method.

jonuk7

Thanks for that, so when it transfers to the PC what format would it put it into Mpeg2? not really a problem as i have every type or conversion software going lol.

Avoriaz

My Adeptec device creates mpeg2 format files (mpg or mpeg suffix) and I see no reason to use anything else. Other devices may use different formats but mpeg2 is fairly universal. DVD files are VOB suffix but I am fairly sure that is a type of mpeg2.

Sky standard definition is also mpeg2 based and, as mpeg2 is your original source, there is probably little point converting to a higher quality format.

However, as I think mpeg4 is used for Sky HD, Blueray etc, you maybe should consider getting an mpeg4 capable device to give you a degree of future proofing.

I wrote all that stuff above over a year ago and I may be a bit out of date now.

ictmad

I Just Have A Dvd Recorder Hooked Upto Sky+and Record Thnigs Staright To Dvd Simple

sjc_2

On a similar note I recorded all six of the Star Wars Films on New Years Day in Sky HD. Now two things I was amazed how much more disk space the HD Recordings take up, and is it possible to record these in HD to a DVD Recorder and still keep the HD.

The disk in the Sky HD is 160GB, with Star Wars taking up, up to 14% per film so 22.4GB so may have answered my own question as I'm not aware of any 22.4GB+ DVD's yet.