Watch my Virgin Digital via my PC?

purplegrape

Probably dumb, but is it possible to buy a card/cables to watch my virgin media digital tv through a bog standard PC and flat screen monitor?

The TV has died and I can't really afford a new shiny one at the moment. I'd also connect the PC up to my stereo to get some better sound.

Also live in a studio flat so would be nice to combine for extra space!

All and any advice gratefully received

weegie.geek

Any TV capture card will do this, or a graphics card with video in.

The quality won't be up to much though.

You can get add-in PCI cards that will allow you to tune into VM's cable TV, but they require a fair bit of setting up, and connecting any equipment not supplied by them to their cable line is against VM's terms and conditions.

purplegrape

Eurgh, so no chance of simply connecting the scart from the cable box to some widgit I install on the PC then?

weegie.geek

Yeah, you can do that.

weegie.geek wrote: »

Any TV capture card will do this, or a graphics card with video in.

The quality won't be up to much though.

It doesn't necessarily need to be a card either, you can get USB dongles that'll do it.

purplegrape

Ahh, just done a quick net trawl and I see what you mean - had no idea that the RF connector from a scart would degrade pic and sound quality so much (to mono - yuk!). what a shame!:rolleyes:

There must be a market for a SCART tv card surely?

BillScarab

Well you can get TV cards with component and S-Video connectors, component is certainly better than scart, can't remember about S-Video. You'd have to be able to output a component or S-Video signal from you Virgin box though and I don't know if they can.

if you want to try it have a look on ebay for Haupaugge TV cards, there are loads of cheap ones on there second hand that would be OK for experimenting.

It may also be worth having a look at https://www.avforums.com to see if anyone there has done it, https://www.videohelp.com may also have advice but they're more about ripping and burnign info.

weegie.geek

BillScarab wrote: »

Well you can get TV cards with component and S-Video connectors, component is certainly better than scart, can't remember about S-Video. You'd have to be able to output a component or S-Video signal from you Virgin box though and I don't know if they can.

if you want to try it have a look on ebay for Haupaugge TV cards, there are loads of cheap ones on there second hand that would be OK for experimenting.

It may also be worth having a look at www.avforums.com to see if anyone there has done it, www.videohelp.com may also have advice but they're more about ripping and burnign info.

TV cards will usually have composite and svideo, not component. Composite is the worst you can get, save for RF.

VM STBs will output composite and svideo.

BillScarab

Your right, that's what comes of trying to do things from memory. :rolleyes:

weegie.geek

I learned not to trust my memory ages ago.

purplegrape

Cheers guys - I will definately take a look on the forums you've recommended! All feels a little bit new and scary, but I'm willing to give it a shot.