Dvb Watching Possible?

[ben_dash]

I was just looking at the Hauppauge WinTV HVR-950 and I think I'll integrate that into my Pandora "docking station", if I do make one (with copious amounts of duct tape and velcro), along with a powered USB hub, USB ethernet, USB to VGA, USB HDD, and USB DVD player.

It looks like the drivers work pretty well in Linux and I think that the Pandora should have enough CPU power to decode the ATSC MPEG2.

Alternatively, and even easier, I could integrate an HDHomeRun into the "docking station" and maybe a wrt54g or some other smaller router/switch.

What do you guys think?

I know this has been asked before, but what are you going to put in your "docking station"?

 

[lulzfish]

Edit:

I thought you misspelled DVD, never mind.

 

[Pickle]

Here's my docking station idea: Turn on the WIFI

 

[Prometheus]

My "docking station" stuff is kind of more like a small bag of accessories, which will be combined with one of these (or something similar) should it turn out that the Pandora will fit it. It currently consists of two different console-controller-to-USB adapters (which between them cover SNES, PSX, GC, and DC), a small USB hub, a webcam, and a portable USB hard drive to which I rip my DVDs.

I'll be interested to see how you get on with the TV-tuner - I've considered that as well, but I'd prefer to wait to see how it turns out for others (and which devices are considered worth buying) before purchasing such a thing.

 

[RajTakhar]

The new USB DVB devices might be do-able

The current platform based on DVB-T - is essentially a USB version of existing freeview receivers - it will be prone to however strong the freeview signal is in your area - so it will be hit and miss as to whether to actually receive any signal

The new DVB-H will probably be the standard to get - already Nokia are bringing this into the mobile phone markets - as this one gets established it will more thankly become the defacto standard - there are supposed to be some channels already broadcasting - check google, but here is an interesting article

http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107051343

I suspect the biggest challenge would probably be in getting the drivers and suitable tuning application - I'll wait a while for teh DVB-H signals to show promise then buy one. At the moment I think its too much of a gamble by the DVB-T devices unless you are certain your area has signal reception

Price wise -

A USB DVB-T is around the £15 yto £30 mark
A USB DVB-H is around 3 to 5 times the price - the ones I have seen usually include HSPDA/3G connectivity as well - I guess as the platform gets more established then we will see some form of cheaper products from China

 

[JayFoxRox]

I doubt it will work from the beginning, I couldn't get any DVB-T signal on my beagleboard yet, always gives me kernel panic.
But thinking about performance, even that could give problems without the DSP. My P4, 2.8Ghz, 1GB ram, is getting some frameskips while watching with better de-interlacing.

 

[RajTakhar]

performance should be based on the software not the ummph of the machine

I mean I have several old laptops one of which has a tuner in-built spec wise its no gladiator more a sluggish P4

The DVB-H standard is supposed to be a european wide generic platform which will be adopted no doubt by several mobile phone manufacturers

Already Nokia are on board on a few of their models (bear in mind alot of their phones will be using SOC's similar to the OMAP's - that where I'm getting at - hopefully within the next 6-12 months as DVB-H becomes more established and we end up with a standard, and the blumming usb DVB-H things come down to 20ish quid - someone could have a go at porting a driver and tuning application - heck I might even have a go myself

DVB-T as i said previous is and always will be on a computer hit and miss - you need to make sure your signal strength is high and more than likely ensure you have freeview compatible aerial.

The concept of DVB-H really appeals as you could be on a train and watching news 24 or sky news ... lets hope so anyways

 

[j6cubic]

The DVB-H standard is supposed to be a european wide generic platform which will be adopted no doubt by several mobile phone manufacturers

However, it doesn't work everywhere. For example, DBV-H is currently not available in Germany after the first attempt at bringing it to market failed. It remans to be seen whether a second attempt will create a market this time around. So if you want to watch TV in Germany, a DVB-T tuner would be the better choice, at least for now.

 

[RajTakhar]

thanks for the information about German DVB-H standards - I was going off my own experiences with Freeview USB devices in the UK

I still hope as more mobile phone operators adopt the DVB-H standard, it will eventually become the defacto standard - but heres hoping though