Sky HD and Windows Media Centre 8.1

[JohnBurnett1981]

Hello,

I was hoping someone could help me.

I am considering having a small form factor HTPC built for me and I would like to have all of my music, video and Sky HD in one place, WMC.

Is this possible? Any info would be really helpful.

Many thanks,

John

[Isitme]

You cannot replace the Sky HD box with a PC if that is what you are asking. With a suitable capture card you could play the box contents through the PC.

[JohnBurnett1981]

Hi,

I have spoken to Microsoft a couple of times and They are convinced that you can get rid of stb and go straight through to wmc. Should be getting an email of confirmation very shortly

[NickS]

I presume they mean using Sky Go, which to the best of my knowledge is only in SD. To get Sky Go you need to be a Sky customer in the first place. I think you mean you want to stream content from your Sky HD box through your PC, which sounds like they have misunderstood what you are trying to do

[JohnBurnett1981]

I am a sky subscriber, according to MS they say if install a compatible tv tuner card and hook the cable from the satellite dish to it, i will have all of the guide and full functionality within wmc.

Is this untrue?

Can you add anything that maybe helpful?

I would like all of my content, including live tv available in WMC

[NickS]

Interesting. I'd check with someone independent if I were you. The Sky STB has decoder software and needs your viewing card to work. It's difficult enough getting Sky to work with a non-Sky satellite receiver, let alone a PC. Unless you only want to watc FTA channels, but then again why would you be a Sky customer in that case?

[JohnBurnett1981]

I have seen videos on YouTube, but to be fair it is windows 7 and some videos are US satellite companies. I will post back when I get my email. I will succeed!

[NickS]

Good luck to you, but as you say they were US satellite companies. I'm sure it will be possible to set up something that will work with Sky but at what cost? Sky does not confirm to industry standards which actually makes it easier to use but trying to do anything out of the ordinary is close to impossible. For example I have to have 2 dishes because I also have a Dutch system. I can get FTA UK changes with a triple LNB on the Dutch set but I can't connect the Sky box up to that dish because it doesn't understand the switching protocols. I'm told out is possible but out would take someone a lot cleverer than me an then Sky wouldn't support it anyway.

[Scubbie]

Sky Go used to be available through WMC. Unfortunately this was discontinued.

If you really wish to follow the advice from M$ ask them this simple question:

Does WMC have access to Sky's encryption/decrption technology and how do they propose that you connect your viewing card to your computer?

Basically the correct answers are:

Sky guards their encryption and decryption technology very carefully. It is the difference between them being able to collect subscriptions and going out of business. Any software aimed at the PC to allow you to decrypt their transmissions will be hidden somewhere on the Internet, but find it first.

As for the viewing card, there used to be some devices available to allow you to connect it to your computer. However I don't know much about these at the present time.

It is possible to connect the same dish to your PC sing a Video Capture card. If you do not have the card holder and decryption software then you will only be able to view the Free-to-Air content which is also available via FreeSat.

[JohnBurnett1981]

Ok.... still waiting for my email which says a lot!

Do you know of any software that I could use that would give me the functionality that I'm looking for?

Regards,

John