DVD Recorder Help

Hi, I need some tech advice regarding using a DVD recorder. It's pretty hard to explain, but i'll do my best. I have sky tv hooked up to a video card on my pc at the moment but the recordings are quite poor, so tomorrow i'm going to buy a DVD recorder. What i was wondering was if it is possible to hook up the recorder directly to sky and still use my video card to view the live picture while recording? I want the recordings to come directly from the sky box if you know what i mean, but i'm not sure if it's possible?

samcook89 Wrote:Hi, I need some tech advice regarding using a DVD recorder. It's pretty hard to explain, but i'll do my best. I have sky tv hooked up to a video card on my pc at the moment but the recordings are quite poor, so tomorrow i'm going to buy a DVD recorder. What i was wondering was if it is possible to hook up the recorder directly to sky and still use my video card to view the live picture while recording? I want the recordings to come directly from the sky box if you know what i mean, but i'm not sure if it's possible?

If I'm reading this right, your question is as to how many devices you can connect to Sky.

A standard Skybox has a Scart socket for in and out i.e. Skybox to DVD Recorder and DVD Recorder to TV. I guess you could get a powered Scart hub to add other devices i.e. your PC.

The Sky+ box has an additional S-VHS output (plus appropriate phono outputs) giving the all important extra output method. Depending on the connections options on your DVD recorder and/or your video card, you should in theory be able to achieve what you want but probably worth borrowing some leads to test this all out before investing in your own.

I take it you are using the AV1 output to get RGB signals to your TV and the AV2 output to send pictures to your PC? If that is the case then you just have to put your new DVD recorder in between your Skybox and PC.Connect your Skybox via scart from the AV2 output to the AV2/decoder input on your new DVD recorder.Then connect your DVD recorder to your PC using a scart from AV1 to the,probably,composite inputs,yellow,white,red,on your PC. As far as I know,Skyboxes only output RGB via the AV1 output so that would give the best recordings on DVD if connected that way but then the picture sent to your TV isn't as good as it could be.

Dreamlander

FAO Dreamlander. I don't have a tv connected at all. I was just wondering if it was possible to record directly from sky, while watching the live feed through my tv card without it affecting the quality of the recording. Josh gave me some good advice and I'm just waiting till I get my DVD recorder to test it out. Cheers.