HD Cable and PC hooked up to projector. Audio Questions.

[joeyb649]

Hello, this is my first post. Thank you in advance.

I have a InFocus IN116 projector for my aspiring home theater. It is hooked by VGA from my computer (I can play all my movies,tv shows,and video files; PC games; netflix it works out really well for me and I enjoy the user interface of a computer compared to using scaled down versions like (xbox,roku) windows media center, netflix, hulu, apps

I will be moving into a new apartment soon and will get HD cable provided by at&t at no cost to me so needless to say I would like to use it! Ideally i'd like to run it through my computer like everything else. I have looked into tv tuner cards but in my research (CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG) they do not accept HDMI in yet or I can't find one. I understand I can hook up through COAX no problem but, no audio and it will not accept HD from what I've read....that is my dilemma. My speakers are run from my computer and they are going to be 5.1 so I would like my cable to be using them.

A friend told me to run a HDMI cable from the cable box to Projector then use and AUX cable from the audio out of the projector into the line in port which will in turn bring sound to my speakers. Will that work? I have nothing to test it with at the moment.

Thanks again.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Let me preface this with a note that I do not know if this will actually work. I believe that it should, but I have no experience with AT&T's IPTV or how it differs from cable or satellite subscriptions.

While not a TV Tuner card (you would still need the U-Verse set top box), you could install a Hauppauge Colossus into your PC. You could also probably use the Hauppauge HD PVR 2.

Use an HDMI cable from the AT&T set top box to the HDMI input on the Colossus. Then run either a VGA or HDMI cable from your PC Graphics Card to your projector. There are instructions on the Colossus Support Web Site/For Windows Media Center Tab for getting it to work inside Media Center.

What your friend suggests should also work, but it takes the PC out of the control loop. You wouldn't be able to control the set top box, view, or record and programs using the PC.

-Wolf sends

 

[joeyb649]

The collossus seems like a really good deal in theary but, upong reading reviews. It seems it laggy even at 720p. Back to the drawing board. Thanks for the help.

 

[joeyb649]

http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815345007 would thjis work?

 

[Wolfshadw]

To be honest, I don't know enough about IPTV to say whether or not it will work. With the requirement of a set top box, you're taking the TV Tuning capabilities out of the equation, making it a glorified capture device anyway. On the other hand, I think the set top box would downgrade the single to standard definition for the coaxial output (and input of the HDHomeRun Dual).

-Wolf sends

 

[joeyb649]

I see you use a "Ceton InfiniTV4 TV Tuner" why can't i use that I also have the same video card? Thank you for your time.

 

[Wolfshadw]

From what I understand AT&T U-Verse IPTV is not compatible with TV Tuners of any kind. It will only work with their set top box. The only way you're going to be able to record High Definition content from AT&T is by either using their set top box DVR, or outputting HD content (HDMI or Component) from their set top box to a computer with a HD Capture card/device.

-Wolf sends

 

[joeyb649]

Okay, Thank you.

 

[joeyb649]

Sorry to keep hounding you but, can't I use their Set Top Box AND output the coax from the Set Top Box to a the Ceton InfiniTV4 TV? Thank again. Your help is very much appreciated.

 

[Wolfshadw]

I don't think you can use the Ceton card (or any cablecard device) in that fashion. Cablecard devices require a cablecard from a cable company in order to function. In your case, you need to remember that the coaxial output from your set top box is NOT HD anymore. It's been down-converted to 480p analog (so it works with any old style TV). You might be able to use a regular TV Tuner like the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250, but again, it's not going to be HD.

Despite it's deficiencies, I think your ONLY option to record HD onto your computer is the Hauppauge Colossus.

-Wolf sends