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[undertow]

I was hoping to setup my HTPC to work with 3 DirecTV boxes, allowing me to use my HTPC as my DVR and to watch live tv in any room in the house (up to 3 different channels).


Is it possible to use J River to control the DirecTV guides on live TV so I never leave J River when switching from a movie to live tv?

[CountryBumkin]

If you get a TV Capture card (like the Hauppauge Colossus) you can feed the Directv signal into the Colossus and record it or view it live through your PC (in MC). MC will download the Directv guide and you can change channels on the DTV box with any remote that has an IR blaster (like the one pictured in top right corner). You will not be able to view or control live Directv from other PCs (only the one wit the IR blaster).

There has been talk on the Directv forum about DTV coming out with an internal PC card to recieve the DTV broadcast but I don't when it will be released (if ever) or even if it is released it will do what you want. You may want to check on the DTV forum for more details.  http://www.dbstalk.com/index.php  I have not been to the DBS forum for a while so I'm not current on the status of this card.

There is also "Direct2PC" which lets you play back recorded/saved DTV shows on any PC (where the shows are saved on the DTV unit) as long as the DTV box is connected to your network. http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/directv/technology/directv2pc

[undertow]

Wow!  Thanks for the detailed response.  It was VERY helpful. 


So could I get multiple Hauppauge Colossus cards for the 3 boxes I want to setup? 

Also, wouldn't the MC17 be able to have IR sensors sent to the DirecTV boxes, allowing me to control anywhere on the property that has a thin client?   For instance, from my pool area with TV/Bare Bone PC setup to tell MC to send an IR signal to the DirecTV box to change the channel.

[Yaobing]

Wow!  Thanks for the detailed response.  It was VERY helpful. 


So could I get multiple Hauppauge Colossus cards for the 3 boxes I want to setup? 

Also, wouldn't the MC17 be able to have IR sensors sent to the DirecTV boxes, allowing me to control anywhere on the property that has a thin client?   For instance, from my pool area with TV/Bare Bone PC setup to tell MC to send an IR signal to the DirecTV box to change the channel.

There are some limitations.  I am still working on some of them.

MC17 still can not serve live TV to clients.  You have to record on the server and watch recordings from clients.  I am working on this and hopefully soon we will allow viewing any channel from any clients, with the capture device on the server.

Right now only one set of IR blaster will work.  MC sends IR code to all blasters at once.  You will not be able to use multiple DirecTV boxes on the same server simultaneously.  I am working on this issue also, but I am not sure when it will be done.

[undertow]

Thanks!   I'll keep my DirecTV boxes seperate for now and adopt once you build in what is necessary.  Looking forward to it!!!

[Ekpen]

Greetings:
I am also a Directv  customer with 8 boxes, 3 of them are HD DVRs-.
Is the directv program not encrypted?. Each time I tried to play or watch somethibg, via PS3, Xbox 360, Panasonic DMP500 -, I get 'not supported" error.
I have written a couple of times about support for Directv, the response I got was it is encrypted, therefore not possible.
Please give m some good news on this.

Thanks Jim, et all.

George.

[CountryBumkin]

Directv is encrypted but you can record the stream out of the Directv box with a Hauppage Colossus (or other caputure card). They capture the stream at max 1080i or 720p (not 1080p) so they are not breaking copy-right rules. When it is captured it is no longer encrypted and can be used anywhere.
See http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html

[Ekpen]

Thanks.
George