Video HLP: Set-Top-Box

iosoft

iosoft

PC enthusiast since MS DOS 5
Skilled
Friends,

I need help to select a Set-Top-Box.​

After January, our city, Kolkata, will come under CAS. So I need some suggestions.

Yes Yes, I know what CAS and Set-Top-Box are.... I need help in CONFIGURATION. I have no idea about the device itself.

Here are my questions -
  1. which Set-Top-Box to buy ?
  2. My TV has all kinds of connection points, including S-Video, and connected with a 4.1 TV sound system. For best, how should I connect them together ? which cables ?
  3. My family have 2 TVs, so is there any 'crack' to see 2 different channels using same Set-Top-Box ?
  4. can Set-Top-Box be connected with a PC without a TV-tuner card, I mean, some of them have Serial-port !!!

more when I get them...... :eek:hyeah:

P.S. pls, don't drag the questions why I am going for CAS not DTH, Why DTH better, etc.
 
1. There arent any specific brands you can choose from. Most cable operators will buy just 1~2 set-top boxes in bulk and leave you with only those choices.

2. There will be the standard Video out and Audio out. Video out options will usually be Composite or S-Video (Could possibly be Component, DVI, HDMI outputs as well) which go straight to your TV. Audio out will have the standard 2 channel L/R RCA outputs and S/PDIF digital out - the former can be connected to either TV or audio system, the latter will need a suitable Receiver.

3. I dont think thats possible, considering how there's only 1 output stream from the set-top box. Even if you could tune into 2 channels - how would you output both the channels onto the single video out stream? :huh:

4. The serial port is only meant for interfacing it with a computer to download the latest firmware onto the set-top box. How exactly you can view TV without a TV tuner card through a serial port is beyond belief :p
 
another query of mine..hope u dnt mind me askin it here IOSOFT...

are the set top boxes similar to the boxes provided by DTH services like tata sky and dish TV ?..will the tata sky and dish tv .. video clarity better than the set top boxes...?

sorry..guys but i dnt have any news of all this CAS..and all..

anywayz will MUMBAI also come under CAS from jan ??
 
No no, feel free to ask CAS related questons. That is what this thread should do.

I don't know the answer of your DTH SET-TOP-BOX question. TEs will answer it.

But YES, mumbai+delhi+kolkata+.... will come under CAS after JAN.
 
are the set top boxes similar to the boxes provided by DTH services like tata sky and dish TV ?..will the tata sky and dish tv .. video clarity better than the set top boxes...?
Click to expand...

not similar! dth system stb is a satellite receiver with inbuilt cas inside it - consisting of different encryption software programmed in its memory. it is directly connected to a dish system - no cable operator in between! hence the name: Direct To Home.

If u change the dth operator - depending on the encryption / decryption software supported by ur stb u may not have to change the stb, only the vc card!(though both tatasky and dish are pairing up the vc to the stb number - i think a call to the cc can get the pairing changed to ur new stb!!)

cable stb is for decrypting cablewallas encrypted signal - which can be in one single encryption format. if u change the cableguy u will have to return the stb.
 
However, according to the above poster, quality remains the same in both cases? Output quality I mean, cause we're upgrading too, and it seems that Tata Sky have very limited channels as opposed to our local cable operator who has almost 30 more channels, out of which 12 channels are something I'm personally looking for, and the rest are something my folks can enjoy.
 
^^ sorry i did not clarify on the quality part!
quality is obviously better on DTH systems since the signals have a very small path to travel from the dish to ur home. They are as good as DVD quality if the dish is aligned properly. I've seen movies on star tv and compared them to the movies i have in divx format and the quality of the transmission is much better than divx movies. :eek:hyeah:

in cable cas system due to the large number of different analog or digital amplifiers in between the connections, the signals loose and gain strength according to amplifiers used. so u can imagine the quality u will get!:no:
these ppl will obviously use inferior standard material and electronics to cut down costs.

another feature u wont get in cable is the ability to change the audio stream on channels u like - e.g cartoon network has an eng and hindi audio stream and using the remote u can switch between the two. there are many more channels havin the alternate audio streams.
 
is there anything 'analog set-top-box' vs 'digital set-top-box' ?

do you get channel price list under CAS ?
 
Nikhil said:
why dont you guys get DTH ?? (not you Ayan..... )
Click to expand...

I love assembled, customization, modding etc.
Not some pre-pack packages where I can't choose..... :mad:
 
6pack said:
in cable cas system due to the large number of different analog or digital amplifiers in between the connections, the signals loose and gain strength according to amplifiers used. so u can imagine the quality u will get!:no: these ppl will obviously use inferior standard material and electronics to cut down costs.
Click to expand...

No, this is not correct. While I agree that DTH has many benefits including those frequent cuts and strikes from cable operators, quality will not differ as since transmission streams and encoding are same (only transmission channel is different). Both are digital transmission (MPEG-2) and employs various error correction mechanism and virtually same digital SNR.

While small, some time line of sight and back channel capability are cited in favour of cable again DTH.
 
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