UK Freeview through Virgin Media STB

[critcher]

Hello!

We currently have freeview channels via a Virgin Media box (UK), and I'd like to replace that with a TV tuner card. Bugger is, I don't know which one to get!

I had thought I would get a TBS 6280 Dual Freeview HD Low-profile PCIe TV Tuner Card DVB-T2, however I think that needs an analogue input which we don't have.
EDIT to say that we do have an analogue cable which leads either to the roof or to an aerial in the loft. The coax cable would need to be joined in the middle since it is in 2 bits.

Is there a card which I could plug the virgin cable into?

Searching for answers to specific problems is not easy when you don't know nuffin'!

[bobbob]

your looking for a dvb-c card for that, hauppauge seem to make one but i have zero experience. Mark1234 is a Virgin user i'm sure he could help

as far as i am aware DVB-T cards just work with your standard aerial coax but i'm a DVB-S user so not sure

[milli260876]

don't think it'll work as its nagra 3 encrypted? I could be wrong but a capture card and ir emitter might be your best bet..??
to be honest i'd dump the virgin or put it in another room and go for freevieew or freesat)

[critcher]

Thanks for the info. I think I'll investigate the aerial lead that we have, and ditch Virgin. The analogue cable runs from the TV outside the house, back inside upstairs where it terminates in a bare end (yay!). Then another analogue cable disappears into the loft space, or possibly out to the roof. Hmm.

It does seem odd to me that you can get hd tv via an old analogue aerial. I haven't used one for years, mainly because the image was terrible and we had cable for years.

[bobbob]

well its not an analogue aerial, its just an aerial. it was the receivers that are analogue. agreed some people have had to upgrade their aerials to receive digital but its still just a bit of metal stuck on your chimney!

[critcher]

Aah! That makes more sense now.

[milli260876]

If the cable goes out then up, I'd cut it. Run up that wall and wall mount an aerial if its not too unsightly. Get a log periodic 40 element that'll give you your best signal. Alternatively stick a sky dish up and get a the 6984 like me!!! (quad freesat)

[bobbob]

i have also jiust bought a 6984 although i am waiting to implement. i am also a proper sky customer, not like these hanger's on (joke!)

[mark1234]

Hi, I think you've already been guided this way, and I'd join in to say that if you're only on the M/M+ package from Virgin then I recommend switching to a Freeview or Freesat solution. Either will give you a much better experience than trying to route Virgin through Media Centre.