How do I connect Dish Network Receivers to the USB 2.0 Ports of a PC

[Raymond Simonian]

I ordered a Dell Dimension 8400 computer with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. It has 8 USB 2.0 ports (two front, 6 back). How do I hook it up to a Dish Network Receiver? I want to review on the monitor the video that I am copying from Dish.

[SimpleSimon]

You don't. Period. Dot. End of story. No way. Can't be done. Sorry.

[Raymond Simonian]

You don't. Period. Dot. End of story. No way. Can't be done. Sorry.

I hope its not the end of the story. I purchased a Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe MPEG Encoder Box from their peripheral order department. It has a S video and composit video "IN" and a USB 2.0 port out. It says you can watch TV and do computing at the same time. It has a built in analog tuner and a cable port but that is useless for what I need it for. However I do have Cablevision also. The Pinnacle seems a bit redundant to what is built into the the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 that came with the Dell Demension 8400. It has an Itel Pentium 4 Processor 55 (3.f GHZ), 160 Hard Drive, 1GB DDR2Ram, a 16x DVD-Rom and 16 X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer recorder.

The dual Layer recording is what I am interested in. I have the Toshiba RX-XS32 but is is not dual layer.

[SimpleSimon]

It doesn't matter what you've got. You're not going to see video coming out of E* receiver USB ports. Not ever.

The only use I've ever seen for one is an external keyboard on a 721 (but not the 921 :( ).

Besides the fact that E* (MPAA) doesn't want it to hapen), the chances are the USB controller isn't even on the same datapath as the MPEG decoder's output.

Yes, I know we haven't even gotten to a specific receiver, but think about it. USB host controller chips are designed primarily for PCI (digital) buses. Only 2 E* receivers have digital video outputs - the 811 & the 921. And even then, they'd have to have a PCI device to effectively be a video "input" t get the data onto the USB.

Nope. Ain't there. Not gonna be. Done.

[Raymond Simonian]

[QUOTE=SimpleSimon]It doesn't matter what you've got. You're not going to see video coming out of E* receiver USB ports. Not ever.

The only use I've ever seen for one is an external keyboard on a 721 (but not the 921 :( ).

Besides the fact that E* (MPAA) doesn't want it to hapen), the chances are the USB controller isn't even on the same datapath as the MPEG decoder's output.

Yes, I know we haven't even gotten to a specific receiver, but think about it. USB host controller chips are designed primarily for PCI (digital) buses. Only 2 E* receivers have digital video outputs - the 811 & the 921. And even then, they'd have to have a PCI device to effectively be a video "input" t get the data onto the USB.

There is a thread on the AVS forum "Controling Satellite Boxes with the PC" Post 43 by Don has a set up that works. But he uses a tuner card and eHome Wonder. I will have to see what I will do when the the computer arrives. Perhaps I will use Cablevision. If you can think of another way to rout the Dish Receiver to the computer please let me know. At any rate, the Pinnacle is what Dell told me would work when I purchased their computer. It doesn't mean that it will. I have the 921 and 811. Its a learning process for me. Eventually I find a way around things. This forum and help from people with your expertese have been great.

[SimpleSimon]

You didn't ask how to make a E* box talk to a PC.

You asked about using the USB ports.

Those are not the same question at all, as I see from your other posts you now know.

[rctcman]

The dual Layer recording is what I am interested in. I have the Toshiba RX-XS32 but is is not dual layer.[/QUOTE]

have you priced DL dvd media?? I was at a computer show 2 weeks ago and the cost of Ritek DL dvd per disk was $20.00 bananas!
Also Plextor has come out wjth a new tv/tuner/drv external piece of hardware.
It depends on what you plan to do with the E* signal...the distance from your reciever to your computer also pays a big part here.