[tlug] making a HTPC work with Japanese SkyPerfecTV tuner

["Greg Conquest" <conquest@example.com>]

And now, for my second post here in TLUG,

I hope this is on-topic enough for TLUG. I do want to construct a
Linux-based HTPC, but I am having the following problem. Pardon me if it
seems too far afield . . .

I have a SkyPerfecTV tuner. The only outputs it has are
composite (yuck!), S-video (OK for watching -- not recording), and a 20-pin
SkyPerfec/CS data connector. The *only* devices I have ever seen
that connects to the data connector are the Toshiba hard drive video
recorders RD-X5 (120,000 yen/$1200US) and the new RD-Z1 (240,000 yen -- with
HDMI).

I wonder about this data connector. The D1/D2/D3/D4 Japanese connectors
(D-tanshi) are all 14-pin connectors
   http://makeashorterlink.com/?L31E212CA
      about halfway down on the page
      Note: What's a D4 connector?
and apparently analog -- not digital -- hence the ability to have a D1 to
component cable.

Now, Could it be that the SkyPerfecTV's 20-pin data connector is just a
different pin-out combining the 14-pin D tanshi with 6 other pins? The other
6 pins have to share;
- audio -- 2 pins (the box does output digital audio)
- EPG -- 2 pins (the electronic program guide downloads periodically from
the satellite feed)
- phone/interactive uplink (for two way communication with tuner box
(settings change) and making phone calls for enhanced PPV services)

Could this be right, or almost so? If so, couldn't I get a connector and
splice a regular D tanshi/component cable and audio (co-ax?) and then be
able to have this as the best-quality input into a homebuilt home theatre
PC? Currently, I have to go S-Video into any homebuilt system, or I have to
pay 100,000 yen plus for the Toshiba recorder and still have no DiVX player
for that money.

Thanks for any feedback.
Greg Conquest

date: 2005-03-28
reference:
http://www.iodata.com/usa/products/products.php?cat=HNP&sc=AVEL&pId=AVLP2%2F
DVDLA
   equals http://makeashorterlink.com/?L31E212CA (I-O DATA's AVeL
LinkPlayer2 multi-codec video player)
スカパー！連動（CSデター）端子
Sukapa-! Rendou (CSdata) Tanshi
search keywords: 14pin, 14-pin, 20-pin, 20pin, hard disk video recorders,
PPV, pay-per-view, HTPC, home theater PC,


        ----- Greg Conquest -----
         http://gregconquest.com
         ---------------------------