Nebula DigiTV USB Slave Tuner
[DigiTV Slave]

• Add multi-tuner functionality to your existing DigiTV installation
• Record one channel while watching another - just like Sky Plus (TM)
• Add as many slave tuners as you need to make a 'super' PVR!

Overview

The Micro DigiTV Slave USB unit allows you to add multi-tuner functionality to your existing DigiTV setup.

This unit itself is a fully functioning Digital TV unit, but will only work in conjunction with a DigiTV PCI/USB master unit, ie, both the slave and master must be plugged into the PC in order for the slave to function.

All of the functionality present on the DigiTV Master device is present on the slave device except that there is no remote control receiver on the slave since the remote control is monitored from the attached DigiTV Master device.

Micro DigiTV Slave draws all of the power it needs from the USB 2.0 port on your computer, so there is no need for an external power supply.

You can connect as many Micro DigiTV Slave devices as you like to your PC (as long as there is at least one DigiTV Master connected), although you should never need more than 4!

For example, you can connect a Master and a single slave to give you dual tuner functionality. This means that you can watch one programme on BBC1 say, while recording another on ITV1 at the same time. Or, you could record two programmes on two different channels simultaneously.

In practice, you can record up to 20 programmes on 20 different channels at the same time if all of the channels are on just two multiplexes (and your PC can handle all of the data).

If you have a DigiTV Master and two slaves connected, you will be able to watch/record up to three multiplexes simultaneously, eg BBC1, ITV1 and five - which is especially useful considering the number of times that films are broadcast on separate channels but overlap in time. There's no longer any need to decide which one to watch or record. Do both!

Connections

If you have two DigiTV tuners, eg a PCI card and USB slave, or a USB Master and USB Slave, then it is possible to chain the aerial output from one device to the aerial input on the other (Figure A). A cable is included for this purpose.

Figure A:

However, if you're not in a strong signal area, or if your PC has a particularly electrically noisy PSU then we recommend feeding both units independently from a powered TV antenna splitter (Figure B).

Figure B (Recommended)

Width:
119mm
Depth:
86mm
Height:
28mm
Antenna Output amplification:
3dB
Tuner RF input:
-20dBm (Max), -82dBm (Picture loss)
Digital Video Decoder:
MPEG I & II; MP@ML and MP@HL
Digital Audio Decoder:
MPEG I layers 1,2,3 and MPEG II layer 1
Digital System Decoder:
DVB Compliant (EN 300-468)

• Configured and connected DigiTV Master Tuner
• Windows Operating System (2000/XP/MCE)
• Pentium III or AMD CPU running at 800MHz or higher * (2.8GHz P4 for HDTV where transmitted)
• 64MB or more of RAM
• 20MB or more of free hard disk space
• A spare USB 2.0 port (you can use an externally powered USB 2.0 hub if required).
• Graphics card (or onboard graphics) preferably PCI-express or AGP, capable of supporting 800x600 minimum resolution at 16-bit colour and hardware overlays
• Sound card (or onboard sound) and speaker combination.
• A system PSU that has enough spare capacity to cater for all existing devices, plus the DigiTV unit (2.5W). A 400W PSU is recommended for most modern systems.
• DirectX 7 or greater.

* The VIA EPIA 12000 is powerful enough for all channels without dropped frames when running DigiTV in low-speed cpu mode.

We recommend a 1GHz PC for operation for viewing Standard Definition television (UK & Europe), but a 2.8GHz PC is the minimum requirement for smooth High Definition TV (HTDV) eg in Australia.

• Windows 98se and Windows ME Operating systems are not supported.
• Micro DigiTV requires 500mA from the USB port to operate correctly, and a small minority of laptops may only share this amount of power among all the devices connected to the USB bus. If this is the case, then either disconnect the other devices or run the Micro DigiTV through a powered hub.

• Micro DigiTV USB 2.0 Slave Tuner.
• IEC Male to Female TV lead.
• USB 2.0 Connection lead.
• CD with latest software version.
• Installation sheet.

You'll also need a TV antenna connection on a flying lead to connect to the back of the card. Your existing TV aerial may be good enough, but it really depends on whereabouts you are relative to your nearest transmitter.

Unless you can see your local TV transmitter from your window, then please do NOT use an internal portable aerial. In almost all cases, they are inadequate to provide a good digital TV signal.

To check if you can receive Digital Terrestrial Television in your area, all you'll need is your postcode and to click here.