SKY
Chaps, you're going about this all wrong. My self-built media PC has been running over a year now.
Abit Shuttle pc, P4, 1GB RAM, 300GB SATA HD, WinTV PVR150 (ditch the MCE controller)
Install WinTV drivers and software (obviously) - no antenna reqd. don't scan for terrestrial at this stage
Connect SKY SCART output to S-Video input of WinTV card
Connect SKY audio line-out RCAs to line-in of WinTV card
Subscribe to DigiGuide (£8 per year)
Buy yourself a RedEye - £20 - COM port IR sender, tape the IR end over/near the IR 'eye' on the SKY box
Download the free RedEye plugin for DigiGuide
Update the DigiGuide EPG from t'internet
Verify the paths for output, WinTV software in the RedEye/DigiGuide config
Sit on your sofa and for each program you want to record, click on Record Using PVR (including Series etc.)
Sounds more complicated than it is. Ok it has limitations:
Can't record one channel and watch another - My use for this was to record SKY whilst I'm out or asleep to watch later
er..that's it. DigiGuide is aware of all SKY channels and their numbers, and it tells the RedEye to send the correct characters at the right time, thus changing SKY channels. The WinTV compresses to MPG2 in hardware for DVD quality video.
Trust me. Try it. It works.