Hook/lag up question

[Slow]

Ok, so maybe this is a stupid question, however a search yielded no results.

I have charter digital cable (requires the cable box). Just using the cable box (no HTPC) there is roughly a 1 to 1.5 second delay in changing channels (from my understanding this is normal). However when I hook my HTPC up along with the cable box there is about a 3 to 4 second delay when changing channels. This is VERY annoying. I assume I am doing something wrong (I doubt this many people would stand for a 3+ second delay while changing channels). So what am I doing wrong?

This is how I currently have it hooked up:

Cable coming into house --> Cable box --> HTPC --> TV

I have seen people hook up remotes to their HTPC, but how does this control the cable box? Or does it not need to?


Thanks for the help,
Jeff.

 

[disc]

The new 1.5-2 seconds of delay is the time it's taking your capture card to convert the incoming stream to mpeg and fill it's read buffers. Three seconds sounds about right to change my set to box.

For your second question, most people control their set top boxes by either a serial cord (if you're lucky) or an ir-blaster (it's a little stick-on LED that you put over the remote sensor for the STB. It then emits it's own remote controls to the STB.)

 

[Slow]

The new 1.5-2 seconds of delay is the time it's taking your capture card to convert the incoming stream to mpeg and fill it's read buffers. Three seconds sounds about right to change my set to box.

For your second question, most people control their set top boxes by either a serial cord (if you're lucky) or an ir-blaster (it's a little stick-on LED that you put over the remote sensor for the STB. It then emits it's own remote controls to the STB.)

Can you elaborate any further? Will hook my cable box up via serial cable make the extra delay go away? or using an IR-baster?