Another Person Looking for a New Tuner Card

[neumannu47]

(This message was tagged on the end of another thread that seems to have died.)

I, too, am looking for a new PCI tuner card for Windows XP. My ReplayTVs are getting too old for my tastes. Programs that I download from my RTVs have a problem with authoring direct to TDA (without going through VRD/TVS). They have to be QSF'd before they will burn to DVD.

So, what HD PCI card for PC in the US should I buy? My present card is a cheapie Avermedia 1500. Sometimes VRD doesn't like the files it makes. The perfect card is one that VRD/TVS and TDA like the captured video files straight away. That is, they have a codec that fully complies with the MPEG2 standard.

[phd]

Do you want to capture OTA ATSC or QAM via cable?

If from cable, is your provider providing an unscrambled signal?

Do you need to use a cable box to receive channels?

[neumannu47]

When I posted, my objective was to capture OTA analog. Now that you mention it, though, my cable company does provide the unscrambled digital signals for the local stations. Is that QAM? Tuning to 50.1 provides a viewable signal. So, I want it all!

[zaphod7501]

Probably the closest to an All-In-One is the Hauppauge HVR1600/1800 but only with third party software solutions. I personally find it's ATSC/QAM tuner a little flakey but it's hardware mpeg encoder for analog tuner and composite/S-Video capture very good. They have a Component capture card coming but details are sketchy on full features. (tuner?, Composite?, S-Video?, H264 encoding methods?)

My personal choice has always been for multiple devices. For ATSC/QAM I have a MyHD MDP-130 (and for playback - it has a hardware decoder for mpegs including ATSC and QAM). I understand the HDHomerun is pretty good for ATSC/QAM too (without opening the case - it's a network connected device). The Hauppauge PVR series (and HVR in analog mode) is very good for analog tuner/cable and line in capture (boxes), again with third party software. Since Cable is transitioning to encrypted QAM, 'box capture will likely be very important in the near future. (I'm silently hoping I'll get to test the new Component capture card: I got to Beta Test the HVR1600)

I would suggest scouring (using search functions, no one is going to provide much help to a newbie asking a question without searching the forum for answers to questions that might have asked and answered a 100 times) the forums for any potential device you might purchase to discover any conflicts, feature limitations, problem resolutions. SHSPVR.com would be the place for The Hauppauge cards. AVSforum.com (in the HTPC forum) for the MyHD cards. Software suppliers like Sage, GB-PVR, Mediaportal, TSreader, Pinnacle, and others would also be must-reads since it's going to be their software you'll be using. Windows Media Center Edition discussion can be considered but you are opening yourself up to future DRM that might remove recording, editing, sharing, and archiving possibilities (IMHO).

(I've been doing this for about 4 years. I started with nanopeg editing, Ulead authoring, to XSVCD on CR-R disks - 720x480 @ 2.2Mbps w/44k audio from a Hauppauge PVR250 :D )

edit: Oops, forgot about the Fusion (bits:) ) AVSforum is also possibility the best souce of info on it.

[bits]

I have been using a DVICO FusionHDTV5 USB Gold for about 18 months and so far I have been quite pleased with it. On a daily basis I record both OTA analog and HD shows. I have a small RCA indoor antenna pointed in the right direction. I am fortunate that local OTA is broadcast nearby. This device is QAM and I have had it hooked to my cable box.

I went with USB at the time because I did not have an extra PCI slot and because it could easily be hooked up to another PC or laptop.

One issue I ran into was the lack of recording scheduling software that worked with QAM. Over the last 18 months a lot has changed and I am pretty sure that Sage or someone like that has what is needed.

[TABLESAWTIM]

Hi,

I have used several capture cards (internal/USB) and find Hauppauge brand to be the most user friendly.

Install the hardware/drivers, and their software or any companies TV recording software, and you're running.

I have used four different TV DVR software, and have settled with SnapStream's BeyondTV. They're at v4.7.1, it just keeps getting better.

BeyondTV is limitless.

By the software in a package deal with a 'Firefly RF remote', and 'Beyond Media', and you're ready for a great experience.

If you have multiple computers, buy 'BeyondTV Link' to stream live TV or recorded video over the network or the Internet.

You can also use 'Orb' (a free program) but lower quality A/V.

BeyondTV is HD. You can stream MPEG4/HDWMF/H.264 files also.

I have a 6TB server, with six tuners in it, for multiple simultaneous recordings.

With BeyondTV, you can find plug-ins that the public make for just about anything that you would want your DVR software to do.

You can burn DVDs through BeyondTV also.

Hope this helps in some way.


Tim