too many choices for DVB-T

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72 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 508368 18-Aug-2011 09:40
ok, thanks, that's good to know. but i guess there are limits? i have an old P4 machine, but no PCI-e slots, so probably not worth the effort...

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508369 18-Aug-2011 09:43
"amd on an asus motherboard - i always liked that combo. so even though that machine is a few years old, it still performs as HTPC?" Yes as I said it was my old machine but for HTPC service is more than capable as I have another HTPC in my bedroom that does everything and it is only a Pentium 4 3ghz single core with nvidia 8600GT and 1gb or ddr 400 ram and see no problem with performance but i dont play hard core games on that pc due to old gpu. but web surfing, live tv and recording, skype, google plus, and nztv on demand online all works like a charm. I use the Hauppauge wintv HVR 3300 provide remote for media playing and wireless mouse and keyboard for pc use and I even setup my steering and pedals for car racing games. You dont have to break the bank I purchased most things cheap on trademe. Good luck, Andy

davidcole

1536 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Reply # 508370 18-Aug-2011 09:45
My board, ASUS M2V has one PCIe for Video and everything else if PCI (4 PCI slots). Slots are currently filled by 2 x HVR3000 trimode DVB-S/DVB-T tuner (mostly for satellite, and one of them does dual duty as DVB-S and DVB-T) and one Nova-T 500 a dual DVB-T tuner. I wouldn't recommend the Nova T though. An HVR2250 is much better, but this is a PCIe board. So you make do with what you have. Previously knows as psycik NextPVR Based HTPC: 2 x HVR3000 - DVB-S - Freeview, HVR3000 - DVB-T Freeview\|HD, Nova-T 500 - Dual Freeview\|HD, Digital Coax --> Yamaha RX-v540, 8600GT --> Samsung LA46A650D via HDMI Clients: Popcorn Hour A-100, 1xATV2, 1xATV3 Windows 7 Ultimate Host 4x2TB + 1x1.5TB using DriveBender, VMWare Server 2 with 1xW7, 2xW2k3 1xUbuntu 11.10 Desktop, 1xWHS2011, Plex

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508373 18-Aug-2011 09:51
if you want to try out or test drive and have a decent AGP video card give it a go, to be honest I test drive with the pentium 4 and a crappy nvidia low profile silent 5200 graphics card and run fine the tv but once u pushed the denifition up it struggled. I was running DVB-S at the time so Standard Defintion is not so hard than DVB-T. though. what other hardware you got there? Andy

steadysteve

72 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 508378 18-Aug-2011 10:04
pentium 4 and a crappy nvidia low profile silent 5200 graphics card funny you should say that - i have that exact setup lying around. maybe i should use it as a test system before i build the "real" one... interesting that your test drive performed well for standard def.

davidcole

1536 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Reply # 508380 18-Aug-2011 10:07
the 5200 will be fine for DVB-S but very underpowered for DVB-T. I think only the PCIe cards, minimum of an 8500GT, were the first that included the hardware to hardware decode the h.264 stream we use for DVB-T. Previously knows as psycik NextPVR Based HTPC: 2 x HVR3000 - DVB-S - Freeview, HVR3000 - DVB-T Freeview\|HD, Nova-T 500 - Dual Freeview\|HD, Digital Coax --> Yamaha RX-v540, 8600GT --> Samsung LA46A650D via HDMI Clients: Popcorn Hour A-100, 1xATV2, 1xATV3 Windows 7 Ultimate Host 4x2TB + 1x1.5TB using DriveBender, VMWare Server 2 with 1xW7, 2xW2k3 1xUbuntu 11.10 Desktop, 1xWHS2011, Plex

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508381 18-Aug-2011 10:09
something like these will work very well for you as it has good cpu dual core can put upto 8gb of ram good PCI-E card in and has PCI-e x1 and PCI sockets for mothern tunners, http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Components/CPUs/Intel/auction-399913992.htm yeah that crappy system works and the card did not have HDMI so I used Svideo and worked fine also if you have a pretty smart tv can help the card too, good luck and check the link, Andy

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508382 18-Aug-2011 10:09
something like these will work very well for you as it has good cpu dual core can put upto 8gb of ram good PCI-E card in and has PCI-e x1 and PCI sockets for mothern tunners, http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Components/CPUs/Intel/auction-399913992.htm http://www.google.co.nz/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=Intel+DG965WH yeah that crappy system works and the card did not have HDMI so I used Svideo and worked fine also if you have a pretty smart tv can help the card too, good luck and check the link, Andy

steadysteve

72 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 508395 18-Aug-2011 10:23
good links, cheers andy is TM a good place to buy components? i usually buy from an online store, because of come-back if necessary i'm thinking i won't waste my time with that old P4 machine - just do it once!

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508400 18-Aug-2011 10:28
i buy most of my stuff from trademe and never had a problem but I make sure check with seller Items work fine and no overclocking have been done to the cpu and also check that they will be sending item safe so it does not get damage during posting. however there is an element of risk of getting damaged during posting and you dont have a warranty either but if you want cheap hardware then tradme is a good place. but If you got the cash to buy new that is better though. good plan and good luck, Andy

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508407 18-Aug-2011 10:38
this looks like a nice little beast as a small silent and capable card http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Components/Video-cards/PCIExpress/auction-399529687.htm I have not tried this one myself but im thinking about it us noise from graphix card can be annoying.. the features are nice too. Graphics GPU FeaturesNVIDIA® GeForce 210 Full Microsoft® DirectX® 10.1 Support HDCP compliant Dual Dual-link DVI Support: Able to drive the industry’s largest and highest resolution flat-panel displays up to 2560x1600 NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology: Essential for the Ultimate HD Movie Experience on a PC NVIDIA Hardware Decode Acceleration: provide ultra-smooth playback of H.264, VC-1, WMV, DivX, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 HD and SD movies without the need for a dual or quad-core CPU quoted from: http://www.asus.com/Graphics_Cards/NVIDIA_Series/EN210DI512MD2LP/ anyway I better get to work now, good luck, Andy

steadysteve

72 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 508412 18-Aug-2011 10:57
yes good specs. i think that silent technology is essential for HTPC

davidcole

1536 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Reply # 508426 18-Aug-2011 11:22
Does it have HDMI? I'd look for one that does, makes like more convienient hooking to a TV. And then if your motherboard has toslink or digital coax outputs, then that can feed an AMP. Previously knows as psycik NextPVR Based HTPC: 2 x HVR3000 - DVB-S - Freeview, HVR3000 - DVB-T Freeview\|HD, Nova-T 500 - Dual Freeview\|HD, Digital Coax --> Yamaha RX-v540, 8600GT --> Samsung LA46A650D via HDMI Clients: Popcorn Hour A-100, 1xATV2, 1xATV3 Windows 7 Ultimate Host 4x2TB + 1x1.5TB using DriveBender, VMWare Server 2 with 1xW7, 2xW2k3 1xUbuntu 11.10 Desktop, 1xWHS2011, Plex

steadysteve

72 posts

Master Geek

Reply # 508483 18-Aug-2011 12:08
i think it does - anyway there are similar newer asus cards available with HDMI interesting...are you saying that the sound goes via HDMI to the TV and then to an amp? atm i take TV sound via an optical cable to an amp - so that can stay as is. i like it

GamerOC

416 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 508517 18-Aug-2011 12:38
if you use HDMI sound and image goes through same cable but you can get the output from the tv into a home theater sound system. good luck, Andy

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