What TV Tuner Card Are You Using?

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gehenna

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#16884 2-Nov-2007 09:40

Hi there,

My Hauppauge PVR150MCE card just decided to cark it last night, so now I'm in the market for a new one. I'd like to give Freeview a go at some point, but until I get the time I need something I can just plug my TelstraClear box into straight away. So is it possible to get a hybrid card that does analogue and digital? I was thinking of waiting until DVB-T for Freeview, so if anyone can recommend a card to me I'd be eternally grateful. Otherwise I'll just grab another PVR150 and upgrade in the new year.

Cheers

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Biddle Corp

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#93409 2-Nov-2007 09:46

I'd be tempted to go for a Hauppauge HVR3000. These do analogue, DVB-T (Freeview terrestrial when it launches) and DVB-S (current Freeview Satellite). Expect to pay around $160 for one of these which isn't much more than a 150MCE.

I've got a MCE150 myself and am getting one of the HVR3000's as a 2nd tuner and will probably replace me other 150MCE with a 2nd HVR3000 at some stage.

gehenna

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#93411 2-Nov-2007 10:03

sbiddle: I'd be tempted to go for a Hauppauge HVR3000. These do analogue, DVB-T (Freeview terrestrial when it launches) and DVB-S (current Freeview Satellite). Expect to pay around $160 for one of these which isn't much more than a 150MCE.

I've got a MCE150 myself and am getting one of the HVR3000's as a 2nd tuner and will probably replace me other 150MCE with a 2nd HVR3000 at some stage.

yep i just saw this one on the pbtech site but none in stock. might get ascent to order me one in, i was hoping to pick it up today though and get it sorted over the weekend. ah well.

thanks!

rhysb

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#93412 2-Nov-2007 10:22

Just be aware that the PVR150 has a hardware encoder, while the HVR cards have a software encoder. Not a problem with digital as it is already mpeg encoded, but can lead to flaky performance for the analogue stuff.

mcraenz

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#93448 2-Nov-2007 12:04

Unless you're restricted by PCI slots I'd recommend staying away from hybrid cards. You normally only use one "section" at a time, and as mentioned the analogue side normally has no hardware encoder (Which in my opinion is a MUST for smooth PVR). If you've got PCI slots get an separate card(or 2!) for each service. otherwise you won't be able record something on freeview while watching something else on cable.

And with DVB-x you can potentially record multiple channels at once on 1 card as long as they are on the same frequency(MUX).

In short. Get another PVR-150. They're great cards! Add DVB when you're ready. :)

Cheers,
mcraenz

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DrAndrew

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#93488 2-Nov-2007 15:18

HVR3000 - its seems to have the most support out of the dvb-s cards I could find, as well. I thought about the 4000 for the HD aspect of it all once dvb-t comes, but I doubt the rest of my gear will be up to it...

allstarnz

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#93513 2-Nov-2007 17:53

my HVR3000 seems to work ok for me.

If you want to run a card under MythTV, avoid Hauppauge, not many of their cards support Linux properly.

openmedia

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#93518 2-Nov-2007 18:16

allstarnz: my HVR3000 seems to work ok for me.

If you want to run a card under MythTV, avoid Hauppauge, not many of their cards support Linux properly.

Odd as I find most of their recent cards work under Linux. Plus they are funding Linux driver development.

The HVR3000/4000 drivers are almost ready for prime time.

Steve

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geekiegeek

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#93556 2-Nov-2007 22:04

I have an HVR3000 for freeview and a ATI 550 for analogue via sky decoder. works great. I remember seeing on various forums that people had trouble getting both analogue and dvb working together as a hybrid card under most media centre software (windows). Also software encoding will require a fair amount of system overhead.

lchiu7

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#93597 3-Nov-2007 14:45

I am using a PVR250 for TCL cable. I also have a Freeview box which works well. When two recordings I tried of the WC final and 3/4th place got interrupted in the middle by a channel change to a kids channel (!), it prompted me to purchase a HVR-3000. So that means, assuming that the HVR-3000 sets up okay with GBPVR, I can record TV1, 2, 3 from that card and the kids can change the TCL cable box without disturbing my recordings in progress.

And perhaps with DVB-T HD comes along, this card might be able to record the picture?

Larry

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allstarnz

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#93689 4-Nov-2007 15:26

openmedia:
allstarnz: my HVR3000 seems to work ok for me.

If you want to run a card under MythTV, avoid Hauppauge, not many of their cards support Linux properly.

Plus they are funding Linux driver development.

The HVR3000/4000 drivers are almost ready for prime time.

Steve

That's good news. I think many of the hybrid cards functionality is a bit mixed (ie works in analogue, but not DVB-T). Once this support of Linux is official, I may give it some more thought. It's just like anything in Linux, unless it's plug and play, there's a lot of pissing about getting things running properly.

Fossie

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#93696 4-Nov-2007 16:15

HVR-900

walt12

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#93754 5-Nov-2007 08:20

HVR-4000, but effectively just using DVB-S at present. The whole hybrid cards issue is a bit of a nightmare at present, and I'm think of picking up an additional PVR card for analog and external capture.

rhysb

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#93764 5-Nov-2007 09:58

Forgot to say, I've got dual HVR-4000's. They're basically the same as the HVR-3000, but with DVB-S2 support.

No1Daemon

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#93825 5-Nov-2007 18:59

I run an HVR3000 for freeview in my HTPC. Runs with great quality picture and doesnt drag on the cpu too much.
Took a bit of tweaking to get it set up in Mediaportal though.

davidcole

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#93844 5-Nov-2007 20:28

HVR3000 for DVB-S
PVR-500 for FTA tv
PVR-150 for TelstraClear

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