Can someone recommend a TV Tuner Card

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Can someone recommend a TV Tuner Card

gardenman

13 posts

Geek

#35342 8-Jun-2009 21:04

Hi,
Can someone recommend A TV Tuner Card that is capable of picking up freeview channels (not fussed on whether it is SD or HD but I already have 2 sky decoders running off my dish so can it handle another one?)

It is going to a Vista media centre machine and will be replacing an existing analogue card, so I don't need a remote or anything.

Thanks

kiwijunglist

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#223738 10-Jun-2009 20:42

you mention HD and SD
Freeview HD is not available via sattelite

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

gardenman

13 posts

Geek

#224145 11-Jun-2009 20:58

Yeah I realise HD isn't available over Satelite. What I was saying is I'm not fussed on whether the tuner is SD or HD, but will the fact I already have 2 sky decoders on the dish force me down the HD route or will there be enough signal to handle another tuner?

gardenman

13 posts

Geek

#228349 25-Jun-2009 19:32

I guess no one can recommend anything then?

thorax

75 posts

Master Geek

#228353 25-Jun-2009 20:11

im using a Technisat Skystar 2 sattelite card, its pretty old but I recommend it as its performance is rock solid, only issue I have with it is the drivers don't respond too well after coming out of S3 power state (workarounds available), the card plays nicely with Mediaportal, MythTV etc etc.

Regs

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Snowflake

#228378 25-Jun-2009 21:46

i use twin hauppauge nova s plus DVB-S cards and highly recommend them. A single twin-tuner DVB-T card would be cheaper though (unless you have to upgrade your video card too). Hauppauge have good support, good compatibility and continuous driver development so i'd definately recommend them as a brand.

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Snowflake

#228379 25-Jun-2009 21:49

Re-reading your OP, see you are Vista Media Center..... neither Freeview DVB-S (SD) or Freeview DVB-T will work in Vista MCE. For DVB-S you need to use the dvbs_as_dvbt hack (with a card that supports it like the nova-s-plus - i have used this hack successfully in both xp-mce, vista-mce) or you need the TV_Pack addon. Freeview DVB-T won't work at all with Vita MCE so dont even bother - you would need gbpvr, mediaportal or other solution for that.

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5hundred

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#228728 27-Jun-2009 09:17

Pinnacle 7010ix if you can get hold of one, twin DVB-T, Twin DVB-S, twin analogue (software encoding) i run mine with the drivers for the much more expensive (but same chipset) Black Gold 3450 (bgt3450) drivers and it runs perfectly with Mediaportal. Have also tried it with Vista MCE and analogue and dvb-s worked fine. I reckon Windows 7 would work with it too and that would give you DVB-T also.