Recommendations for a Freeview PC TV Tuner card?

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NZ255

47 posts

Geek

#89949 12-Sep-2011 15:09

Hi there, long time lurker….

In order to get the family more interested in using the HTPC, I’ve been thinking about buying a TV Tuner card. I’ve already got the Harmony One to try and make it easier to switch to the PC but it doesn’t get a lot of use and is a bit inconvince it seems J.

I figure having Freeview (DVB-T) running on the PC, so it’s easy to jump between the local video files and live TV would push them to use the PC! Plus the live pause and record would be great too.

However, after a lot of searching around here and the net I see that getting the 7 day EPG requires a bit of fiddling.

The best (only?) solution looks to be the great EPG Grabber/Collector which would be fantastic, and I don’t think that’ll be an issue setting up hopefully.

Before I can set that up though I’ll need a TV Tuner card.

I currently will need to go with a low profile card, unless I need to upgrade the case for a full card. So if you have a suggestion for a full size card please post it.

My slots available are 2 low-profile PCI slots and 2 low-profile PCI-E slots (x16 and x1)

At least 2 tuners would be good, maybe 3 (using terrestrial). If I have the EPG data (using MediaPortal 1.2) will I be able to select the show and press record for a show in a few days time for example? And what of ‘series-link’?

Thanks A LOT

Nick

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225 posts

Master Geek

#520044 12-Sep-2011 16:01

The Hauppauge 2200 is a dual tuner and works well. If you have Windows 7, media center works very well and might be a bit easier for the family to use - looks nice too. It also will record as you describe as you just select the program you want in the epg and select it twice to series link.

I'm using a quad tuner and record quite a bit and have no issues.

NZ255

47 posts

Geek

#520061 12-Sep-2011 16:34

Ok, so the model numbe in that line up is the amount of tuners? (2200,3300,4400 = 2 tuners ,3 ,4 tuners?)
Are you able to assign all eg 4 to Freeview for example?

The icing on the cake would be to inclue the Telstra Digital TV service in the mix. Sky Sport etc.
Is this possilbe? Plug the telstra box into the card and have an ir blaster?
If so please go into detail! :D
Cheers

berrys

225 posts

Master Geek

#520071 12-Sep-2011 16:47

Unfortunately, I don't think the 3300 and 4400 have multiple terrestrial tuners - they have one satellite, one terrestrial and one analogue etc.

The quad tuner I have is from aussie:

http://digitalnow.com.au/product_pages/Quad.html

You can assign all tuners to record freeview or record 3 and watch/timeshift another etc.

I'm not so sure about adding Telstra service - I've never done it. The Hauppauge 2200 card has inputs for s-video and composite, so if the telstra box has these outputs, you should be able to do it and get an ir setup like you mentioned. The only thing would be the video quality using those connections wouldn't be as nice I'm guessing.

timbosan

2159 posts

Uber Geek

#520153 12-Sep-2011 20:30

If you have a low profile case, why not consider USB tuners? That what I did after trying a few internal ones that doidn't work too well. Now I have two USB tuners for DVB-T and a single DVB-S PCI tuner. The DVB-S means I can get a full EPG and copy the listings to the DVB-T channels (I am using Windows Media Centre).

I wasn't sure about USB based tuners at first, but I have had no problems with them.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#520157 12-Sep-2011 20:34

You can use a blaster with MediaPortal to record and view Telstra. I'm not sure what kind of encryption they use (NDS Videoguard like Sky???) but it may be possible to buy a PC tuner with a CI slot and a CAM to use the smartcard in the HTPC directly. The setup is simpler than using a blaster, and the video quality loss is zero too, however you may struggle to find an appropriate/compatible CAM.

Regarding series link: MediaPortal does not have series link as such. The alternatives are recording options like "record at this time on this channel every day/week/month", or "record all programmes named 'The Simpsons'".

jim.cox

224 posts

Master Geek

#520315 13-Sep-2011 08:40

I have just installed a Hauppauge 4400 card

It does both Analog, DVB-T and DVB-S

I am very satisfied with it

There were some initial configuration issues - but it is now working very well indeed

=mjc=
.

NZ255

47 posts

Geek

#520318 13-Sep-2011 09:12

Ok,

So perhaps I'm getting confused about what a tuner does?

Is there a card where I can use just 1 DVB-T input, watch 1 and record 2 others?
Would that require 3 DVB-T tuners?

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berrys

225 posts

Master Geek

#520340 13-Sep-2011 10:20

It does depend on what software you will use with a card.

If you use mediaportal, I believe (someone will need to clarify as I haven't used it). You can have a 1 terrestrial tuner card (any brand card/usb terrestrial tuner) and be able to watch and record at the same time as long as the channels are from the same mux. eg watch TV1 whilst recording TV2 because they are on the TVNZ mux.

You cannot do this using windows media center. So, you will need a tuner for each channel that you want to record/watch simultaneously. So yes, if using media center, you will need a card with 3 tuners to watch 1 and record 2 others.

mm1352000

1149 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#520389 13-Sep-2011 12:09

NZ255: Ok,

So perhaps I'm getting confused about what a tuner does?

Is there a card where I can use just 1 DVB-T input, watch 1 and record 2 others?
Would that require 3 DVB-T tuners?

*Any tuner* can allow you to view and/or record all the channels available on a given mux (AKA frequency). However some software doesn't support this capability. In particular, Windows Media Center does not allow you to do this. With WMC it is one tuner per channel.
It does depend on what software you will use with a card.

If you use mediaportal, I believe (someone will need to clarify as I haven't used it). You can have a 1 terrestrial tuner card (any brand card/usb terrestrial tuner) and be able to watch and record at the same time as long as the channels are from the same mux. eg watch TV1 whilst recording TV2 because they are on the TVNZ mux.

I can verify this is correct.

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

Uber Geek

#520407 13-Sep-2011 12:40

NZ255: Ok,

So perhaps I'm getting confused about what a tuner does?

Is there a card where I can use just 1 DVB-T input, watch 1 and record 2 others?
Would that require 3 DVB-T tuners?

I have an HVR2200 card (twin DVB-T tuners) and using the supplied WinTV7 software I can record two channels at once (different muxes) or record one and watch another. Just tried a test to watch one while recording two but doesn't work. Gives error message "no tuner available". Only lets you watch the one that started recording first.
Haven't tried other software though.

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#520411 13-Sep-2011 12:48

At least 2 tuners would be good, maybe 3 (using terrestrial). If I have the EPG data (using MediaPortal 1.2) will I be able to select the show and press record for a show in a few days time for example? And what of ‘series-link’?

When you press record in Mediaportal (1.2) a list of all the shows and dates with the same name will pop up so you can choose to record whichever one suits. As other posters have said you can also do a 'record at this time every week' or 'record shows with this name'.

There are a lot of options for TV tuners that will do what you want.

The Hauppauge HVR-2210 (or the older 2200) are dual DVB-T. The HVR-4000/3000 are older models that can do DVB-T, DVB-S and analog but not at the same time. The newer HVR-4400/3300 can record DVB-S and either DVB-T or analog at the same time.

There are also quad DVB-T and DVB-S tv tuners in a single card.

Windows MC7 and mediaportal are both good products, I use mediaportal because I like the ability to config things to my own liking and its ability to record multiple channels on the same mux. MediaCentre is a great option for an easy to setup config though.

My current setup has a hauppauge HVR-4000 and a HVR-3000. I'm looking at getting one of these:

http://shop.blackgold.tv/epages/BT3159.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3159/Products/BGT3600

Pretty future proof (DVB-T2 if we ever use that) and if I ever get Telstraclear it has the DVB-C option.

NZ255

47 posts

Geek

#520468 13-Sep-2011 14:08

You'll get Dolby 5.1 when it's broadcast, right?

So just to confirm:

I'll just have 1 Freeview (DVB-T) cable going into the PC card.

If I have a (talking specific)

HVR-2210, I should be able to watch 1 and record 1 channel or record 2 channels (software permitting)

HVR-3300, I should be able to watch 1 and record 2 channels or record 3 channels (software permitting)

Thanks

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
8476 posts

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#520494 13-Sep-2011 14:58

I have an HVR2210 & one Freeview UHF aerial input.

Have recorded about 5+ channels (maybe even 7 or 8) at same time (2 muxes at once, 1 per tuner, every channel on the particular mux can be accessed at the same time for recording or watching).

I run Mediaportal 1.2.0b.

For ultimate flexibility (recording across 3 muxes) you would want 2x HVR2210 cards. But if recording as many channels as you want across any two muxes floats your boat, then you are in business.

For the record, if you occaisionally record programs you like, two DVB-T tuners on one HVR2210 is plenty. If you start recording *everything* remotely interesting, you will start to encounter conflicts (which mediaportal handles gracefully.

HVR2210 comes with full heigh and half height plate.

elkano

160 posts

Master Geek

#520502 13-Sep-2011 15:17

NZ255: You'll get Dolby 5.1 when it's broadcast, right?

So just to confirm:

I'll just have 1 Freeview (DVB-T) cable going into the PC card.

If I have a (talking specific)

HVR-2210, I should be able to watch 1 and record 1 channel or record 2 channels (software permitting)

HVR-3300, I should be able to watch 1 and record 2 channels or record 3 channels (software permitting)

Thanks

The HVR-3300 is a hybrid tuner, it has one DVB-s tuner, one DVB-T /analog tuner.

So you can do the following with it (in mediaportal):

Watch and record 1 Mux on DVB-S
Watch and record 1 Mux on DVB-T/analog
Watch and record 1 Mux from DVB-S and 1 Mux from DVB-T at the same time.

So if you're just using it for DVB-T, the HVR-2210 is a better option as it has 2 DVB-T Tuners.

Here are the NZ Muxes (this is old so channels may have changed):

TVNZ Mux            MediaWorks Mux           Kordia Mux
TV One HD          TV3 HD                             Maori TV
TV 2 HD               C4                             Parliament TV
TVNZ 6               TV3+1                       Central TV
TVNZ 7
TVNZ Sport Extra                                Radio NZ National
                                                       Radio NZ Concert

So, if you use mediaportal (not MC7) and the HVR-2210 you can watch/record (for example):
TV1, TV2 TVNZ6 using one tuner
TV3 and C4 using the other tuner.

With Mediaportal, one tuner means you can watch/record all the channels on a mux at the same time using just that tuner.
With MC7 1 tuner = watch or record 1 channel only, another tuner is needed for another channel.

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
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#520504 13-Sep-2011 15:19

Oh forgot to say, for 7 day EPG, I use EPG Collector for the EPG. Works great, sets up in one minute, my grandma could do it.

Be sure to "Load" channels in Mediaportal TV Server config if you think you have it nailed but still no guide showing =).

Currently running Windows 7, but seriously thinking about going to XPSP3 given the number of people who praise it for a base OS for Mediaportal to run on. (I have extremely minor stability issues on Win7, dont know if its the OS or MP).

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