dvb-t tv tuners

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › dvb-t tv tuners

leemarrett

51 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#132247 14-Oct-2013 20:32

What are people using for DVB-T tuners these days? Tossing up between a PCI tuner and a USB one, any favourites?

I've currently got two nova-s plus in my winMC box, but wanting to switch to DVB-T. Was also idly thinking about switching from winMC to xbmc if that sways any opinions either way.

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 206

Trusted

Snowflake

#915074 14-Oct-2013 22:25

if i was going to buy new tuners i'd seriously consider network tuners like the hdhomerun. can share them amongst multiple machines across the network and they dont chew up usb or pci slots.

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#915090 14-Oct-2013 22:46

I use a HDHomeRun. Love it - DVB-T in your LAN, any PC, anywhere.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

leemarrett

51 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#915151 15-Oct-2013 07:37

interesting; so how would that work for recording live tv?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80646 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#915154 15-Oct-2013 07:44

The same as it would with a USB or PCI. It's just another device for the PC.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1461
Inactive user

#915188 15-Oct-2013 08:35

I honestly think it depends on what kind of setup you want to end up with.

I like the idea of the HDHR, but it doesn't suit my setup. I have my tuners in my server, and use it to manage all my media including my TV (live and recorded). HDHR devices would work just fine, but they would add unnecessary network traffic IMO, and it would add my network switch and cabling as another potential point of failure to my TV recording.

I have a Hauppauge HVR2200 PCIe card, and an Avermedia A835 USB stick, they both work well.
Be aware that the power requirements of a USB tuner can be high. The dual tuner ones can be very power hungry, and you need to watch what else you put in the same USB port "set" (can't come up with the correct term ATM)

Most good PVR software will let you use the same tuner to tune all channels on the same frequency (Windows Media Center does NOT). In NZ that means, 3 DVB-T tuners should allow you to watch and record every channel available to you.
I don't know how the HDHR's handle this though. I'm sure someone else can clear that up.

Decide whether you just want adhoc tv watching and recording, or a server client system, and go from there.

sidefx

3775 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1295

Trusted

#915191 15-Oct-2013 08:41

HD Homerun works well in our house. Though TBH we don't watch all the much TV these days - it's mostly netflix and other sources.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

leemarrett

51 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#915270 15-Oct-2013 10:36

Yeah, I like the look of the HomeRun but it's almost $200 and it's for something we're relying on less and less.

Andrew, is that tuner problem you mentioned specific to DVB-T? We've only got 2 x PCI DVB-S cards and we're able to watch and record across all the channels.

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1461
Inactive user

#915279 15-Oct-2013 10:47

leemarrett: Yeah, I like the look of the HomeRun but it's almost $200 and it's for something we're relying on less and less.

Andrew, is that tuner problem you mentioned specific to DVB-T? We've only got 2 x PCI DVB-S cards and we're able to watch and record across all the channels.

Sorry I'm a bit lost, what problem?

The USB power problem is USB specific.

What I mentioned about tuning is that with 3 tuners and the right software (pretty much anything except Media Centre), you can potentially watch/record every channel at the same time. None of this record one while watching another crap, watch one while recording them ALL :D

I'm unsure how DVB-S works, but I was under the impression there were three muxes, so you'd need three tuners.

The tuners need to be able to supply the software with the raw stream, and most can/will.

leemarrett

51 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#915282 15-Oct-2013 10:50

Ah OK I see what you mean. Yeah that's a bit over kill -- with two tuners we can be recording two while watching something we've already recorded, that's kind of enough for me :)

But it's useful to know I could get them all with three!

andrewNZ

2487 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1461
Inactive user

#915290 15-Oct-2013 11:07

I regularly use the feature.

I've completely changed the way I watch TV now. I record everything I might want to watch (I only keep it for a week by default) then when I get home, I start with the news, and watch what I feel like afterwards. I just treat it like advanced timeshifting.

The feature is per mux/frequency too, so (depending on how DVB-S tuners work) you could be watching/recording all channels from any two muxes now. :)