Decent DVB-S PCI cards

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Decent DVB-S PCI cards

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#50991 26-Nov-2009 17:36

Well, since I am working on my Freeview setup now, and discovered that my what should be DVB-S card is a DVB-T card...I need a proper DVB-S PCI card to get Freeview Digital.

I've been looking at recommendations on this website aswell as others, but I could only find things from 2008 and I think things have changed since then.

I need a DVB-S PCI (not express) card that supports the EPG and all avalable channels avalable on Freeview. Is there any particular brand that performs better, does more or picks up channels better than others. I also need an analogue input in the card in order to utilize sky channels distributed though analogue outputs or RF jacks.

Thanks! :)

1 | 2

4092 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#276609 26-Nov-2009 18:08

I've used half a dozen Hauppauge Nova-S plus in various machines and they work great.
Used with MediaPortal and win7 MCE.

Pluralsight

Learn cloud, mobile, security, data and web technologies with Pluralsight (affiliate link).

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276611 26-Nov-2009 18:12

I was looking at this one here:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Computers/Components/Other-PCI-cards/auction-256140847.htm

Not sure if TeVii is a quality brand or not...Anyone else use one for Freeview?

michaelt

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#276628 26-Nov-2009 19:37

I've never heard of TeVii. If you're looking to save money, you're probably better off just getting one of the no-name cards off trademe for $70. Make sure to google the model first, quite a few of them have driver compatibility issues (only have drivers for some versions of Windows).

I'll second CYaBro's recommendation to go with Hauppauge. I'm been using a Hauppauge HVR-3000, and had no problems with it at all.

If you want to buy new, CyaBro's suggestion of the Nova-S seems to be the cheapest. If you look on pricespy (http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=80115) you can find some retailers with the Nova-S for under $100. Hauppauge is a better brand than Tevii, and you also get analog video input (but no tuner) and a remote control. AverMedia also seems to have a good reputation.

Also, if you're interested, I'd be willing to sell my HVR-3000 for $130. The HVR-3000 is combination DVB-S, DVB-T, analog and FM radio (unfortunately, only one at a time), and comes with a remote. If you think you'll have any need for DVB-T or analog in the future it's a good choice.

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276632 26-Nov-2009 19:46

Well,

Your offer sounds great. I have a question. How can you have analogue inputs with no analogue tuner? Also, with your card...Can you hot swap between the analogue and satellite (like changing the component channel on a TV) to watch them both without having to say re-program to analogue and re-program to satellite?

This would be helpful. All our Sky channels are distributed though an analogue signal. Being able to swap between them like you would switch between say your DVD player and regular TV channels would be awesome!

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276633 26-Nov-2009 19:47

woops, silly internet. Posted it twice.

michaelt

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#276636 26-Nov-2009 19:54

From what I can tell, the Nova-S has analog inputs (composite, S-Video). That'd allow you to connect a Sky set-top box, VCR, game console, etc. It doesn't have a TV tuner, which would allow you to connect an aerial and tune into analog channels.

On the HVR-3000 you can definitely set up DVB-S, DVB-T and analog channels, and switch between them (assuming your software supports it). The only limitation is you can't watch them at the same time. I can only assume the Nova-S is similar. I've had no problems with it at all, I've just decided to sell my desktop and my (very old) laptop and get a decent laptop.

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276645 26-Nov-2009 20:09

Unfortunately, I am outside of the UHF reception area...So UHF is useless to me. I am just interested in your card as you have DVB-S and analogue. My only question is, because it don't have a tuner...How would one plug the card in to an RF port for the analogue channels if you can't tune the analogue channels in?

I assume I am on the same page when I say analogue. Analogue is the is the jack that you plug into the TV in order to receive standard channels though a VHF aerial, correct? Whenever we plug a new TV into the system, we still have to tune all the channels in. So buying a card without an analogue tuner (even though with satellite I wouldn't need the standard channels, bar the sky channels that are distributed in our house) dosn't seem like the right choice for my application.

Unless I have something seriously wrong.

michaelt

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#276647 26-Nov-2009 20:17

I'll try to clarify. When I refer to analog, I refer to anything that isn't digital; a continuous signal as opposed to a discrete signal.

You most likely have your Sky box connected to your TV via 3 RCA-RCA cables. One for composite video and 2 for audio. The composite video signal is analog.

The Nova-S can receive that type of analog signal, so you can connect your Sky box or VCR. You cannot connect a VHF aerial to it.

The HVR-3000 which I'm selling does have a tuner, as well as support for composite input. You can connect a satellite signal to it for DVB-S, and you can also connect an aerial to it, which it will use for DVB-T and for analog channels (both VHF and UHF). It has a second aerial connection for FM radio.

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276649 26-Nov-2009 20:24

Ahh,

Our Sky channels are in one central place. There are three decoders. One decoder for each channel. The signal for each channel is split to RF jacks in each room. Plug a TV in, tune it and you can get the three sky channels from each decoder, without actually having a decoder in the room.

I'm wondering, since it dosn't have a tuner for analogue, you couldn't just connect it like any other TV and receive the Sky channels though our system and then also connect a satellite dish and receive a digital signal then switch between the two. Since every TV we have purchased, we had to tune the TV into the channels and assign them to a number.

For example: When scanning we found TV3, we assigned TV3 to the number three on the TV, so when we hit 3 on the remote, it changed to TV3. To my understanding...This is tuning. Maybe you have a different idea as to what I am trying to explain. Or I'm using the wrong terms. (which is more likley.)

michaelt

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#276652 26-Nov-2009 20:28

Yes, that is tuning. The Nova-S's analog inputs would likely be useless to you, you can't connect an antenn to it.

The HVR-3000 does have an antenna input and is capable of tuning channels so would be more useful to you.

Which 3 channels are your Sky decoders set to? I assume you have more than 3 TV's? Most people with 3 Sky decoders would just connect one to every TV.

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276654 26-Nov-2009 20:38

We run a motel. We have 10+ TV's connected to these three decoders. I want to be able to utilize the Sky channels on the analogue side of things, and then the digital side of things with a satellite dish and Freeview.

For example: RF Output:

http://www.setupking.com/Images/RF%20coaxial%20jack%20wall.JPG

This is similar, except the output is sunk into the wall, rather than extruding out and you don't screw it on. Its hard to explain, but I'm sure you know what I'm on about.

I could take a standard cable for this kind of jack and plug it into your card, aswell as a cable for a satellite, tune the sky channels from the analogue output into the card and utilize the digital Freeview channels also...

I think I got it this time.

michaelt

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#276656 26-Nov-2009 20:47

Yes, you seem to have it right. For your reference, the connector in that image is an F-connector, the connector used for antenna connections in NZ is usually a Belling Lee connector.

The HVR-3000 would be capable of both those functions. You'd just connect both the satellite and antenna cables. Alternatively you could get two separate cards for DVB-S and analog.

One thing to note is that the HVR-3000 doesn't have an onboard encoder. That means when viewing from an analog source, the work of encoding it so that you can view it is done by your CPU, instead of on the card. That shouldn't be an issue for most PC's from the last 5 (or even 10) years though. This is true of the majority of analog TV tuner cards though and doesn't affect DVB-S, which is already digitally encoded.

DravidDavid

1907 posts

Uber Geek

#276658 26-Nov-2009 20:52

My CPU is an AMD Athalon X2 4800+ @ 2.51GHz

I should be fine. How old is the card exactly?

Thanks for your help too!

michaelt

425 posts

Ultimate Geek

#276663 26-Nov-2009 21:20

My CPU's an X2 4200+ and I've had no issues with it, so I doubt you will.

The card's about 2 years old. My PC's quiet and clean, and the HVR-3000's a current model that they're still selling so there shouldn't be any problems with it except a bit of dust on the remote control (which I don't use).

allstarnz

1715 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#276697 26-Nov-2009 23:21

to run DVB-S, you don't need a top line PC. It only processes MPEG2 video, so would probably even work OK on a high end P4.

I have an HVR3000, seemed to work fine for quite a while, but it seems to be worn out now.

If you want to record a lot of analogue, you're probably better off to get a card with onboard MPEG2 encoder

1 | 2