Tuner Card Recommendations

PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
edited January 2007 in Hardware
Hello ya'll

I have a client who wants to be able to record video from her TV and she'd like to be able to watch video on her TV off of her computer. She'd also like to be able to convert VCR videos to digital format.

I realize the VCR issue will require a converter box but I thought I'd throw that in there to give you an idea what she has in mind.

Someone recommended a Gigabyte TV/FM Tuner w/ Remote (I'll have to find the link for it - will return w/ that). Costs just under $40US. Sounds kinda on the low end side.

What do ya'll recommend for hardware & software for these tasks?

BTW: This will go into a brand new system:
  • Mobo: Asus P5B
  • CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz/4MB
  • RAM: Kingston HyperX 800MHz 2x1GB
  • HDD: Seagate 320GB SATAII
  • GPU: XFX GeForce 7300GT 512MB 2 DVI/HD PCI-E
  • Sound: Creative Labs XFI Xtreme Gamer

Comments

  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    I couldn't find hide nor hair of a TV tuner on Gigabyte's site. I found THIS on newegg. Now I KNOW I don't want that card. So, I'm definetly open to suggestions....

    TIA ya'll!
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    CNET published a review of TV tuners back in November of 2005. (I know that's ancient history when it comes to the electronics industry.) At the time, Hauppage and ATI had the best rated cards. I'm still looking around for a more recent review.
  • miragemirage
    edited January 2007
    Pterocarpous wrote:
    I couldn't find hide nor hair of a TV tuner on Gigabyte's site. I found THIS on newegg. Now I KNOW I don't want that card. So, I'm definetly open to suggestions....

    TIA ya'll!

    If the video card has VIVO capability, VCR can be connected to Video-in port and both TV viewing an recording can be done using the tuner on VCR. I did this for a while using WinDVR3 software from Intervideo. This is a kind of ad hoc solution but works fine by changing channels using VCR remote.

    The ultimate solution is a WinXP Media Center Edition compatible TV-tuner card and WinXP MCE combination. I tried WinDVR3, Media Portal, and some other software on WinXP-Pro but the Media Center program in WinXP Media Center Edition works so much better than the others. I am now using NVTV tuner card and WinXP MCE and very satisfied with it. But NVTV is not produced anymore. I can only recommend Hauppauge WinTV-PVR series from the recommendations I heard from the others.

    Hope this helps :)
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    mirage wrote:
    If the video card has VIVO capability, VCR can be connected to Video-in port and both TV viewing an recording can be done using the tuner on VCR. I did this for a while using WinDVR3 software from Intervideo. This is a kind of ad hoc solution but works fine by changing channels using VCR remote.

    The ultimate solution is a WinXP Media Center Edition compatible TV-tuner card and WinXP MCE combination. I tried WinDVR3, Media Portal, and some other software on WinXP-Pro but the Media Center program in WinXP Media Center Edition works so much better than the others. I am now using NVTV tuner card and WinXP MCE and very satisfied with it. But NVTV is not produced anymore. I can only recommend Hauppauge WinTV-PVR series from the recommendations I heard from the others.

    Hope this helps :)
    • VIVO=Video In/Video Out?
    • I'll take a look at the Hauppauge cards you mentioned. I was just reading some reviews of one of Hauppauge's TV tuner cards on newegg.
    • So, if she's running XPMCE she won't need any third party software?

    Thankyou, mirage. I hadn't thought of Windows XP MCE. She has XP Pro right now. I was just gonna put that on her new system (previous system got fried but that's another story...)

    Is there an upgrade path to MCE? I don't want to do an actual "upgrade" (not even if the XP Pro install is new - I just don't do OS upgrades) . But if I can feed it the XP Pro CD when prompted (during the XPMXE upgrade install) for proof of a previous full version OS, I'll do that. Otherwise, I'll get XPMCE full version. Thanx for pointing that out, mirage.
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited January 2007
    take a look at the Hauppage cards, specificly the 250's and 500's

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?DEPA=0&type=&Description=Hauppage&Submit=ENE&N=0&Ntk=all&Go.x=16&Go.y=33
  • miragemirage
    edited January 2007
    Pterocarpous wrote:
    • VIVO=Video In/Video Out?
    • I'll take a look at the Hauppauge cards you mentioned. I was just reading some reviews of one of Hauppauge's TV tuner cards on newegg.
    • So, if she's running XPMCE she won't need any third party software?

    Thankyou, mirage. I hadn't thought of Windows XP MCE. She has XP Pro right now. I was just gonna put that on her new system (previous system got fried but that's another story...)

    Is there an upgrade path to MCE? I don't want to do an actual "upgrade" (not even if the XP Pro install is new - I just don't do OS upgrades) . But if I can feed it the XP Pro CD when prompted (during the XPMXE upgrade install) for proof of a previous full version OS, I'll do that. Otherwise, I'll get XPMCE full version. Thanx for pointing that out, mirage.

    Yes VIVO is Video In/Video Out.
    With MCE additional software is not needed. But I have not tried connecting to VCR.
    Upgrading from XPPro to MCE is not supported, the upgrade path is from XPHome to MCE, just an artificial MS limitation:mad: . I tried upgrading from Pro to MCE indirectly but it was not easy, ended up reinstalling. Newegg sells the MCE OEM full version, this is where I had bought, you do not even need to buy with a piece of hardware.
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited January 2007
    Don't go cheap on a tuner card. I've tried that before with bad results everytime. The Hauppage that Armo suggested are very good, and are worth their premium price tag. Cheaper cards are usually plagued by hardware and driver issues which make seemless DVR functions difficult. That is not what you want in a HTPC system.
  • ArmoArmo Mr. Nice Guy Is Dead,Only Aqua Remains Member
    edited January 2007
    the Hauppage cards have hardware encoders, they dont rely on your machines CPU to compress adn encode the video.

    be aware of how they work :)
  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited January 2007
    http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2393&p=10
    http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2778&p=1

    There are cards from both ATI and NVidia. The articles at anandtech should give you a good place to start.
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    mirage wrote:
    ...Upgrading from XPPro to MCE is not supported, the upgrade path is from XPHome to MCE, just an artificial MS limitation:mad: . I tried upgrading from Pro to MCE indirectly but it was not easy, ended up reinstalling. Newegg sells the MCE OEM full version, this is where I had bought, you do not even need to buy with a piece of hardware...
    Thanx mirage. That's what I was afraid of. Thankyou for the pointer re: MCE on newegg. I'll check their price and compare it to that of my local builder here.
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Madball wrote:
    Don't go cheap on a tuner card. I've tried that before with bad results everytime. The Hauppage that Armo suggested are very good, and are worth their premium price tag. Cheaper cards are usually plagued by hardware and driver issues which make seemless DVR functions difficult. That is not what you want in a HTPC system.
    Thankyou Madball. That's whay I was thinking too. (That I'd regret going w/ a cheaper board in the end.)

    BTW, what's HTPC? :scratch:
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Armo wrote:
    the Hauppage cards have hardware encoders, they dont rely on your machines CPU to compress adn encode the video...be aware of how they work :) ...
    Thanx Armo. I picked that up in what I've read so far. (That it should have a built-in (hardware) encoder)

    As for how they work....unfortunately, I don't know how they work. That's why I'm having such a difficult time deciding on one. Do you have any online references or articles you can refer me to that explains how these little beasties work?? :smiles:
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    edcentric wrote:
    http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2393&p=10
    http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.aspx?i=2778&p=1

    There are cards from both ATI and NVidia. The articles at anandtech should give you a good place to start.
    Thanx Edcentric. I'll check those out! :)
  • MadballMadball Fort Benton, MT
    edited January 2007
    HTPC=Home Theater PC. A DVR. music jukebox, movie box all in one and connected to your TV. Basically like what your trying to build. There are lots of guides to find if you google HTPC.
  • PterocarpousPterocarpous Rosie the Riveter Lives On in CA, USA! New
    edited January 2007
    Madball wrote:
    HTPC=Home Theater PC. A DVR. music jukebox, movie box all in one and connected to your TV. Basically like what your trying to build. There are lots of guides to find if you google HTPC.
    Thanx for the definition, madball. Actually that isn't to be the primary purpose for the PC. She just wanted that added capability.
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