A good HDTV tuner PCIe card?

In message , Paul
writes:
[]
The single biggest weakness with any TV related hardware you
buy, is the software. You can have wonderful pieces of hardware,
rendered completely useless by a lack of a good driver or
controls package. So you don't buy those things without reading
the customer review section to see whether the software was
usable or not.

Paul

Aren't there alternative softwares out there that work with a variety of
tuner heads? When these things (OK, USB tuners mostly) first came out, I
seem to remember much discussion that the software that came with them
was hardly usable, but if you used xxx instead they were much better.
(Such as using the right logical channel numbers for a start.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)[email protected]+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"What did I do to deserve this?" "How long a list would you like?"- Vila & Avon

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
In message , Paul writes:
[]
The single biggest weakness with any TV related hardware you
buy, is the software. You can have wonderful pieces of hardware,
rendered completely useless by a lack of a good driver or
controls package. So you don't buy those things without reading
the customer review section to see whether the software was
usable or not.

Paul

Aren't there alternative softwares out there that work with a variety of
tuner heads? When these things (OK, USB tuners mostly) first came out, I
seem to remember much discussion that the software that came with them
was hardly usable, but if you used xxx instead they were much better.
(Such as using the right logical channel numbers for a start.)

Basically, if you read the customer reviews, the smart ones
tell you how best to run the gear.

If every customer is complaining the software they've tried
just isn't working out, and the product is getting panned, then just
stay away from it.

It's true that some of the commercial PVR packages support
a fair number of cards. But then, buying such a package,
becomes part of the purchase price of the tuner, and should
be priced in before you buy it.

Paul

On 10/3/2013 6:39 PM PT, (PeteCresswell) typed:

The only thing about network one is that my network isn't that stable
and is onl 100 Mb/sec. especially if I am going to do basic heavy file
transfers. Also, my network connection likes to disconnect. What
happens if that happens if I am recording to my computers? $80 isn't bad
though.

By "my network" do you mean your internet connection or your home LAN?

If #1, that's moot.

If #2, I'd be surprised if it could not be easily remedied.

#2.
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On 10/3/2013 9:47 PM PT, Hot-Text typed:

Aren't USB(2) too slow and unreliable for serious HTPC/media center users?

USB2 is fast enough.
For ATSC, the MPEG2 stream of packets is 19.39Mbit/sec which
is 2.4MB/sec. USB2 when used for mass storage is 30MB/sec.
For NTSC, if the capture chip was "dumb" and no compression
was used, that would be a higher rate. Perhaps 20MB/sec from
a BT878 for example. And that would still fit in a USB2 pipe.
I don't think the capture mode captures simple RGB 24 bit color,
and the capture mode uses something a bit more economical than that.
I can't find any details on it.

You a 100% Right Paul

Someone told me USB HDTV tuners has no hardware timing signal and can
get very hot (my upstair room can go up 90F degrees during the heat
waves). I do use my computer when recording and watching. I multitask
with it.
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"Ant" wrote in message m...
On 10/3/2013 9:47 PM PT, Hot-Text typed:
Aren't USB(2) too slow and unreliable for serious HTPC/media center users?
USB2 is fast enough.
For ATSC, the MPEG2 stream of packets is 19.39Mbit/sec which
is 2.4MB/sec. USB2 when used for mass storage is 30MB/sec.
For NTSC, if the capture chip was "dumb" and no compression
was used, that would be a higher rate. Perhaps 20MB/sec from
a BT878 for example. And that would still fit in a USB2 pipe.
I don't think the capture mode captures simple RGB 24 bit color,
and the capture mode uses something a bit more economical than that.
I can't find any details on it.
You a 100% Right Paul

Someone told me USB HDTV tuners has no hardware timing signal and can get very hot

Not with
Hauppauge USB HDTV tuners

http://www.hauppauge.com

(my upstair room can go up 90F degrees during the heat waves). I do use my computer when recording and watching. I multitask with
it.

I only use it to recording HBO and Show Time Moves
to make in to a Blue ray DVD's with my Computer

On 10/4/2013 10:27 PM PT, Hot-Text typed:

Not with
Hauppauge USB HDTV tuners

http://www.hauppauge.com

(my upstair room can go up 90F degrees during the heat waves). I do use my computer when recording and watching. I multitask with
it.

I only use it to recording HBO and Show Time Moves
to make in to a Blue ray DVD's with my Computer

Interesting. How many total tuners do you have running at once to record
and watch on your HTPC?
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experience points for killing the giant ant in your kitchen." --BBspot's
Geek Horoscopes (7/30/2004)
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