TV Capture Card + Aerial - What to buy?

[danm]

Hey guys - I have just built myself a new system for university. I am an architecture student and use a lot of cad, a lot of 3d and even more photoshop.

I also play rFactor, and am part of the modding groups that are making tracks for people to race on.

My new machine is as follows:

Asus P5E-VM HDMI
E4300
4GB Corsair PC6400 XMS2
Antec P180 Mini
Scythe Ninja II
Trust 500W
Dell 2408 24''

However, I am not yet satisfied, and I would like to get myself a nice TV Capture card so I can watch a bit of TV and most importantly, Formula One using the picture in picture on my screen.

I am not up to date on capture cards, but I did have an old Hauppage card back in 2002 that was a bit jerky, but did the job. Software was terrbile, and I used third party applications to make it better.

What I'd like to cheekily ask is if there is a particular TV card that you could recommend.

I would like to have freeview, but am not really looking to record tv right now.

That said, in the next year I probably would regret this and wish I had the ability to do so, in which case i think a dual tv card with ability to play AND record different channels would seem a wiser investment.

To make it worse though, I am a student, and dont exactly have access to my roof very well. The loft yes, the roof no.

There is no aerial socket in my room, and the location (portsmouth) is pretty crap for tv signal.

On a poor persons budget, what is a sufficient card for the job I am after, and considering the cost also of an aerial that I am likely to need or even a signal booster.

Looking at ebuyer, has anyone experienced or put doubt to the following:

Compro VideoMate Vista T750F Dual PCI DVB-T and Analog TV/FM with remote PCI Card @ £50.44
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143322

Compro VideoMate Vista T500F Hybrid DVB-T and Analog TV/FM Tuner PCI Card @ £43.62
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/143330

Compro VideoMate E800 DVB-T receiver analogue TV radio tuner video input adapter NTSC SECAM PAL PCI-E x1 Card @ £61.34
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/145065

Many thanks in advance!

Dan

[nvening]

http://shop.blackgold.tv/product/3510.html

personally i would opt for that - i have the single tuner version - two of them - and there really good and that has a hardware encoder too which is important.

[Englander]

I just bought a Hauppauge nova-T but it doesn't work yet as I've yet to get an aerial

I'm going to check if my dad has one spare otherwise I'll order one and get it in the middle of next week or something.

[danm]

http://shop.blackgold.tv/product/3510.html

personally i would opt for that - i have the single tuner version - two of them - and there really good and that has a hardware encoder too which is important.

Ahh yes, black gold tv cards have incredible reviews. however, its a meaty price!

i guess it should be a worth investment though, thanks!

still looking, but what sort of additional aerials and boosters would i need to get with that, and what sort of price should i be thinking?

£79 a pop for a tv card is more than i expected, but if it will last me a good few years into the freeview and digital recording age, so be it. ill have to read more into the resolution of the tv it feeds too. thanks again!

so yeah, any recomendations on boosters/and or aerials?

if i have no access to a wall aerial socket (for another 8 months anyway lol) could i get away with buying a decent booster and use a portable mini aerial which i already have?

[jackvdbuk]

highly depends on where you are located, tbh your going to get nothing decent from freeview + tv card with a set-top aerial.

dont bother with a booster until youve tried just the aerial however, waste of monies if you dont actually need it

[danm]

very true, thanks!

ive got to do some thinking on wether it really is worth forking out that much on a tv card.... but it does what i want it to, so im swung pretty much for it.

i just have this feeling its gonna be all great.. except my area has crappy signal.

i have a usb freecom stick and that didnt work in the slightest.

[Webby]

If you get poor reception in your area then a small aerial is not going to be enough, unfortunately that is just the way it is.