Which TV Tuner/Capture Card?

[ajbrun]

I'm looking for a TV tuner card that can do all of the following:

* Recieve both freeview and analouge TV (from roof ariel)
* Record TV
* Use timeshifting
* Watch and record different channels at the same time
* I'm not too bothered about a remote either way
* Be PCI compatible (not PCI-E like the one below)

Anyone got any suggestions as to what I should be getting. I'm not wanting to spend loads. Trippledence has suggested this one, and that's probably the most i'd be spending.

So, just general advice needed .

Thanks

[ajbrun]

Well, I really wanted the one in the link above, but it seems it is not to be as I don't have a PCI-E slot .

So, my next choice is this one:
http://tven.terratec.net/modules.php...rticle&sid=232

Anyone got any opinions on this? I've searched for some reviews on the net, but I've only been able to find one (plastered all over the net), which says it's a pretty awesome product. I'd rather hear some bad point as well, as every product has them...

[Funkstar]

take a look at http://www.tv-cards.com might be something on there.

I have a Lifeview Cardbus card that works quite well (digital, analoge and composite/S-video) now they have the drivers sorted out. i believe they have a PCI version too (I don't know who actaully makes them but i've seen their stuff with other manufacturers names on, so there should be a few brands out there with what you are looking for)

[ajbrun]

Are there any other cards that have dual tuners in them? One of the main reasons I record stuff is because there's two things on at the same time that I'd like to watch.

[Funkstar]

Well LifeView have a dual tuner PCI card that does digital and analog.
http://www.lifeview.com.tw/html/prod...lydvbt_duo.htm

Hauppauge in the US have the PVR-500 with has two analog tuners. I don't know of any others that have dual digital tuners.

The problem with dual tuners is that the software that comes with the card can often only operate one tuner at a time. Another alternative it to use multiple cards, but again, most software doesnæt support this.

The Nebula Electronics (http://www.nebula-electronics.com/)) software can now support multiple cards or USB devices so it might be worth a look at them for a Windows only solution. If you want to get your hands (really) dirty then take a look at MythTV (http://www.mythtv.org/). MediaPortal is also a pretty good PVR from what i hear, but i didnæt have much luck getting it to tune on my system when i last tried it (was a good while ago now though) (http://mediaportal.sourceforge.net/)

[ajbrun]

Then what's the point in having 2 tuners on a card if only one can be used at a time?

I've had a look at the lifeview one, but I've seen nothing that definatly says that I can record and watch different channels at the same time.

I would have liked the Terratec Cinergy 2400i DT as that can definatly do both at one, but it requires PCI-E, which I don't have .

[tfboy]

I know windows MCE supports two freeview cards in one system. A friend of mine has been playing with building the ultimate Home Theater PC and has put 2 MCE-certified Hauppauge DVB-T cards and he can record two different programs at the same time.

Not sure what applications on non-MCE supports multiple tuners

[kidzer]

Time for an idiots question (Gonna do this in a few years when I build my own machine, if its possible)

If I have a TV Tuner installed in my system, are there any that would have an input to plug an Xbox360 into so I can play it without needing a TV in my room?

Cheers, and sorry for hijacking the thread!

[Jonny M]

Most TV cards will slightly delay the picture as they convert it to MPEG2 format, so while you would see the Xbox display on there, you wouldn't be able to play due to the lag.

[kidzer]

Achweel, cheers for the info

[ajbrun]

I know windows MCE supports two freeview cards in one system. A friend of mine has been playing with building the ultimate Home Theater PC and has put 2 MCE-certified Hauppauge DVB-T cards and he can record two different programs at the same time.

Not sure what applications on non-MCE supports multiple tuners

I'd rather have 1 card that can only record one thing, than two that can record two things at the same time. Just if it's possible, I would like one card that can do two at the same time as in trippledences link above, just in a PCI format. I really don't think one exists right now, but I thought I'd ask anyway, incase someone knows of one that I missed, or knows one that's going to be released soon.

[Funkstar]

Then what's the point in having 2 tuners on a card if only one can be used at a time?

Well appart from that PCI-E dual digital card iæve only ever seen dual cards that are 1x digital and 1x analog. So it's dual as in 'tune to one or the other' as opposed to 'tune to two different things at once'.

[ajbrun]

OK - seems I'm going to have a 'one of the other' card then.

Next question:
I thought both digital and analouge are recieved through the same ariel. However, on some (maybe all) cards, i've seen two ariel inputs - one for digital, and one for analouge.

If I connect the ariel to only the digital input, would I be able to recieve all the 'normal' channels, (BBC1, BBC 2, ITV, CH4, CH5) or would i have to split the ariel so that it is connected to both the digital and the analouge input?

(hope that made sense)