TV Tuner Card Help

[ctid]

I'm building myself a media centre pc and have been looking at the TV tuner cards you sell. The thing that is confusing me is that you have a seperate section for PVR cards. Can a digital TV tuner card such as the one linked below also be used for recording programs with MCE or MythTV?

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Produ...oductID=288373

I want to be able to record from freeview and use the remote control to navigate MythTV using LIRC. Will this card and remote do it? I'm assuming the card comes with an IR receiver.

Thanks

[TeleFragX]

i have this card. Its ok but has a few issues. The new drivers allow it for use on MCE 2005. You can then use MC to record programs BUT YOU CANNOT use the software included with the card. The software included is for home / pro only.

It finds most services in my area but when using it with the software it comes with on professional after 2 hours it locks up and you have to restart to get it to work. The quality isn't the best.

If you can afford it get the 1300 MCE card (not by kworld)

I REPEAT YOU CANNOT USE 3RD PARTY SOFTWARE WITH THIS CARD! Only the kworld or MC.

[ctid]

Thanks for the advice. Which card would you recommend for use with MythTV? I want one that comes with a remote control and IR receiver. I was looking at the Hauppauge PVR500, but it seems a bit pricy for my first go at a media centre pc.

[TeleFragX]

I have heard Hauppauge to be great.

The best is Hauppauge 1300 - it has a built in hardware encoding and decoding mpeg 2 chip
Hauppauge 1100 is next same as 1300 except it uses software to encode / decode mpeg 2.

Whats your price range?

[ctid]

I was thinking around £50 - £60 for one. I'd ideally like a remote and IR receiver with it, as it saves me buying a remote and making my own receiver.

I was looking at single tuner ones for this price, but a dual tuner seems loads better, and I could save up for a couple of weeks in order to get a dual tuner card.

If I could get a dual tuner card that can record freeview for around £60, without the remote and receiver, that would be great. Doesnt look like its gonna happen though.

[herulach]

if you look on the mythtv site there is a link to compatible tuner card database, but basically, get a pvr x50 (where x is the biggest number you can afford)

[ctid]

I've found a Hauppauge PVR500 MCE OEM for £70 delivered. I was wondering if this would still have an IR receiver even though it doesnt have a remote. Also, will this only work with MCE as it is in the name?

Thanks again

[ctid]

Can a PVR150 or 350 be used to record from freeview at all? I already have a freeview box. Am I right in thinking that the DVB-T cards have a freeview tuner built in, which means you don't need a freeview box to view the channels?

[just_laze]

Yes.

[TeleFragX]

Yes as long as it has a digital tuner it has freeview built in!

[ctid]

Thanks . I'm trying to decide between a Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T Freeview PCI card and an Avermedia DVB-T 771 PVI card. If I use my media centre often, I'll probably upgrade to a dual tuner card later on.

[TeleFragX]

Hauppauge is a very good brand - i suggest you check their forums to see if theres any problems.

The 1300 i was talking about has a freeview tuner and analogue so u can use the analogue for fm radio too! Its over £100 but is good for if you want to upgrade later.

[ctid]

The 1300 looks good. Is there a DVB-T card that has dual tuners, but doesn't cost as much as the PVR500? I'd really like to have the functionality of watching one thing and recording another.

[TeleFragX]

to be honest - i doubt it. Not if you want peace of mind with it.

You can some where - the software does the recording of another show, obviously this will inpact the cpu of the pc.

If i was you i would save and get the one you want to have, no point of spending £160 total on 2 tuners one of which you wont use and wait a little for another £40 (total £100) and get the one you do want!

But at the end of the day it is your choice

[herulach]

IIRC MythTV supports multiple tuners anyway, so you can always add a second at a later date if you decide you need one.

[ctid]

I've been looking around and a dual tuner DVB-T card is gonna cost me around £150 since it would have to be imported from Australia (Fusion HDTV Tuner). BlackGold are supposed to be releasing one soon so I think I'll get the Nova-T for now and wait until I can get a dual tuner DVB-T card from somewhere in this country.

Thanks for all the help guys.