Best HDTV Tuner / Decoder Card

E

Ender1183

Gawd
Joined
Oct 4, 2006
Messages
545
I was looking at the MyHD PCI HDTV Tuner / Decoder Card - MDP-130. Is there anything better then this one? Maybe something that records in MPEG format. This maybe a dumb question but i just want to make sure. If i get this card will i be able to view it through my video card with out getting the extra card with the dvi inputs?

Found it at buy.com for 140

http://www.buy.com/prod/MyHD_PCI_HDTV_Tuner_Decoder_Card/q/loc/101/201695364.html
 
any one you use or would suggest that a lot to pick from... Looking for one that is good at displaying 1080i and recording.
 
They all perform the exact same function, grabbing the boardcasted Transport Stream file via antenna, so there really isn't any better then the other. It pretty much comes down to drivers and if one card has more (IRQ related) problems over another.

http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_in...0-hdtv-tuner-white-box/cName/hdtv-tuner-cards
http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_in...sc-and-ntsc-pci-retail/cName/hdtv-tuner-cards
http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_in...tv-receiver-pci-dta150/cName/hdtv-tuner-cards

If you're going with MCE and just want to do HD then go with the Hauppauge 1600, if not then it hardly matters that the card has a hardware encoding analog tuner onboard. Go with which ever card costs less then.

Just make sure you have a pretty good antenna and that you can actually tune any HD channels in your area (go to Antennaweb.org for that info).

I have this Vbox tuner which is virtually useless to me since I can't get a decent signal where I'm at, it tends to bounce off of the mountains so I can't really help with any suggestions since I don't do ATSC HD broadcasts. This is what I'm going to get whenever I can allocate the money for it.
http://www.9thtee.com/hdhomerun.htm
 
If you go with the HVR-1600, then you're going to need a "certified MCE remote/IR blaster" since the supplied remote and IR blaster with the HVR-1600 isn't recognized as certified. I've tried, and MCE will not finish setup until I bought a Wintv-pvr 150 MCE card that came with a certified MCE remote/ir blaster. The HVR-1600 and the supplied IR blaster is compatible with Beyondtv, not sure about SageTv though.
 
Pick up an MCE remote then, it doesn't matter much anyways since the Hauppauge remote is garbage.
TheDro said:
If you go with the HVR-1600, then you're going to need a "certified MCE remote/IR blaster" since the supplied remote and IR blaster with the HVR-1600 isn't recognized as certified. I've tried, and MCE will not finish setup until I bought a Wintv-pvr 150 MCE card that came with a certified MCE remote/ir blaster. The HVR-1600 and the supplied IR blaster is compatible with Beyondtv, not sure about SageTv though.
Click to expand...
 
CrimandEvil said:
Pick up an MCE remote then, it doesn't matter much anyways since the Hauppauge remote is garbage.
Click to expand...

I found it wiser to get the Wintv-pvr 150 MCE instead for $90 with shipping from Provantage, than getting a $40+ MCE remote.
 
TheDro said:
I found it wiser to get the Wintv-pvr 150 MCE instead for $90 with shipping from Provantage, than getting a $40+ MCE remote.
Click to expand...
Whatever. The one that comes with the MCE kit is okay though (unlike the regular Hauppauge remotes). Either way I wouldn't have gotten a PVR150 anyways since there are much better tuners out there for the same amount of money.
 
Its a good package, since the remotes/ir blaster are overpriced for what they are/do. Price wise I still think its worth it just because it came with the certified MCE remote/ir blaster.
 
I think im going with the Hauppauge 1600. It has the remote and is only 20 bucks more then the AverTVHD MCE A180. With the 1600 i should be able to see both regular and up to 1080i with it, right? Also i have an antenna on the roof that is used for regular tv that will work for hd too?
 
I just have to chime in with another vote for the HDHomeRun from 9thtee. Yeah, the unit is a little expensive, but not so bad when you realize that it provides you with 2 HD tuners in an external box that connects via network instead of taking up a USB port or PCI/PCI-e slot.
 
farscapesg1 said:
I just have to chime in with another vote for the HDHomeRun from 9thtee. Yeah, the unit is a little expensive, but not so bad when you realize that it provides you with 2 HD tuners in an external box that connects via network instead of taking up a USB port or PCI/PCI-e slot.
Click to expand...

And it actually makes QAM usable. :)
 
farscapesg1 said:
I just have to chime in with another vote for the HDHomeRun from 9thtee. Yeah, the unit is a little expensive, but not so bad when you realize that it provides you with 2 HD tuners in an external box that connects via network instead of taking up a USB port or PCI/PCI-e slot.
Click to expand...

Indeed. Mine works great for QAM!
 
Damn I have to wait a little bit before i buy now... Anyway maybe i should pick up one of the logitech remotes? The HDHomeRun looks like a good solution too. I would be nice not being tied to a computer. Does the HDHomeRun display standard tv too? Didn't see it in the specs. OH i dont have MCE will any of these still be worth it? What is QAM and would it need it if i am 12 miles form the Sears tower(where the antennas are in Chicago)?
 
The HDHR does not do standard TV, only QAM and OTA HD reception. I wish it did standard TV because I would drop all my tuners in favor of a couple of these :)

QAM is digital cable over your existing cable lines. It is kinda hit-or-miss on what channels you can tune with a QAM tuner. Usually you get your local channels (ABC, CBS, FOX, etc.). Anything else is basically considered bonus. You don't need an antenna for QAM tuning.

You don't need MCE for the HDHomeRun. In fact, the hardware can be used with nothing more than the configuration software and VLC (a free video player). If you want timeshifting and other DVR-type features, you would need some sort of PVR software, whether that is MCE, SageTV, BeyondTV, MythTV (linux), etc.
 
few more questions about the Hauppauge 1600 . Will i need to get a ATSC antenna or will i be able to use the cable connection from my current antenna? What is ATSC anyway? I was looking up some of the specs on the 1600 and it says it wont recive digital cable. Is there a card that does sd,hd and digital hd cable?
 
Ender1183 said:
few more questions about the Hauppauge 1600 . Will i need to get a ATSC antenna or will i be able to use the cable connection from my current antenna?
Click to expand...
You need an antenna.
What is ATSC anyway?
Click to expand...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC
I was looking up some of the specs on the 1600 and it says it wont recive digital cable. Is there a card that does sd,hd and digital hd cable?
Click to expand...
It's called CableCard and no. The only way to get a Cablecard equipped system is to buy it from certain MS "approved" OEMs like Dell that have one included with the system. Currently the going rate for one of them is in the $2000, it's a very sad state of affairs.
 
So the only way to get the hidef tv is to buy a new antenna? Damn I thought i would be able to just use my current one on the roof. Its connected to the cable line since i don't have cable tv right now. you know instead of using the atsc connection on the card just use the cable one.

Wow 2k what a rip. So i should be able to run the cable box through this card in the future?
 
Ender1183 said:
So the only way to get the hidef tv is to buy a new antenna? Damn I thought i would be able to just use my current one on the roof. Its connected to the cable line since i don't have cable tv right now. you know instead of using the atsc connection on the card just use the cable one.
Click to expand...
Try using your current one, it's very possible that it will work.
Wow 2k what a rip. So i should be able to run the cable box through this card in the future?
Click to expand...
Yes it is and you can already do that now, everything will just be downsampled to 480i since you can only go svideo out from your cable box.
 
Ender1183 said:
Damn I have to wait a little bit before i buy now... Anyway maybe i should pick up one of the logitech remotes? The HDHomeRun looks like a good solution too. I would be nice not being tied to a computer. Does the HDHomeRun display standard tv too? Didn't see it in the specs. OH i dont have MCE will any of these still be worth it? What is QAM and would it need it if i am 12 miles form the Sears tower(where the antennas are in Chicago)?
Click to expand...

You would think since you lived so close that you would be able to stick a wet finger outside and get a signal but it's not like that. The thing is there are to many high building and tree's causing interference. I live on the south side around Damen and 35th in the town of Chi yet i tried catching just regular tv rays and it was sketchy at best.
 
Ender1183 said:
So the only way to get the hidef tv is to buy a new antenna? Damn I thought i would be able to just use my current one on the roof. Its connected to the cable line since i don't have cable tv right now. you know instead of using the atsc connection on the card just use the cable one.

Wow 2k what a rip. So i should be able to run the cable box through this card in the future?
Click to expand...

it should work good enough.. i actually get great reception on my regular roof mounted antenna
 
I got the Hauppauge 1600 and I'm kinda disappointed. Only one channel of hd comes in correctly. All the others are in the right hand corner with either black and white boxes surrounding the picture or green. It is also a little choppy some times. I think my antenna needs to be adjusted but don't think that will help with the weird background. Anyone have some suggestions? Maybe different(free) software to try?
 
I just bought the Hauppauge HVR-1600 as well, along with the "silver sensor" antenna this weekend at circuitcity. There is a phillips and zenith version..they are both the same, I believe.

I'm about 40 miles away from my broadcast source, and antennaweb.org gives blue/purple antenna suggestions (medium to large uni-directional w/pre amp). I'm only able to get 1 channel currently. When it's not cutting out, the hd looks incredible. I belive it helps that I'm on the 2nd floor of a house on a mountain, but I also have many trees around (taller than the house).

I've been looking on the pcalchemy site (the best prices I can find) and I like the Terrestrial Digital XG-91. Soon I will be moving and at that location I will be 60 miles from the closest towers, so it may be needed.

The website says the antenna has a "16.7 db" max gain. How does this gain compare to the gain a pre-amp will give? Does it work the same way? Will the gains "stack"? I'm also not able to pick up any analog stations, which I should be picking up easy. Does this have something to do with the fact that my antenna is currently plugged into the ATSC port on my card instead of the other port?(just says tv I believe.) Also, even if this antenna does just fine with no amp, I will be installing it in my attic, so will I need one if I'm using a 50ft RG6 coxial wire? Thanks for the help.
 
here is an image of what i mean.


The picture is coming in most of the time, just with the weird parts around it...

I have a rooftop antenna already that should work right? maybe i have to adjust it? Is there a site that will give me an idea where to point it?
 
Whoa, weird. What software are you using? What decoder are you using?
 
i was using wintv2000. Tried sage tv and everything worked fine. I also tried some cheap rabbit ears for an antenna and the picture was great. So something must be wrong with the roof antenna... A few problems i am having with sage tv is it is displaying the wrong info about a channels and when i recorded there is a thin green line on the left hand side of the recording. Any suggestions? Its there any free software i can try or is sage worth the money? It also seems like i really don't need the sd tuner since i get everything over the digital should i just switch to a cheaper hd tuner only, like the one you suggested earlier
 
to me that doesn' tlook like an antenna issue at all..

that looks like something completely different..


the nice/bad thing about digital TV is you either get the signal or you don't,what that picture shows looks like something else is wrong. Sure youc an get artifacts from lower signal strengths, but once you lose so much of the signal you just don't get a picture (and sagetv will so No Signal)

the best way to see if your antenna is good is to check yoru signal strength..

i believe sagetv will tell you this (i imagine even happauge has a util to do this too) if you go into channel setup (under source setup)..

with my (regular) roof antenna i get >95% signal strength to all the channels in the valley (granted there are no tall buildings around me) and i get 75% signal strength from a couple of channels in the next valley..

remember these Digital TV stations are just coming over the regular VHF/UHF frequencies..

you may also want to check out this website http://www.antennaweb.org.. put in your zipcode and it shows you the digital channels in your area, your distance from, and orientation to.
 
ya i know it not the antenna now just the crappy software.

what about my other questions:
"is there any free software i can try or is sage worth the money? It also seems like i really don't need the sd tuner since i get everything over the digital should i just switch to a cheaper hd tuner only?"
what thinking the home run, its not cheaper but can record and watch a different hd channel.
 
Ender1183 said:
ya i know it not the antenna now just the crappy software.

what about my other questions:
"is there any free software i can try or is sage worth the money? It also seems like i really don't need the sd tuner since i get everything over the digital should i just switch to a cheaper hd tuner only?"
what thinking the home run, its not cheaper but can record and watch a different hd channel.
Click to expand...


i don't know which software supports that card yet (i know sage only really supports it in beta, mythTV doesn't since no driver support)..

i would say if you can get the card working it would be worth it , the ability to record using both HD and SD at the same time is a nice feature (i currently have to do it with 2 cards)..


i would post your issues over on forums.sagetv.com/forums and see what you get, i also hear vistaMCE (don't know about MCE2k5) supports it (can you get a free Vista trial?)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top