Cable type, hybrid cards, remotes, and capability

[MarcusAureli]

I recently put together some hardware for a HTPC. I have a couple issues (mainly with the built-in IR imon receiver), but I'll limit this to a tv tuner card question. Specs:

antec fusion 430 v2 case
pentium core2duo 2.4ghz
2 gig ram
nvidia 8600gt
vista ultimate

I originally planned to use a hauppauge pvr-150 that i already had. Problem was, due to the case layout and not-so-small cooling fan on my 8600gt, using the pci slot on my micro-ATX board led to the tuner card butting up against front-panel connections and some others, and just plain wouldn't start with it plugged in. So I ordered a hauppauge hvr-1250 "hybrid" card that uses pci-x1, which fits great. I kind of bought it on a whim, without doing any real research, and little did I know that the card has no hardware encoding, which makes performance totally unacceptable with analog cable. So I need some help finding a suitable tv card for my current locale.

First question: what kind of cable service do I really have?
I have the basic cable available here (mediacom, USA) which includes 3 HDTV channels. Basically all the normally numbered channels (2,3,4.....,78) are typical low-def channels. 13 is the local NBC affiliate, while 13.1 (using my digital tv directly) is the local NBC affiliate in 1080i HD. What sort of cable is this really called? I've spent a lot of time browsing random information here and elsewhere, but I'm still totally confused as to what actually constitutes QAM, DVB-C/T, ATSC, NTSC, etc.

I'm looking for a pci-x1 tv tuner card that works with my cable (both HD and non-HD channels) and has hardware encoding. A remote IR receiver would be a plus, considering the imon receiver has been giving me a ton of trouble with getting it to actually work, but it's not a necessity. If I never get the imon receiver to work, I can bite the bullet and buy a proper MCE remote.

Any help? Thanks in advance!

[2BitSculptor]

you might want to wait for the hauppauge (HVR?)- 2250 that is due out beginning of next month... I believe it is a low profile, dual ATSC tuner... with HW encoding. I'm looking to the possibility of getting one, instead of a second HD Homerun (which will take up the only open connection on my router)

Chuck

[MarcusAureli]

cool, is that just like an hvr1800 with dual tuners on both inputs then?

looking at the hvr 1800, if i just ran two coax inputs to it, could i then get both the digital clear QAM and the analog NTSC?

[2BitSculptor]

This is all I've seen...

TechLuver.com » Hauppauge Intros WinTV-HVR 2250, 1950, 950Q and 1250

It's been delayed a couple times already.

Chuck

[2BitSculptor]

For the US you only have to worry about QAM, ATSC and NTSC.

If you've got digital cable.... QAM

OTA digital antennae ... ATSC

OTA analog/ cable analog ... NTSC

Video tape/DVD machines (analog) .... NTSC

I have an HD Homerun for OTA ATSC and a WinTV PVR-150 for my VHS/DVD combo machine (and FM radio). I don't watch that much NTSC broadcast anymore and I prefer the FM reception on my A/V receiver, so the PVR-150 gets used only for DVDs I don't have recorded and anything I still have on VHS. I'm still having issues with DVD play on the internal drive of the HTPC (it stutters every few minutes) so the analog drive is used instead till I get the issue resolved. I've already run into channel conflicts when recording 2 programs and need to watch a third... that's why I'm looking into another dual tuner. Adding another HD Homerun would take up the connection for a future client addition, so my alternative is an internal.

I broke down and bought a Logitech Harmony 670... which incidentally has Media Portal as a defined device in the Logitech database... which made programming it all the easier. I use the MCE remote transceiver that came with my OS install. I can control all the primary functions of all my A/V set-up with the one remote.... I'm happy because the wife is happy. (I live to make the wife happy - she brings home the larger income)

Chuck