HTPC system for HDTV, MPEG4, H264 - Terratec Cinergy 2400i DT ? (2 Viewers)

[Gixxer]

Hi guys! I meant to post this one month ago, but nothing changed since then, so here it is...

Me again ... and still with the same problem - what tunner for HD?
...I already got the parts for the HTPC and got it running without the case (that i'll build my own) but still didn't got the tunner
I contacted at least 7 pc shops about the Terratec Cinergy 2400i DT (in and out of my country), but neither of those shops had any card left and seems to be unavailable in Europe now for awhile (semms to me like the production is halted - hope not ended)... can't get a second hand card either...

i was told by terratec that they are not making the 2400i dt any more.

im also looking for an alternative that is so well supported by mediaportal

 

[Dann]

Peter THX for the info!

Gixxer THX too - seems like we are in the same boat.
I consider to buy the Pinnacle PCTV Dual DVB-T Pro PCI 2000i, as it is the only one that remained on my list, but have deep doubts about the HD capacity (if there is any), so i'll repeat myself: please guys help me out here:

-will it handle HD? and what does this in the specs mean "2x HDTV support (Australia only)" - is this just 'cause no H.264 support is implemented in their software? - so no problem for MP?

-is there any true of the issues mentioned in this review and on the AVforums ?

-If turns out that this card is not suitable for an implementation like mine, seems that i have to go for two single tuners and i would really appreciate all of yours suggestions and reccomandations.


Are there any new dual tuner cards on the market? - so maybe i (we) can figure out if there is a solution for all the HD HTPC builders, by getting supported a new card and make end to this very limitated HD dual tuner choice that makes me freak out now by more than an month.

... so should i post this in the "General Support" section (to get more answers) if the thing won't by solved in a week or more?

Please post even if you don't have a clue about it, but half a thought - i wanna hear it!

ALL in advance!

Dann

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Cannot find out anything about the 2400i DT being stopped in production.

Petsa, this may be another driver interfering, i've got some similar issues that have started, since windows updated my creative driver in xp. Vista works fine same hardware.

The choice on dual DVB-T tuners

Pinnacle Dual pro, Tried and tested, but does not like low signal reception.
Hauppauge T500 (which for me is going in and out of standby perfectly with Vista, xp have issues)
Blackgold 6 in 1 new, but sounds promising.
Dvico Dual, Just crap drivers.

 

[Dann]

OK! Now i think i got nothing to choose from anymore (i'm just makin' it simple, 'cause i got enough of waiting and struggling to get a perfect tunner.. ehh what the hell ... i'm gonna buy a better one when will be widely availble - in about 2 years) so lets see this:

Pinnacle Dual pro - bad reception = better than nothing
Hauppauge T500 - xp issues = not acceptable
Blackgold 6 in 1 - it would cost me 167€ (with shipping) - a little too much, will se after 2 years...
Dvico Dual - crap drivers = unavailable to me

That's it ... i'm gonna buy a second hand one (so i already save some money for the new one)
...what the hell.. even that's life... i have to build also a 720P projector that is waiting for me more than a year and a half now...

I'm goin' to make a deal for the tuner now...

Have fun!

Dann!

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Pinnacle Dual pro - bad reception = better than nothing

As i said works fine, if reasonable to good signal, low\bad signal will just not pull in channels correctly, Terratec\Hauppauge both work better on low signal, but the answer is to improve signal, whether its aerial\cabling\amplifier, your signal needs to be good, otherwise you will get errors, this also goes for settop boxes.

 

[Dann]

OK THX for the comment. I can grab the signals from 3 directions (1 slovenian, 2 italian transmitters) in this area (i live 10 kms from the border of Italy), i think that the signal strenght/quality should be ok, except from one (italian) direction. The critical transmitter is located 97kms (straight line) away. I did misured the signal strenght one year ago with a professional instrument (and a measuring FM antenna - i worked at an antenna and tv service for some time) that showed the signal quality not much above the acceptable value, but 2 weeks ago i had the oportunity to put into my pc a leadtek dtv 2000h and connected it into my antenna system (have at least 7 antennas on the roof). The tunner showed almost full strenght, but the picture was freezin' on some of the channels - that means that the quality was critical. Anyway the worst case scenario is to replace the critical (20 years old) antenna and/or put a preamplifier right behind it .... will see how the tuner performs when i'll got it.

By the way, i did fire up MP with the leadtek dtv 2000h installed, but the known "cannot create graph" message was shown, then i changed some lines in the "CaptureCardDefinitions.xml", but did not help at all. Is the trick inthere or somewhere else? ... did not have the time to figure it out...

:sorry: for all that spam, but i was just in the mood.

Dann