TV card - suggestions needed! (1 Viewer)

[alal]

Hi all,

I want to buy a TV card for my HTPC.
My HTPC hasn't got any more PCI slots available so my question is are the USB TV sticks any good?
I was looking to this one WinTV-HVR 900-HD HAUPPAUGE.

Please comment.

Thank you very much in advance.

 

[alal]

No one?!
Not even one opinion?!

 

[tompa]

Hi!

So ur running DVB-T and analogue, or?

I'm using a Hauppauge Nova TD stick, and its fantastic! But its only for DVB-T.

/tompa

 

[alal]

Thanks for the reply tompa!
For now it's just analog but I want to be prepared for the future! DVB-T will be available during next year I think.
Don't want to take out cash to the garbage when DVB-T arrive if you know what I mean.
I think I might get it.
It's an Hybrid card with support for HD.

 

[Spragleknas]

I'd consider just getting a good-n-cheap analogue, like PVR-150 (or do you use a notebook?), and replace it with, or add, a DVB-T card when needed.

Reasons:
- Not many standard hybrid-cards can do both at same time (none?)
- Few hybrid cards have HW encoding
- I get the impression that there are a bit more "fuzz" in general wit hybrid cards
- Price would be about the same

PS: You leave very little info!!!

 

[tompa]

I agree, go for that analogue card first!

/tompa

 

[alal]

Thanks for the info!
I don't know what kind of info you need to give me additional help. Please post it.

Like i wrote in my 1st post I don't have any PCI slots available on my HTPC. So I need to think on a USB stick for now. Mostly it will be for use on the HTPC but sometimes when I leave home I will take it with my laptop. So defenitly a USB stick is what I would like. I travel a bit between European countrys and in some of them I can use the DVB-T instead of analog and think that it's better (for travel and future availability of services in my home country) to have 1 hybrid card instead of 2 (1 analog and 1 DVB-T). Don't you think?
I have read in many webpages that Hauppauge WinTV products are not bad at all. And I believe that for the price (about 70eur) is a good buy. The IR remote is a tiny thing it looks like a credit card. Very good to travel with.
If you know any other brands please tell me.

Reasons:
- ...
- Few hybrid cards have HW encoding
- I get the impression that there are a bit more "fuzz" in general wit hybrid cards
- ...

Sorry to ask but I'm new in this world. What does mean HW encoding?
Is it when you record a program it's recorded using hardware encoder instead of software? Is it a big difference? Where do you notice that differences?

And what about the "fuzz"? What do you mean with it?



Once again thank you very much for your replys!

Cheers.

 

[alal]

I've managed to get 1 PCI-E slot available on my Motherboard.
Can you guys please give some suggestions for PCI-E TV cards? Hybrid or not?
Can only find 1. The others are PCI.

Thanks.

 

[tipstir]

Stick with Hauppauge brand they have all PCI, PCI-E and etc.. type of cards..