USA - Digital Cable + HDTV over the Air + Analog Recording (1 Viewer)

[prose16343]

I really love media portal,and i've built the beginnings of a media center. But i'm looking into a Capturing System, since the cable provider charges too much for tivo etc.

i'm using windows XP + Media Portal

1. What tv card(s) do i need, are there digital (cable digital) + anlog combo cards? i would like to record one show, and watch another and be able to grab hdtv over the air too.

2. i want to schedule recordings, do i have to pay for a service that does that? Is there something free that works w/ Media portal?

i want it to be fairly cheap, but 100% compatible w/ xp and media portal. What should i get for my cards?

thanks so much for your help, you guys are great! keep up the good work!

 

[prose16343]

nobody knows?

id like to record frommy digital cable, but also record in analog, and maybe a support for hd recording? with a card thats compatible w/ media portal?


i'm in the USA i would prefer a hybrid card that can do both, in hardware. if not someone suggest 2 cards that are completely compatible w/ media portal?

 

[Commodore 64]

The only way to record from digital cable is with a QAM compatible card. No fromt end software supports QAM at this time.

The Fusion 5 cards will do QAM and so will mHD cards but you won't be tuning QAM in MediaPortal.

I would suggest a Vbox DTA-150 for ATSC (Digital OTA, HD). As far as analog, if you are looking to capture analog cable that can be done with PVR cards either Hauppage PVR 150 or the Avermedia MCE 150 are good cards to use.

For guide info, for free, look for zap2it and use a MP plugin for it.

More info here: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=16034

 

[Tech Geek]

Until cable card tuners are out I wouldn't count on anything from Digital Cable unless you record from the SVideo/audio outputs.

I'm planning on tuning the same sources but I'm waiting for the ATi 650 based tuner cards (late July?). Their HDTV Wonder was ok but the analog tuner wasn't near the quality of my brother's 550 based card and never got it to work with MediaPortal.

Make sure the rest of your system is up to the requirements of HDTV before you even attempt it though.