Which TV Card for UK Freesat HD? (1 Viewer)

[Hass]

I'm considering building an HTPC following the demise of my trusty Humax PVR. I've got a Sky dish installed for an old Sky+ installation and would like to use that to feed UK Freesat HD into an MP setup.

Has anyone got such a setup working and can recommend a Freesat HD compatible card? I'm guessing I'd have to have two cards in the machine to handle record one channel / watch another scenarios (unless there are any cards out there that have to coax inputs?).

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Ah, I've just re-read the TV Tuner compatibility list and can see that there's no support for DVD-S2 cards. So I guess that rules out Freesat HD for the moment!

So, to change goal slightly, can anyone recommend a standard UK Freeview (DVD-T I think) compatible card that would work with MP? In this case, I think the card can pull multiple signals from a single aerial connection so am I right in assuming I only need a single card?

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Maybe think about the Blackgold 6in1 or pinnacle 7010ix (not as good apparently)

That should cover you for everything bar dvb-S2, which you could always add at a later date.

 

[Hass]

Thanks Paranoid. Are these cards supported by MP? I don't see it in any of the supported cards lists or is that more a guide of cards that have been tested and are known to work?

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Both cards have been reported as working with MP, more so the blackgold than the pinnacle, was really tempted to get the pinnacle to try myself as under £30 on ebay, but not enough room next to my graphics card and chipset heatsink to access the pci-e slot, because this is a big card.

Pinnacle 7010iX PCTV Dual Satellite TV Tuner DVB NEW on eBay, also TV Cards, Graphics, Video TV Cards, Desktop PC Components, Computing (end time 11-Feb-09 10:16:17 GMT)

 

[jameson_uk]

Thanks Paranoid. Are these cards supported by MP? I don't see it in any of the supported cards lists or is that more a guide of cards that have been tested and are known to work?

I am using a 7010ix for freeview and it seems to work reasonably well. Not tried it for DVB-S (freesat) but I know others have this working ok

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Hi jamieson_uk

As a matter of interest, whats the channel change times like if using dvb-t.

Cheers

 

[Hass]

Ok, I think I might actually change tack again and go for a DVD-S/DVD-S2 card. Anyone got anything good/bad to say about the the Hauppauge WinTv Nova-S2 HD DVB-S2 & DV Tuner?

On a separate note, can MP do picture-in-picture when you're in the TV guide?

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

On a separate note, can MP do picture-in-picture when you're in the TV guide?

Not sure what you mean, the video carries on playing with sound in a preview window when in epg, whether its from TV or Video file or even music playing.

Would not call that picture in picture though, also depends where you access epg from, if menu in fullscreen tv, then epg just overlays playing TV, and if you really like that look then MEDIAPORTAL - free media center - Video Background Auto Switcher might be right up your street.

 

[Hass]

On a separate note, can MP do picture-in-picture when you're in the TV guide?

Not sure what you mean, the video carries on playing with sound in a preview window when in epg, whether its from TV or Video file or even music playing.

Yup, that's what I'm talking about. Sky boxes always boot you out to the guide and cut the sound and picture of whatever you were watching which is annoying because sometimes you just want to browse the guide whilst still tuning into what you were watching.

 

[revs]

I have the Nova-S2 HD and it works fine, no issues at all.

As for TV in the guide - yep you get that. On most skins you will get a small thumbnail/preview window in one of the corners of the guide.