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Author Topic: TV Tuners  (Read 2012 times)

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TheBoy

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TV Tuners
« on: 02 August 2009, 10:00:26 »
My poor old Media Center only has a 3.2Ghz P4, and runs through a crappy 915 chipset, so looking at giving it a mobo/cpu/ram refresh.

That will obviously mean that I will need to lose some of the PCI slots in favour of PCIe slots, which obviously means I'll lose some of my tuners.

So, any recommendations for tuners, with following requirements:

  • Must be LP card due to case height
  • PCIe x1 interface
  • Must be Vista Media Center compatible (most are)
  • Must be at least dual Freeview
  • Dual Freesat would be an advantage

I was looking at the Black Gold 6-in-1 but that has been out of stock for months, and they have now just discontinued it due to component supply.

Any pointers gratefully received
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Mr Skrunts

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #1 on: 02 August 2009, 11:43:01 »
I picked up some black gold PCI a while back but with moving home I havent got round to having a play with them.  I have been interested in the media centre angle since I joined the forum but never did anything about it.

Would be interested in what board /system you end up building Jamie and how many tuners you manage to get working in it.  :y

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Mr Skrunts

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #2 on: 02 August 2009, 11:45:51 »
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/site/products/data_hvr2200mc.html


WinTV-HVR-2200 MC is a compact, low profile, dual tuner, PCI-Express card that fits in all the latest Microsoft Vista Home Premium and Ultimate PCs with a PCI-Express 1x slot. If you have a normal PC or an extra slim one, WinTV-HVR-2200 MC comes with both full height and half height brackets.
« Last Edit: 02 August 2009, 11:48:51 by skruntie »
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bertiecbx550

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #3 on: 02 August 2009, 15:01:39 »
Huh???? :-? :-? :-?.....All this new fangled nonesense jsut stick with a black white portable FFS guyz.... :D :D ;D ;D
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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #4 on: 02 August 2009, 15:13:23 »
thinking about replacing my old tuner, sure as hell not staying in for the rebuild, its ancient.

The old one to have was a nebula iirc, but no idea of the current market.

any recommendations will go down well  :y
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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #5 on: 02 August 2009, 16:16:08 »
Just added "get notifaction" for this thread.  Am interested in what people everone chooses chipset/motherboard wise.  Then I can copy all your idea's   ::) :y
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TheBoy

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #6 on: 02 August 2009, 19:01:52 »
My mobo will be determined primarily by slot layout and featureset.

Seeing as I won't touch gigabyte or asus boards with a shitty stick, and try to avoid msi, I am limiting myself already.


One thing I will say about the cards I have - a pair of Hauppuage Nova 500 DT - is avoid them like the plague due to architecture (they are actually USB tuners connected to a VIA PCI/USB bridge). Resuming from S3 can take a while.  I have an older, original Nova-T single tuner in as well, as its the only way I can guarantee at least one tuner to be ready promptly when the media center pops out of S3 to record something.


Shame, the 6-in-1 black gold tuner would have done everything I needed (twin freeview and twin freesat (and 2 analogue, but dont care about that)) on a single £100 card. Pop a couple of those puppies in the system would have been perfect for now (freeview) with upgrade path to freesat should I feel the need for BBC HD
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Jimbob

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #7 on: 02 August 2009, 19:03:49 »
The hauppage 4000 looks to be twin freeview, and twin freesat....
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TheBoy

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #8 on: 02 August 2009, 19:04:54 »
Quote
The hauppage 4000 looks to be twin freeview, and twin freesat....
Hauppauges site suggests its a single tuner (capable of S1/S2 freesat and freeview and analogue)
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CaptainZok

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #9 on: 02 August 2009, 19:46:53 »
Got pinnacle pci tuners in my vmc but after various issues with them I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.
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TheBoy

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #10 on: 02 August 2009, 20:53:01 »
'dangle berries'!

MCE has just tuned itself to channel smoke whilst playing back Top Gear  :'(

Looks like this upgrade is more urgent than I though :'(
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Taxi_Driver

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #11 on: 02 August 2009, 21:04:19 »
Quote
'dangle berries'!

MCE has just tuned itself to channel smoke whilst playing back Top Gear  :'(

Looks like this upgrade is more urgent than I though :'(

Opps not good  :(
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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #12 on: 02 August 2009, 21:25:57 »
ohh dear.

Let me know what you decide on  :y
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TheBoy

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #13 on: 02 August 2009, 23:10:27 »
Video card failed.  Runnign the MCE on the onboard 915G video card now.

Surprisingly, playback (even HD) isn't too bad at 1920x1080 :o

Due to difficulty in getting decent, LP, fanless video cards, I'm changing the mobo (which is old and crap (915 chipset) anyway) to Intel DG45ID which has Intel's onboard GMA x4500HD video with DVI and HDMI.  Onboard graphics should be more than adequate for this use (bearing in mind the 915G graphics are adequate!).

The mobo has the bits needed - most important is the slot layout, due to a PCI riser, enough internal USB headers to run all the internal IR, VFDs, card readers and front panel USBs. Also has enough firewire headers, gigabit network, SPDIF and DVI & HDMI.

Just noticed, now I've ordered it, that it doesn't have PATA interface, so will need to source a SATA DVD drive. Not sure I'll splash out for another Bluray one seeing as I have a shortage of Bluray disks ;D


Just to be polite, I ordered a 2.3Ghz Core 2 Quad to go with it.


Still undecided on TV card, so will be running with only 4 freeview tuners, across 2 Nova 500 DT  :'(
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Martin_1962

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Re: TV Tuners
« Reply #14 on: 02 August 2009, 23:28:34 »
Q8200 ?

One thing I have found is that Samsung 1TB drives are very quiet.

Freesat HD BTW is very good - even if it is basically BBC HD
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