TV Tuners: Christmas Edition

forkyfork · 12-01-05, 04:16 PM

I'm getting a new computer (3.0gz dual core - Dell package) and I'm probably going to get a TV Tuner to go with it. A similar discussion took place around August, but I thought I would start it up again incase times have changed.

What's a good TV tuner? I'm shooting for around 50, but will spend more if necessary.

Also, what's good software? I've heard BeyondTV and SageTV, but is it worth it to buy it? Isn't there something free?

Please share your current TV tuner setups, if you have them.

Thank you

J-roc · 12-01-05, 04:46 PM

MythTV is a great free piece of software, but it's only for linux. So Make sure you get a card that works with Linux.

If you want something cheap, the ATI ones are usually pretty cheap. I'm not sure about your prices down there, they are around 100 up here in Canada. Also the ATI's should work with Linux.

YodaEXE · 12-01-05, 04:53 PM

Just look around on Newegg.com at some of the TV tuners.

darundal · 12-01-05, 05:12 PM

Don't have one, but generally Happauge cards are good. If you want a solution with a graphics card, ATI recently released an x1800 with a tuner in it, and if that is too rich for your blood they also have an x800 and an x600. Only thing is they use Theater Pro 200 chips as opposed to the newer Theater Pro 500 that they use in their dedicated tuner line.

Grentz · 12-01-05, 08:59 PM

make sure it works with regular xp (if thats what you are getting), but the tuners listed here:

http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/Re...aspx?collID=98

are some of the best ones out there

50$ is on the low end for a tv tuner, just keep that in mind

http://www.windowsmarketplace.com/pr...1207757&stext=
this is one of the best out there IMO, with dual tuners and good quality, but it is more expensive

forkyfork · 12-01-05, 11:05 PM

Thanks for the links, Grentz.

I was looking at the HD tuners. The ATI one you can get for about $100. Is it worth the splurge?

Also, this is my 900th post!

Grentz · 12-01-05, 11:28 PM

Yes, if you have an HD antenna at your house....

some of those HD ones though cannot receive regular non HD channels very well (when using a off air antenna)

If you really just want all the channels you can get on your normal TV, i would say just get one of the normal ones, (Non-HD)

ironhelix · 12-02-05, 07:25 AM

SageTV

ati 9950, 128/256 meg, HDTV

my ownz setup is based on a cheap avermedia pci, with a remote.

my tv aint hdtv...

reese · 12-02-05, 08:17 AM

I reccommend a hauppage... I have tested about every TV tuner you can imagine. The ATi All in Wonders are nice, but only if you also need a new video card. You could opt for the TV wonder, which is an ATi TV tuner without the video card functions.

Hauppage makes some very nice cards, as does ATi... Anything else is subpar!

star882 · 12-02-05, 03:09 PM

Quote:

some of those HD ones though cannot receive regular non HD channels very well (when using a off air antenna)

Actually, EDTV (480p) is about 1/4 or 1/2 the bitrate of HDTV (1080i or 720p). If it could handle HDTV, EDTV would be a piece of cake.
Note that the cheap cards (at least those that actually use a hardware DSP) can attain the same quality as more expensive cards. All the cards do is take data from the signal and decode it. A more expensive card may fare better with a weak signal, use less CPU, or not drop packets as frequently, but that may or may not be important, depending on what you want.
Do, however, stay away from the really cheap cards. More often than not, they're little more than a RF front end and an A/D converter on a card, without a DSP. In other words, they use the CPU as the DSP, and it works very poorly at that. (Remember those winmodems?) They're great for experimenters who want to play around with high speed A/Ds connected to their PCs, but not very good for the intended purpose.

vincentnyc · 12-02-05, 03:25 PM

im looking for one too

Grentz · 12-02-05, 03:27 PM

[QUOTE=star882]Actually, EDTV (480p) is about 1/4 or 1/2 the bitrate of HDTV (1080i or 720p). If it could handle HDTV, EDTV would be a piece of cake.
[QUOTE]

hehehe, star its ATSC vs NTSC tuners.....its not having to do with quality or bitrates

Avermedia makes some very good cards as well, i dont love the ATI tuners, i think avermedia and hauppage have better quality

Tankman · 12-02-05, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darundal

Don't have one, but generally Happauge cards are good. If you want a solution with a graphics card, ATI recently released an x1800 with a tuner in it, and if that is too rich for your blood they also have an x800 and an x600. Only thing is they use Theater Pro 200 chips as opposed to the newer Theater Pro 500 that they use in their dedicated tuner line.

My ATI card works great. Looks great on the LCDTV/Monitor!

vincentnyc · 12-03-05, 12:22 PM

quick question...let say you are watching one show...can you record another show while you watching that show? multiple channel recording at the same time? is this possible or im living in a dream? thx.

magic.d · 12-03-05, 01:35 PM

Quote:

quick question...let say you are watching one show...can you record another show while you watching that show? multiple channel recording at the same time? is this possible or im living in a dream? thx.

If you get a card with dual tuners, and time slip, although the later is more of a software thing.