TV tuner for HTPC

jontz · 05-10-2006, 09:29 PM

I am looking for an inexpensive way to add a video tuner/capture card to my HTPC so that I can record TV shows and such. I have a video card installed already that allows me to hook up to my TV. I have open full height PCI slots in this computer, but the AGP slot is only half-height (the afore mentioned TV out video card), so I am thinking it will have to be a PCI card. Again, this is a somewhat budget minded project. Any ideas? There are a million choices on Newegg but I haven't had any experience with a most of the cards they sell. Thanks!

Aronj66 · 05-12-2006, 06:06 PM

I would only ever suggest a Haupauge PVR-150. If you were going to set up MCE then maybe a Theatre 550 pro. But for the price vs. quality vs. happiness, the haupauge is the only way to go. There are many other cards available, but I'd rather spend the $60 and get the one that I know will work well.

ProHandyman · 05-12-2006, 10:26 PM

I have only owned, and agree to the hauppauge cards also! I currently use a 350, and love it!

Etacovda · 05-13-2006, 04:06 AM

Yep, my pvr-150mce has treated me well.

jontz · 05-14-2006, 08:04 AM

Thanks for the info everyone. $60 isn't bad, I just didn't want to lay out $100 or more, so it is withing budget. Thanks again for all the help.

PaulDriver · 05-15-2006, 08:18 AM

You may want to look a little more to the future and try a HDTV card, like the Dvico Fusion series, the newest version ( Fusion HDTV5 Gold Plus ) with the remote sells for about $150.00 (Froogle Search)

They have Win MCE and Win 64 support.

p.d.

Ghettocomp · 06-25-2006, 05:59 AM

My personal favorite; Hauppage as well.
WinTV-PVR-500MCE.. with this you can:
Watch one TV show while recording another because it has
built-in dual hardware MPEG encoders. OR you can Record two
TV shows at once. combine that with Snapstreams Firefly Mini
remote and you will do well in your start for a decent HTPC. with
a couple of tweaks you can even rival the Tivo units.

05-10-2006, 09:29 PM	#1
jontz Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 385	TV tuner for HTPC I am looking for an inexpensive way to add a video tuner/capture card to my HTPC so that I can record TV shows and such. I have a video card installed already that allows me to hook up to my TV. I have open full height PCI slots in this computer, but the AGP slot is only half-height (the afore mentioned TV out video card), so I am thinking it will have to be a PCI card. Again, this is a somewhat budget minded project. Any ideas? There are a million choices on Newegg but I haven't had any experience with a most of the cards they sell. Thanks! __________________ Snap Server 4100, 4x120GB Seagate Drives, RAID 5, version 3.4.803

05-12-2006, 06:06 PM	#2
Aronj66 Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: MD Posts: 24	Re: TV tuner for HTPC I would only ever suggest a Haupauge PVR-150. If you were going to set up MCE then maybe a Theatre 550 pro. But for the price vs. quality vs. happiness, the haupauge is the only way to go. There are many other cards available, but I'd rather spend the $60 and get the one that I know will work well.

05-12-2006, 10:26 PM	#3
ProHandyman Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 85	Re: TV tuner for HTPC I have only owned, and agree to the hauppauge cards also! I currently use a 350, and love it! __________________ "There are certain times when one's knowledge has a limit. I suggest you watch and learn this time." A pessimist's blood type is always B-negative.

05-13-2006, 04:06 AM	#4
Etacovda Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dunedin NZ Posts: 735	Re: TV tuner for HTPC Yep, my pvr-150mce has treated me well. __________________ Hypocritical Signature I tried to delete: Procooling: where scientific principles are ignored because big corporations are immune to mistakes and oversights.

05-14-2006, 08:04 AM	#5
jontz Cooling Savant Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: South Bend, IN Posts: 385	Re: TV tuner for HTPC Thanks for the info everyone. $60 isn't bad, I just didn't want to lay out $100 or more, so it is withing budget. Thanks again for all the help. __________________ Snap Server 4100, 4x120GB Seagate Drives, RAID 5, version 3.4.803

05-15-2006, 08:18 AM	#6
PaulDriver Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sin City Posts: 37	Re: TV tuner for HTPC You may want to look a little more to the future and try a HDTV card, like the Dvico Fusion series, the newest version ( Fusion HDTV5 Gold Plus ) with the remote sells for about $150.00 (Froogle Search) They have Win MCE and Win 64 support. p.d. __________________ Athlon 64 3000+ (Venice) @ 2.4Ghz (267x9) stock vcore on a ChainTech VNF4 Ultra (7-19 BIOS) Kingmax 512MB DDR 466 x2 @ 480MHZ 7-3-3-2.5-1T, GeForce 6600 PCI-Express 1 160GB, 1 80GB, 4 200GB (on SATA) and 1 DVD Dual writer All housed in a circa 1997 inwin case hacked into the flipped BTX style Air cooled, First time since 2001. It's not noisy, what's wrong?

06-25-2006, 05:59 AM	#7
Ghettocomp Cooling Neophyte Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Somewhere between Heaven and Hell, or as some call it: Real Life. Posts: 10	Re: TV tuner for HTPC My personal favorite; Hauppage as well. WinTV-PVR-500MCE.. with this you can: Watch one TV show while recording another because it has built-in dual hardware MPEG encoders. OR you can Record two TV shows at once. combine that with Snapstreams Firefly Mini remote and you will do well in your start for a decent HTPC. with a couple of tweaks you can even rival the Tivo units. __________________ :shrug: Ok?, so where's Coffie Mode

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