New user - advice wanted please

[reboot]

@ reckoning
Yes, you can disable the hardware decoding on the 350 and use software instead through the video card.

No, the 350 will not play DVD's, only mpg's (IIRC), thus the info that Pioneer4x4 gave, about using DVD2MPG is valid with a 350 also.

Please check the 350 threads in the forums at http://www.shspvr.com before you buy one.
The 150 had teething issues, but they're now resolved. The 350 still has stability issues, as well as playback problems (using it's hardware decoder). Some chipsets (on the motherboard) combined with various driver versions, just don't mix with a 350, and IMHO, the price difference isn't worth it (between a 150 and a 350).

[betlit]

Thanks for the info Pioneer, not really sure what to go for now, the 350 or the 150. It all depends on the quality of the output. Although it sounds like the quality from the 350 would be good, if the 150 was just as good i'd go for the 150, if not i'd go for the 350. The processor loads doesn't really bother me.

i think its save to tell that the encoders of all hauppauge pvr cards (150, 250, 350, 500) deliver the same (great!) quality.
it's the decoder which may be an issue here. the hardware decoder on the 350 is really great. if you use a 250/150/500 you have to use software decoding. there are a lot of mpeg2 decoders out there which all can be tweaked to bring better or worse results.

Just thought. If I buy a 350 and find that i'm having driver issues, can I just disable the hardware decoding and use software decoding and output via the graphics card i.e. get it to work the same as a 150?

yes. you can tell gb-pvr to use hardware or software decoding.
i had problems with the 350 itself. but only when i watched live tv with it (e.g. surfing channels 'too fast' sometimes ended in complete lock ups)... i then bought an additional card (pvr 150). since then i don't have any lock ups anymore. because the 150 is used for live tv almost ever.
for recording, it seems that the 350 is used first. so even if record something and decide to watch live tv too, the 150 is used. (uhm... i hope this makes sense to someone other than me reading this sentences)

Also if I put a dvd in my dvd recorder on the computer will I be able to watch the movie via the 350?

no. thats probably one of the greatest disadvantages of the 350s tv out. although the dvd-format is mpeg2, it is not possible to play a dvd 'through' the tv out of the pvr 350.

[betlit]

And I have made mpgs of dvds with DVD2MPG (great plugin) and they look very comparably to the dvd from a dvdplayer

correct me if i'm wrong... but does the dvd2mpeg (dvddecrypter) not just rip the mpeg2- and audio-streams to the harddisk and mix them together into one file? so the quality should be identical?

[Pioneer4x4]

Yes, that is the point of the comparison. The mpg played over the MVP looks like the dvd itself played on a standalone player.