Which DVB-T cards and how many?

[simon]

Hello all,

I've been lurking on the forums for a few months, while using GB-PVR on my MVP. I don't currently have a tv card, but find it great for listening to my mp3 library, viewing picces on the TV and checking the weather!

I'm now at the stage that I will build a new Home Entertainment PC to fit under the TV, rather that use the MVP, as we have a new LCD TV with a DVI input on the back, and I want to be able to play games as well!

My questions relate to DVB-T cards in the UK. We don't currently have digital (Freeview) but want to get it soon.

Firstly, I want the new PC to allow me to both watch and record a digital TV channel through the PC.

If I get an external digibox, and one or two Haupaauge PVR 150s, willl I be able to watch one channel while recording another? Or would I need two digiboxes for that? If I understand things correctly, I can use the IR blaster on the PVR150 to switch channels on the Digibox?

The alternative option is one or two DVB-T PC cards in the PC. I understand that work is ongoing for DVB-T support.

I've found three DVB-T PCI cards available, the Hauppauge Nova-T, Avermedia DVB-T 771 and the Nebula DigiTv PCI. Which if any of these will be supported? If I am reading the forums correctly, the cards will need BDA drivers to be supported by GBPVR. I am tending towards the Nebula card as it supports Win 2k, and I don't really want to run Win XP on my entertainment PC, but I'm currently not sure if the Nebula has BDA drivers.

Have I missed anything here, and does anyone have any advice?

I know DVB-T support isn't ready yet, but I am quite happy to wait, as I will be buying this system in bits over a period of months anyway, and I can carry on using the MVP. Obviously my system will be available for Beta test if required.

TIA,

Simon

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]If I get an external digibox, and one or two Haupaauge PVR 150s, willl I be able to watch one channel while recording another? Or would I need two digiboxes for that? If I understand things correctly, I can use the IR blaster on the PVR150 to switch channels on the Digibox?

You'd need one freeview box for each tuner if you'd like to be able to record more that one freeview channel at a time.

The next release will support the PVR150's IR Blaster. I only received my PVR150 a day or so before the last release, so the IR Blaster isn't supported in the current version.

Quote[/b] ]The alternative option is one or two DVB-T PC cards in the PC. I understand that work is ongoing for DVB-T support.

I've found three DVB-T PCI cards available, the Hauppauge Nova-T, Avermedia DVB-T 771 and the Nebula DigiTv PCI. Which if any of these will be supported? If I am reading the forums correctly, the cards will need BDA drivers to be supported by GBPVR. I am tending towards the Nebula card as it supports Win 2k, and I don't really want to run Win XP on my entertainment PC, but I'm currently not sure if the Nebula has BDA drivers.

The Nova-T has BDA drivers, but I dont know about the others as I'm still relatively new to DVB myself.

BDA support will be introduce either in the next release or the one after.

[simon]

Thanks for the fast reply sub.

Just so I am clear on this, will a DVB-T card have to have BDA drivers to be supported in gbpvr?

I'll try and do a bit more research on what those three DVB-T cards support.

Simon

[sub]

Quote[/b] ]Just so I am clear on this, will a DVB-T card have to have BDA drivers to be supported in gbpvr?

Yes.