MVP vs. XCard

[Sandobar]

Hi there,

I have seen the MVP and was amazed. But as usual Hauppauge has developed a good product with a poor software. Thats why I've searched the Net for alternatives and found GBPVR. (PS: Maybe you know more Mod-Projects on MVP???)
By searching this forum I found infos about the XCard.

So I tried to find out what solution will fit my needs (recording TV/Video and playing nearly all video formats on TV).
I want you to help me and others who have the same decision problems between MVP and the XCard.


As far as I read in this forum (and others) the differences are:

MVP:
+ Higher Screen solution for the menue of GBPVR
+ Connected via LAN -> more flexibility
--- no avi/divx/xvid support
--- No AC3 support
-- No direct DVD support
- Some resolution/aspect ratio problems with Hauppauge software (don't know about GBPVR)


XCard:
+++ Plays avi/divx/xvid (also supported via GBPVR???)
++ AC3 supported
++ Allows direct playing of DVDs
+ Better picture quality
-- just 256 colors for the menue of GBPVR on tv-screen


Maybe you can tell more eg. about stability, handling, and so on

PS: I intend to use GBPVR with the Hauppauge PVR 150


Thanx and greetings, Sandobar

[reven]

if you got the money, my advice is go for the xcard.

[Sandobar]

@reven: why?

[reven]

the quality of the output, the amount of different things it can play, and its pretty stable. mvp has issues, cant do dvds, only mpeg playback and only ntsc or pal (which ever one you get) and not both. personally im not a fan of the mvp, i rather have a full system than just a dummy device.

[Sandobar]

Quote[/b] (reven @ Jan. 05 2005,07:18)]i rather have a full system than just a dummy device.

Thats also my oppinion!

But here's one more question:
Using the MVP means, that you can use your PC while your girlsfriend is watching a film (even if it is just an MPEG ) and I can sit at my PC, surfing the NET and writing posts like this, because the screens are different.

Is this also possible with the XCard???

Sandobar

[reven]

yeah it is, since gbpvr paints directly out of the xcard, the window can be minimised on your display, and if you are using direct access to gbpvr (not currently working with the 150, but sub is working on it) the remote will work without gbpvr requiring focus. you could even get a free program that moves gbpvr from taskbar to system tray so its not even visible on your setup.

[Sandobar]

Thanx for your good support reven::

As I read in other topics, you own both, the PVR 150 and 350. Is it right, that the only difference between these cards is the TV-Out of the 350s one?
No better compression chip (conexiant) / quality? More stable?

Greetings, Sandobar

[reven]

nah the 350 the only difference is the tv out, and with the hauppauge drivers this is really unstable, but with latest gbpvr and drivers from shspvr tv out is perfect (on many machines, apparently some people are still having issues, but mostly its perfect).

[Sandobar]

well, if combined with a xcard, you don't need the tv-out of the pvr 350, do you?

[reven]

dont have an xcard, just know what ive read here, looked in to getting one but i have xbmc for all my other video files playback, and the tv out on 350 is fine now.