so, I'm making my first media center...

[flyswatta]

Also one more note. Some 150's have audio input, some dont.
How exactly are you guys handling audio?

Once again, I appreciate all the help, it's been great!

Audio out on the soundcard from the computer. They make an adapter that goes from the (2.5"?) connector that plugs into your sound card/motherboard audio out to RCA audio. The RCA audio is also on the a/v switch. There may be better ways to do it but someone else will have to address that.

AFAIK, the 150's all have audio in via RCA jacks.

Ahh, you may have seen the 2.5" connector which is for the IRBlaster out.

[csmaster2005]

there are several i saw on ebay without audio input. Ex http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/...mcelp.html

Oh wait, by reading your last line, are you trying to say the red/yellow inputs are actually outputs for the blaster?

Also, I dont quite understand how you're plugging all the audio into your PC....
or actually answering this may help: What exactly are you using your computer to do? You seem to have most other things connected through the switch to your computer. Are you just using it to watch/record cable, or what all exactly?
thanks

[prouton]

All of the PVR-150's have both video (composite and s-video) and audio inputs. They have no outputs of any type.

The television source (antenna, cable from the wall, or cable/satellite box composite A/V signals) plugs into the PVR-150, and the output from the video card (composite, s-video, DVI or HDMI) as well as the computers line-out (or speaker) get connected to the television.

Multiple tuner cards in one computer mean that you have to split the antenna (or cable from the wall) to feed the additional cards, or have more than one cable/satellite box to feed multiple tuners (composite connections). You still only have one set of video and audio connections between the computer and the television.

The advantage of the Hauppauge cards is that they are the most widely supported, but there are other, cheaper alternatives that will work with GB-PVR. You just have to ensure that analog tuners feature hardware MPEG compression (encoding). If it doesn't specifically say it, you can bet that it doesn't have hardware-based compression. Again, check the wiki for a list of supported cards. If your computer has hi-speed USB 2.0 ports, you can also use an external tuner.

[flyswatta]

there are several i saw on ebay without audio input. Ex http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/...mcelp.html

Oh wait, by reading your last line, are you trying to say the red/yellow inputs are actually outputs for the blaster?

Also, I dont quite understand how you're plugging all the audio into your PC....
or actually answering this may help: What exactly are you using your computer to do? You seem to have most other things connected through the switch to your computer. Are you just using it to watch/record cable, or what all exactly?
thanks

from the page you referenced:
Stereo audio input via a 1/8" stereo jack

As for the rest - We normally use the Satellite DVR (yeh, it's a Dish Network DVR) for the wife & kids, along with the rest of the stuff. I record most everything for ME on my PVR server (stuffed in a corner in my home office), and playback mostly on my main computer or via MediaMVP to the TVs.

Actually, I was just watching season 6 of "24" - only 3 more episodes to go I usually record shows during the season and watch them back at my leisure - I really like watching 24 straight through - that way I don't have to wait a week for the next episode!

[csmaster2005]

oh I didnt notice the third one down was stereo input. http://www.hauppauge.com/images/pvr150lp_ep_bg.jpg

Just curious, I take it I'll need some sort of converter to combine the red/white cords into 1 cord to plug in correct?

BTW 24 is great, I've watched every season as they aired (there were a few I had to record). It's my favorite show, but now if I get this thing working, recording them will be fun

Also, my TV inputs are as follows:
dvi, component, s-video, and rgb.

So no one has done anything with an hd tuner?
Also fly, your input into your analog tuner, is it a coax line from the wall for cable, is it a coax line from digital cable box? from a receiver? s-video in? or what exactly?
Also, if you're putting a wire from your satellite receiver into your computer, and your wife and kids don't use the computer, then are you putting it into a splitter then one into computer other elsewhere so it can be used twice? or what exactly?
thanks

[flyswatta]

Just curious, I take it I'll need some sort of converter to combine the red/white cords into 1 cord to plug in correct?

Correct.

Also, my TV inputs are as follows:
dvi, component, s-video, and rgb.

So no one has done anything with an hd tuner?

you should be able to output from your computer either of those connections. You may need special cables, etc, but it's doable. DVI and component should be a high quality playback of HD. I think you mean composite instead of component, as the rgb would be your component input. There are lots of HD tuners, I use a TwinHan elcheapo PCI card, there are some Hauppauge models (not sure which ones off the top of my head) and there are some USB models. The wiki should identify them - they'll be listed as 'digital cards' or ATSC cards.

Also fly, your input into your analog tuner, is it a coax line from the wall for cable, is it a coax line from digital cable box? from a receiver? s-video in? or what exactly?

When I had cable, I just had a 3 way splitter on the coax, that went into my 2 150's and my Maui. The cards 'tuned' the signal so there's still a nice quality picture. If you're coming from a cable box or sat reciever, then they 'tune' the signal and the result output quality varies on how you transfer it to the TV or the PVR150. You can do coax from the cable box or from the reciever but it's a lower quality than doing s-video.
I believe the order of quality is (worst to best): coax, composite, s-video, component, DVI, HDMI (I could be off on the order with component, DVI, and HDMI but they're the really good quality connectors)

Also, if you're putting a wire from your satellite receiver into your computer, and your wife and kids don't use the computer, then are you putting it into a splitter then one into computer other elsewhere so it can be used twice? or what exactly?
thanks

I have an unusual configuration - I was using GBPVR as the family DVR but then switched to Dish Network when Time-Warner Cable dropped NFL Network Dish Network said the magic 3 words "Free DVR Upgrade". So basically I got a dual tuner DVR for free - I let the wife and kids fill up the DVR hard drive with kid/chick shows, and I record all of my stuff on a dedicated regular dual tuner (in my home office). So to answer this question: I have 2 dual tuners, or essentially 4 sat tuners, 2 of which are hooked to GPBVR via the PVR150's. I also have an ATSC tuner (the twinhan) that goes from my roof antenna to my twinhan card for HD recordings.

[csmaster2005]

so you are using an hd tuner. Is http://cgi.ebay.com/Smart-PCI-TV-Tuner-w...dZViewItem what you have?

How are you connecting to the tv, svideo I take it? How's the quality of the hd shows while using your connection (svideo i think?)

Also, I'm slightly confused by what you mean by '4 sat tuners'. Do you mean your dvr from dishnetwork has 2 plug ins for the satellite so your wife/kids can watch while recording, and then the same idea for your PC?

Also, it is composite, not component lol.

[flyswatta]

so you are using an hd tuner. Is http://cgi.ebay.com/Smart-PCI-TV-Tuner-w...dZViewItem what you have?

Yep, that's the one - geeks.com has the same card for $29.99 w/ $8 shipping, so personally, I'd get it there.

How are you connecting to the tv, svideo I take it? How's the quality of the hd shows while using your connection (svideo i think?)

I don't play back hd via GBPVR on my TV (MediaMVP doesn't support HD) so I couldn't tell you the quality over s-video. I play back HD on my computer monitor. If I want to watch HD on the TV, I have a direct tv receiver that does OTA ATSC (not hooked to GBPVR or a DVR, just live tv).
Like I mentioned, I have a pretty non-standard configuration and viewing habits. After the family goes to bed, I usually watch my shows on the computer w/ headphones (so the TV doesn't keep them up).

Also, I'm slightly confused by what you mean by '4 sat tuners'. Do you mean your dvr from dishnetwork has 2 plug ins for the satellite so your wife/kids can watch while recording, and then the same idea for your PC?

I have 2 physical receivers - one in the living room and one in the home office. Each receiver has two tuners. I can have 4 different channels playing in my house at one time over satellite. The receiver in the living room has two tuners, one goes to the living room TV and one goes to the bedroom TV. You can be recording on one tuner while watching live TV on the other tuner. Same effect as having 2 150's or a PVR500.

In my office I have a receiver with two tuners that goes to a TV in the office, and a TV in the kitchen. We rarely use those TVs, so I take s-video and composite output from that dual receiver and send them into the 150's.

If you really want to know my complete A/V setup, PM me and I'll send it to you - although you pretty much have most of it now

[csmaster2005]

ok I *think* I understand what you have now. Cant wait to get all the parts and put this thing together and play with it.

BTW ATSC antenna meaning an HD antenna?

[csmaster2005]

one more question, would an sempron 64 3000 be fine, or should I stick with athlon?