PVR-500 or an HVR-1600?

[SLR_65]

Hi Guys,

I think I'm almost done tinkering on the HTPC and will soon be ready to stick the lid on it and stick it in the entertainment center.

A while back I got a really good deal on a PVR-150 along with the ir sensor/blaster and 1062 mce remote so that's what I've been using.

I'd like a second tuner in it. I've been thinking a PVR-500 would be nice as they aren't that much more expensive than another PVR-150 and would give more recording/viewing options. However I doubt I would need to record three programs at once, or even watch one while two others record so the need for a dual tuner isn't that great, the idea was just more of a "bang for your buck" thing than anything.

I see Circuit City has a really good buy on the HVR-1600. Unfortunately they wont ship them, you have to buy them in their stores. There's a Circuit City about 40 miles north of me though and we occasionally get up there so it wouldn't be that hard to swing by and pick one up. It would give me my second tuner and a bit of an upgrade path - maybe, I dunno how my cable company, Charter, is looking at offering things in the future. I dunno if clear qam is in their plans or not. I only have SD tv sets and expanded basic cable. The expanded basic is in clear analog and they claim they have no plans in the forseeable future to drop the clear analog - in fact they are using it as a promotional tool to get people with SD sets to hookup before they lose their over the air signals, so i doubt they drop it anytime soon or they will have lots of unhappy new subscribers. I do have a set top box in the living room though as it gives you a channel guide, weather, etc. at the touch of a button which has a high wife acceptance factor. Thumbing up with the cable box I find some channels in the 700s that I get audio but no video. The channel id says they are the DTV feeds of some of my local stations. I'm wondering if those are in clear qam which is why I'm getting the audio, but since they are HD transmissions my tv just isn't capable of viewing them and my cable box can't downgrade it to make my SD tv happy? If we do have some clear qam channels would I be able to view them with the HVR-1600 and GBPVR or is it the same problem - my tv doesn't support HDTV and the card nor GBPVR would downgrade the signal so my TV could view it?

How does the HVR-1600 analog picture compare to the PVR-150/500s?

Any inputs would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Steve

[treads6464]

I currently use 2 500's in my main system and one 150 in my basement system. The picture for each is comparable. I have had no problems with the 500s and like you already mentioned they have two tuners each. As for the HVR 1600, you would have the ability to do HD if you so chose. It really depends on what you want. In terms of pic quality, they are all Hauppauge so they all do a decent job. Horse a piece in my book.

Oh, and you would be surprised how often you WILL record three things at once if the option is available. Good luck!

[aslade]

I'd consider three the minimum inputs!
just recording consecutive programs back to back (with plenty of padding) needs two. Then you will definitely want the third for something else at prime time, and if there something good after that programme.....

[pcostanza]

I've got a 500 in one system and though I record with it often, it's used basically as a back up in case something I really want to watch gets messed up. My other system has the 1600 and 2 OCUR tuners so I can record 3 HD programs at once.
I've found the quality of the 1600 HD just as good as the ATI OCUR and can't tell any difference between the quality of the pvr 500 and the analog side of the 1600. Hauppauge has poor software and very late drivers but the picture quality is something I can't complain about.

[SLR_65]

Thanks Guys!

I hadn't thought about the pre/post padding!

I think I'll go for the 500 - if I later decide I want qam I'll pull the 150 and replace it with a 1600.

Thanks again!

Steve

[reboot]

See my sig...and you think 3 tuners is overkill?