Component encoder card?

[SickBoy]

I was in a similar position with almost the same equipment.

- STB video over FW worked great for some channels and not for others (got the pixelization artifacts that Martin mentioned) in GBPVR. Did not try this configuration in NPVR, reason being that by the time I moved to NPVR I already had the HD-PVR.
- HDHomeRun works great for everything it CAN work for (ClearQAM) in either GB-PVR OR NPVR, so long as my network connection was fast enough (eventually had to run a gigabit hard line up to the box)
- After making a feeble attempt at setting up the HD-PVR on GBPVR with GraphRecorder, I decided to just bite the bullet and upgrade.

The HDHomeRun will work more easily with an existing GBPVR install but the HD-PVR setup is definitely easier with NPVR.

[mvallevand]

Yeah, the secondary decision is whether to upgrade to NPVR or not. Basically everything is working so I'm not inclined to just at this point as if it's not broke I can't see fixing it. But . . . if I'm going to start doing hardware upgrades I may be forced to, but that's OK if I gain the use of the hardware I want.

Most of the programming I want is from the networks and PBS and is available on clear QAM. I tried an HVR-1600 a while back but it was a joke, it just never worked so I gave up on it

You make two points but it is possible that the much improved QAM scanning in NPVR will mean that the 1600 will work better for you. Your problem might even be GBPVR.
My 1600 works much better than my firewire did (when we had clear QAM, and when a scan worked in GBPVR) but we get so little clear QAM that it is a joke.

I think the hdhomerun would work fine with my current GBPVR setup, correct? The HD-PVR with the graphrecorder plugin also works fine with GBPVR or would either of them work better if I just bit the bullet and upgraded to NPVR?

There are some issues with XP and the HDHR on NPVR but I don't know if that applies to single tuner. Because they are network devices, I still think the Hauppauge HVR 2250 is better for QAM based on what I've read. The HDHR for ATSC is cool because you could move it and run Cat5e instead of antenna cable, I can't see what cat6 would be needed, but I've read it's is much better with distant signals than it is would strong signals. Other than that I am not a fan of the HDHR I see it has too many potential problems.

Martin

[SLR_65]

Hi Martin,

The problem with the HVR-1600 was basically an insensitive tuner. It basically just didn't think it had enough signal but I ran RG-6 quad directly to the cable co input to the house and could barely get it to work. I could put an LCD tv with qam in it on the same feed and it was fine. My cable modem is rock solid, etc.. I called the cable company anyway and they came and checked things and said all the signal levels were fine. I did some research and this seemed to be a problem with the early 1600s. I worked with Hauppauge support for a good while and we tried different drivers, registry setting, etc. and it only made minor improvements. A friend bought an inexpensive clear qam usb tuner and brought it over once and it also worked fine where the 1600 wouldn't (though we didn't even try to interface it with GBPVR) All in all a very bad experience, in fact I need to sight in a rifle so I'm thinking I may need to dig that card up for a target!

For clear qam we get ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, MyTV, Create, PBS 1, PBS 2, PBS 3, and Retro TV so it would be useful as a lot of what we record is from the networks.

If NPVR is having issues with the hdhomerun on XP then I may have to hold off as I do have a spare copy of Vista but I had video driver issues on Vista but the XP drivers work perfectly.

The HVR 2250 may be an option if it actually works as it's about the same money as the hdhomerun.

Looks like I have some research to do!

Take Care,

Steve

[SLR_65]

I see the HVR-2250 comes in a generic white box variety and as a kit with the remote. Reading the reviews on NewEgg I see if the white box just comes with a driver disc - no WinTV software, you gotta buy the full kit to get the WinTV software . . . can I use the WinTV software that came with my HVR-1600???