Query : How to use multiple TV Cards (thru GB-PVR) in a Desktop Computer?

[seymoria]

Greetings to all.

GB-PVR (or N-PVR) are probably the only great freeware applications in the world which have the remarkable capability for users to utilize 04 TV cards simultaneously in a single desktop computer (as I am using myself; 04 Hauppauge PVR-150 PCI TV cards in my old Dell Optiplex GX270; a P4 machine with humble specs).

Now I am thinking of upgrading my desktop as its having too many processor speed and memory issues with heavy applications. However, many new desktops I have reviewed in the market and on the net have only 01 PCI slot (and probably one AGP slot).

Can you please provide any advice on how I can continue my multiple card usage through GB-PVR in a modern high end desktop computer?

Thanks for your kind words of advice.

Best Regards.
Amer Shiraz

[sub]

Lots of people use multiple TV cards in modern high end desktop PCs. You obviously have to have TV cards that you're able to connect though. A lot of people use PCIe or USB capture devices, or a mixed combination of PCI/PCIe/USB.

If you really want to make use of your old PVR150 cards without replacing them, then I'm sure there are still boards with PCI. Yes, they are getting rarer, but they're still out there. Maybe not four PCI slots, but you'll probably find some boards with 2 or 3 slots, which would let you reuse most of your PVR150s.

[seymoria]

Dear Sub.

Thanks for your help.

However, Hauppauge's all new cards are also PCIe based so I am wondering how can anyone use them inside their new desktops nowadays(multiple cards). I could not locate any desktop at Dell which had more than one PCIe.

(USB cards in my opinion are not a very good idea as these block ports which are needed for various P&P devices).

If anyone is using any new Desktop with multiple cards, please post your experience to my query.

Regards.
Amer

[martint123]

Off the shelf machines can be very restricting as the general public do not usually need to add anything and would be reluctant to pay for unused expansion opportunities.
I am in the process of upgrading my PVR server and am eyeing up a Gigabyte GA-P41T-D3P motherboard.
This has three PCI and three PCIe x1 and a PCIe x16 available. S775 processor socket, but there are fairly hefty CPU's available for the relatively lightweight task of an NPVR server.
My old PVR has a PVR150 inside, but the USB version of the PVR150 works well enough. My recently acquired DVB-T2 USB stick works fine with HD - there seems to be plenty of USB bandwidth for these devices - which can make them partially future-proof compared to ISA, eISA, PCI, PCIe as you have found.

[sub]

I'd agree with martint123. There is still lots of motherboards about with multiple PCI and PCIe slots. If you're going to buy one with only a single PCIe slot though, then you'd pretty much need to look at USB capture device and/or a Hauppauge HVR-2200 (dual tuner PCIe).

[seymoria]

Martin & Sub thanks very much for your useful advice.
I just looked up the Gigabyte motherboard on Gbyte's site; it looks great and has many, many slots & connections. Now, being not very hardware savvy, am wondering if I would be able to acquire and hook up the rest of the components with this board to form a complete Desktop computer? Can I order a desktop from well known brands like Dell, Gateway etc with this motherboard?
Thanks and Regards.

[pcostanza]

For a long while I used a HVR-1600 and an ATI 650 together with no problems. I did not use OTA but did use analog with digital. Once the ATI had updated W7 drivers, it worked great.
That system now has the HVR-1600 and the Ceton cablecard tuner working in NPVR.
A second system has the HVR2250 and a USB tuner, the 1950 working fine. Both systems are sharing the HDHR networked tuner. NPVR has had no trouble working with multiple tuners.

As for the motherboard, there's not way I see any of the big box computer makers to use anything but their proprietary motherboards in their boxes. My personal opinion is you'd do better building a system for yourself or if you don't feel comfortable doing that, have someone build one for you (then you can help them and learn). Believe me, if I can do it, you can. I've built about 10 systems the last few years for myself, family members and friends and all are still working and in use.

[martint123]

I would agree with Paul. The big manufacturers generally use their own design of boards to fit their corporate cases.
If you don't feel happy building your own system up - it can be a bit daunting at first as there can be many variables in cases, psu's, CPU's, cabling etc then I would try to find a small "corner shop" type computer shop who would be able to make a system up for you with the bits that you want at a fair price.

Once you have a system, then it becomes easier to upgrade it. My current server is one that a local computer shop was about to throw out as being out of date and not economical to upgrade, but as my time is not paid for, then it was worth me spending time to get a decent motherboard and CPU in it.

A lot depends on what you have available locally in the way of shops and/or help.