New to Nextpvr, what TV tuner card to get

[Stoweskier]

Two questions.

Should I get a Haupauge dual tuner card, or can nextpvr record multiple show simultaneously from a Haupauge single tuner card?

Should I get the a Haupauge card with a remote included? I already have a harmony remote and therefore should I get a Hauppauge without a remote and instead get an USB ir blaster and use the harmony?

Anyway, I guess I'm asking is it preferable to get the top of the line Hauppauge 2250 dual tuner card with remote or can I get by with something less. Recording/viewing more than one thing at a time is a requirement.

I will be using this card to record/view ota signals from an antenna, no cable box. Running vista os.

Thanks

[mvallevand]

You can check SiliconDust's web site http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/ with your zip code to see what is available OTA. The only stations that you can use NextPVR's multi-rec feature for recording from one tuner would show on the same channel (column 2 not 3) Usually in the US that is a few PBS channels.

You don't need a remote or IR blaster for OTA.

Martin

[Stoweskier]

I run ota through my dish dvr now, so that part of the equation is understood. 5 networks with each having multiple channels.

Ok, so I gather from your response that I definitely should get a dual Tuner if I want to record simultaneously from different networks, say abc and pbs at the same time. Correct?

Also, I know I don't need a remote for ota per se, I guess my question was whether a remote was helpful with the Nextpvr interface. I currently use Plex and have a wireless keyboard and mouse to control the interface, but no remote functionality. So will the keyboard be fine for Nextpvr, or is it nice to get a remote working as well.

And if I should go with a remote, can I use the harmony or do I need the Hauppauge remote?

Thanks

[mvallevand]

Got, it you want an IR receiver not blaster and the Harmony won't come with one. If you want to use NextPVR with a 10' interface go with the remote since that is how NextPVR is designed. With a keyboard it is cumbersome, most non-navigation functions require both hands, or good dexterity.

Martin

[Graham]

And if I should go with a remote, can I use the harmony or do I need the Hauppauge remote?

NextPVR supports the Microsoft remote and anything that works via the same interface. If you have a remote that will drive Windows Media Centre, that remote will also drive NextPVR.

The remote that comes with Hauppague devices (and the Hauppage software) generates keystrokes that are passed to NextPVR (and any other software ... you can drive Notepad with the Hauppauge remote ... not that anyone would).

There is no difference in the functionality between the two modes of remote operation.

The way that I think of multi-recording is that each TV frequency carries a mux and each mux carries one or more channels. NextPVR tunes the tuner to a frequency and NextPVR can then record (or watch) every channel on the mux at that frequency. To tune to two frequencies (and two muxes) requires two tuners and so on.