Best TV card?

[nemulate]

Okay here's the deal. At the moment I've got a Hauppauge Nova-T which while being pretty good doesn't do hardware mpeg2 decoding (doh of course it does as its a dvb card, me silly) My picture is pretty blocky sometimes especially if there's large areas of the same dark colour on screen! And also get the occassional juddering, no picture when changing channels etc! As you can see from my sig my specs are quite reasonable! I'm using Intervideo's WindDVD 7 codecs with hardware acceleration turned on. Is the poor picture to be expected with my card and if so will it improve with a Hauppauge HVR 1300 or can someone recommend anything else?

Thanks

[sub]

Pretty much no cards do hardware MPEG2 decoding. The only exception is the PVR350, but I wouldnt recommend that for you.

Its unlikely to be a capture issue. The video captured by the HVR1300 will be pretty much identical to the Nova-T, since both just capture the digital broadcast in the original format it was transmitted.

Based on you description, I would guess one of the following is your problem:

1) The broadcaster is using low bitrates to squeeze more channels in
2) or, the video decoder isnt producing picture
3) or, you video card doesnt produce a good TV picture.

[nemulate]

Yes maybe i need to experiment with decoders, video drivers etc. Not being lazy but in a word what do you say is the best decoder? By the way excellent program even if it has meant not getting much sleep last 2 or 3 nights!

[sub]

Not being lazy but in a word what do you say is the best decoder?

I never answer that question.

[nemulate]

I thought not but worth a try

[capone]

maybe he would tell you the card that he gets the least complaints about...probably just as good as an endorsement

[nemulate]

Oops he might also tell me to check a basic thing like colour quality in my display properties :o How could I see it was set to 16 bit and not 32 bit on the tv screen anyway! Picture is a lot less clour blocky now /stands in the corner feeling like an idiot! Cough! So sub tell me which cards do you get the least complaints about and which the most?????

[sub]

Use the forum search feature :p