Trying to choose a tuner card

[nippywiffle]

I've spent hours researching online, trying to decide on a tuner card to buy.
Right now I'll just be playing around with it in GBPVR, but it will eventually be going into a seperate PVR PC that I will have next to the main TV in the house.

I'm looking for some specific things, but seem to find different info everywhere I look, and then to add to the complication, when I think Ive found something good, I find loads of mixed / bad reviews for it.

I was originally thinking the ATI HDTV wonder, but too many bad reviews, and I heard its not fully compatible with GBPVR (something with scanning for channels?)

Im now thinking about the Haupauge hvr 1600, but it's not on the list of supported cards for GBPVR, although I saw one thread where someone said it was working for them.

Here's what I'm looking for:
-SDTV playback/recording with hardware encoding (I assume this is required for gbpvr anyway)
-HDTV ATSC playback/recording (since this is digital, no hardware encoding required right?)
-use of the SDTV/HDTV inputs as seperate tuners if possible
-full compatability with GBPVR.


Does anyone have any suggestions? Is the hvr1600 a good choice? Are there any other options with the above specs?

I also read somewhere that the hvr1600 doesnt have a hardware encoder, so it would cause high CPU utilization.... that's can't be right can it?

Thanks,
Daniel

[sub]

I think the HVR1600 is the best choice given your requirements.

I also read somewhere that the hvr1600 doesnt have a hardware encoder, so it would cause high CPU utilization.... that's can't be right can it?

The analog side does have a hardware encoder. The digital side doesnt need an encoder since the broadcast it receives is already MPEG2.

[arnim]

I have the HVR1600 and it works well for my purposes. I have another similar card that I won't drag into this discussion and the HVR1600 picks up more ATSC channels than that one.

Keep in mind that the 1600 is a hybrid card so it can tune one SD channel OR HD channel at a time, not a dual tuner. Just something to keep in mind.

That being said, I highly reccomend the 1600 (if you live in the US Circuit City had a good deal on them recently, might still do)

[roy]

Keep in mind that the 1600 is a hybrid card so it can tune one SD channel OR HD channel at a time, not a dual tuner. Just something to keep in mind.

No, the 1600 is dual tuner, analog and ATSC, and can tune both at the same time.

[arnim]

No, the 1600 is dual tuner, analog and ATSC, and can tune both at the same time.

Even better then, I will have to test this when I get home today. That's great news indeed if it's true.

[nitrogen_widget]

That being said, I highly reccomend the 1600 (if you live in the US Circuit City had a good deal on them recently, might still do)

Just don't expect a lot of customer service right now.

[Squid]

Just to through in my two cents. I've got the HVR-1600 and an ATI HDTV-Wonder. I greatly prefer the HVR-1600, I do however use the RF remote out of the ATI package. The HVR card is fully supported ( no manual tuning ), it has better reception in my situation and my system doesn't mysteriously uninstall the card ( the ATI card has disappeared twice now ).

Squidi