PCI dual tuner card that can get cable channels

[Wakalaka]

In my upgrade to a PCIe graphics card in my microATX box, I've now lost use of a PCI slot due to the fan on the graphics card. I had 2 Hauppauge PVR150MCE cards in, and now only have 1. I'd like to have dual tuner for all of my cable channels, but according to my research the only option is a Hauppauge PVR500MCE. There is the Hauppauge HVR-1600, but it can only get cable channels on 1 tuner, and HD OTA channels on the other, so if there are 2 shows to record and both are on cable, then I'm out of luck. My TV is a 32" CRT, and I won't buy a new TV until this one dies or I have absolutely no choice but to get an LCD TV for displaying HD channels.

Any suggestions for solving my problem? I know one solution is to live with 1 tuner, since dual tuner use doesn't happen much in my household, whether it be record 2 at the same time, or record 1 and watch live tv at the same time.

If I go with a PVR500MCE, I'll also have to buy an HD antenna. I cringe at the price of the PVR500MCE @ $140. I can get a PVR150MCE for $55, so $110 for 2. Why so expensive? I can get a HVR-1600 for $90. I'll also have 2 PVR150MCE cards to sell.

[sub]

I think the PVR500 is about your only option at the moment, or adding an external USB capture device.

[Wakalaka]

I think the PVR500 is about your only option at the moment, or adding an external USB capture device.

Is the quality of a USB device any good? I would think the bus speed might become an issue for high quality capturing. And MPEG2 encoding would have to be done by the CPU.

[sub]

Is the quality of a USB device any good?

Yes. Infact the Hauppauge WinTV PVR USB2 is effectively a PVR250 in an external case. Same encoding chipset etc.

I would think the bus speed might become an issue for high quality capturing.

No, since it was encoded to MPEG2 at the external device before sending over USB2, which significantly reduces the bandwidth required.

And MPEG2 encoding would have to be done by the CPU.

No. The encoding is done in hardware on the device.

[JavaWiz]

In my upgrade to a PCIe graphics card in my microATX box, I've now lost use of a PCI slot due to the fan on the graphics card. I had 2 Hauppauge PVR150MCE cards in, and now only have 1. I'd like to have dual tuner for all of my cable channels, but according to my research the only option is a Hauppauge PVR500MCE. There is the Hauppauge HVR-1600, but it can only get cable channels on 1 tuner, and HD OTA channels on the other, so if there are 2 shows to record and both are on cable, then I'm out of luck. My TV is a 32" CRT, and I won't buy a new TV until this one dies or I have absolutely no choice but to get an LCD TV for displaying HD channels.

Any suggestions for solving my problem? I know one solution is to live with 1 tuner, since dual tuner use doesn't happen much in my household, whether it be record 2 at the same time, or record 1 and watch live tv at the same time.

If I go with a PVR500MCE, I'll also have to buy an HD antenna. I cringe at the price of the PVR500MCE @ $140. I can get a PVR150MCE for $55, so $110 for 2. Why so expensive? I can get a HVR-1600 for $90. I'll also have 2 PVR150MCE cards to sell.

I just picked up a HVR-1600 ($99 @ Fry's) and I can get QAM channels from Comcast on the OTA input, and regular channels thru the cable box on the analog input. Both inputs are connected thru the comcast cable via splitter, one thru a STB (Analog), the other direct cable (ie QAM).

Just installed, so am still working thru getting everything configured, but so far it looks like it may work for you.

The only problem I see, is that over the QAM input, I will not get the encrypted cable channes (ie Show Time, HBO,...). Over the analog input, I will not get the Hi Def channels.

[Wakalaka]

I just picked up a HVR-1600 ($99 @ Fry's) and I can get QAM channels from Comcast on the OTA input, and regular channels thru the cable box on the analog input. Both inputs are connected thru the comcast cable via splitter, one thru a STB (Analog), the other direct cable (ie QAM).

Just installed, so am still working thru getting everything configured, but so far it looks like it may work for you.

The only problem I see, is that over the QAM input, I will not get the encrypted cable channes (ie Show Time, HBO,...). Over the analog input, I will not get the Hi Def channels.

It wouldn't work because I want to be able to get all of my cable channels on both tuners. The OTA portion won't do that, it will only give me a subset of the channels. My wife and I have decided to stick with 1 tuner for a while and see how we do. Worst case is I pick up a USB device.

[Wakalaka]

I would think the bus speed might become an issue for high quality capturing.

No, since it was encoded to MPEG2 at the external device before sending over USB2, which significantly reduces the bandwidth required.

Ok, since the encoding is done on the USB device, then that would work. I wasn't sure if the devices were simply a tuner and then sends the raw data over USB bus to let the driver do the encoding.

[Wakalaka]

I just picked up a HVR-1600 ($99 @ Fry's) and I can get QAM channels from Comcast on the OTA input, and regular channels thru the cable box on the analog input. Both inputs are connected thru the comcast cable via splitter, one thru a STB (Analog), the other direct cable (ie QAM).

What is QAM anyway? Quadrature Amplitude Modulation?

[JavaWiz]

What is QAM anyway? Quadrature Amplitude Modulation?

Yep. Not sure of the technical details, but that is what Comcast broadcasts over their base cable for the Hi-Def signals. You can get several QAM channels even if you don't have a Comcast STB.

[Wakalaka]

So when you say "QAM channels" is that the same as saying "HD channels"?