Tuner card recommendations, please?

[DavidB]

Hi, Everyone

I'm new to making my own PVR but have had it with DirecTV's fees. I have a Dell desktop PC that I plan to convert into a dedicated media PC and I'm looking for recommendations as to what Tuner card to get.

The PC has 3 PCI slots, but no PCI express. It runs windows XP.
I live in San Francisco so there are lots of over the air digital channels. I don't care if it records analog of cable or analog broadcast, I won't be needing that.
I'd like to get a card that can record two shows at once or let me watch one while I record another.
I'd like to get a card that can record HD if a show is broadcast in HD.

The TV I'll playing back into is a Sony 720P one with HDMI input as well as VGA and component & composite.
There's a cable-modem speed internet connection at the TV, and we have a netflix subscription and Hulu subscription, so if the card can take advantage of this that would be great, and hopefully the gbpvr software can help capture and manage as much of this content as possible.

Aside from getting a video card, a wireless keyboard, and a really big fast hard drive is there any other hardware I need? I guess I need something that can receive remote signals. CUrrently I have a logitech harmony programmable remote, so I would rather set up something that I can program my current remote to operate, rather than have to have a second remote just for the computer.

As you can tell, I'm asking newbie questions, and would appreciate any suggestions you may have about the best card for my situation.

best,
David

[johnsonx42]

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/d...r1150.html

That's the new PCI version of the PCIe HVR-1250 that I use.

Unfortunately Hauppauge doesn't offer a dual-tuner card in PCI form; in fact I don't know of any true dual-tuner PCI cards. However you've got 3 pci slots, so just get 2 or even 3 HVR1150's; 2 of them cost no more than a single dual-tuner HVR-2250 that you can't use anyway. You can also use USB; as listed in my sig, I use an HVR-850 along with the HVR-1250. Both work equally well.

For Hulu, there's no plugin for either GB-PVR or NPVR. I just installed Hulu Desktop and launch it from the NPVR (or GB-PVR) menu as a custom task.
For Netflix, there is an NPVR plugin for it but it's in a constant state of being not quite finished and usually broken (and the old GB-PVR version of the plugin is also hopelessly broken). The author says he's getting back to finishing the plugin, so there may yet be hope. There is also an external viewer application that I've not used but by all reports seems to be quite capable (as with Hulu Desktop, you'd call it as an external task). You'll find a thread about it in the Community Announcements forum.

You may wish to have a read of the npvr getting started thread linked in my signature as well.

[pBS]

the pvr1600 is a pci dual tuner card....it does analog/digital same time and is pci...and comes with haupp remote and blaster...
for directv use, you'll only be able to use analog input[svideo] as the sat signal is scrambled, unless you get a HDPVR[usb] that can capture component hd signals..
i use ota atsc for hd locals just capture analog from svideo from sat stb...hdpvr is only hd cap card on market pretty much..

[johnsonx42]

pBS you didn't read his post very carefully. he's dumping DirecTV and just wants OTA digital. (actually he reminds me of me... I dumped DirecTV for ota digital, and my name is also David)

[johnsonx42]

Hey DavidB, look at this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLis...iliconDust

There's a black friday deal at NewEgg for the SiliconDust HD Homerun tuner. If you're not familiar with it, it's a digital tv tuner that connects to your network; GB-PVR and NPVR then connect to the tuner over the network. I've not used one, but lots of people around here swear by them. There are single and dual-tuner versions. The dual-tuner is only $79.99... normally they're well over $100. I've already got 2 tuners, but I'm certainly tempted.

[Daldana]

Hey johnson, it must be a David thing. I also dumped Directv for ota with the Zinc player for internet tv.

[johnsonx42]

I used Zinc awhile ago, but was never real happy with it. Perhaps I'll give it another try.

[DavidB]

Thanks, you all are great!

I will go study all this info.

I hope you all have a good thanksgiving or if you are not in the U.S. have a great weekend.

David

[pBS]

oh, i thought he meant directv's *pvr* fees...

i just dumped dish for directv cuz dish doesn't seem to want to pay like everyone else for their content..
i love it, hd for less than the price of sd on dish...

[UncleJohnsBand]

the pvr1600 is a pci dual tuner card....it does analog/digital same time and is pci...and comes with haupp remote and blaster...
for directv use, you'll only be able to use analog input[svideo] as the sat signal is scrambled, unless you get a HDPVR[usb] that can capture component hd signals..
i use ota atsc for hd locals just capture analog from svideo from sat stb...hdpvr is only hd cap card on market pretty much..

Looking at the diagram of the 1600 it shows one cable input for digital and one for analog.....does that mean that although it is a dual tuner it really only has one tuner that can capture digital?