Tuner suggestions please

[cpams322]

Hi,

I am in teh USA and I don't need anything fancy, just at least somewhat reliable. I just want to be able to watch digital TV stations on my PC once in a while as I work on other things on my PC. Awesome picture quality is not necessary as I have an older system anyhow with an older graphics card.

Must be USB or PCI (not PCIE, I have no more PCIE slots available). But if there are no PCI digital tuners, then PCI is out.

Must work with Windows Media Center and work on the following system:

Dell Optiplex 760
Win 7 Pro 64-bit
6GB RAM PC2-6400/800MHz
Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.00GHz CPU

I also don't want to spend more than around $30, so I don't mind if you suggest equipment that isn't the latest and greatest. I will most likely be buying used anyhow.

I have a couple I'm eyeing up right now so if you could give me feedback on these, that would also be great...

- PCTV Pinnacle 801e SE USB Tuner - used $24
- Hauppauge WinTV 150 26552 NTSC/NTSC-J TV Tuner Card 5187-7619 Rev B268 PCI card (I have no idea if this is digital or not) - used $15
- KWORLD UB445-U2 ATSC DIGITAL Hybrid TV TUNER USB P/N:KW-B445-U2 - this one is new, old stock for around $27

Thanks a bunch

[martint123]

The Hauppague tuner you mentioned is analogue so can cross that off the list.

[cpams322]

Thanks. Is there any such thing as a digital PCI tuner?

[Graham]

Thanks. Is there any such thing as a digital PCI tuner?

I, and many others here, are fans of Hauppauge. There's this ...

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

You might try to find a second hand ...

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/d...r1600.html

[mikeh49]

You could consider an ATI theater pro 650, comes in both PCI and PCIe. A few years ago they were readily available as Dell branded from the various Dell parts guys on ebay. I have both a PCI and PCIe version and they have been fine. ATI/AMD still has the drivers available for download.

Your system will be OK. We're assuming you would be receiving TV over the air, so you'll need an antenna also.

[cpams322]

I see that everyone so far is only suggesting expansion card versions. Are expansion card tuners preferable to USB units in some way?

[Graham]

Thanks. Is there any such thing as a digital PCI tuner?

I see that everyone so far is only suggesting expansion card versions. Are expansion card tuners preferable to USB units in some way?

A USB tuner should be just as good as a PCI device. Some USB tuners need high power from the USB port and not all PC USB ports provide enough power ... some folk have needed a powered USB hub. Hauppauge also do USB tuners ... http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/prods.html