Are there any PCI HDTV buying guides/newb guides out there???

[NFS4]

OK, I'd like to get a PCI based HDTV tuner for my PC, but I'm totally lost on what I should be looking for and what to expect. I willing to spend between $150 - $200, but no more than that. Is there anything out there to help out a newb?

I currently have a Leadtek 2000XP Deluxe.

(1) Would I have to keep my current TV tuner to get regular broadcast cable channels or would the HDTV tuner handle both DTV and regular cable channels?
(2) If the HDTV tuner only handles DTV content, then I'd have to have two TV tuners in my PC???
(3) I here that the ATI TV tuner is crap (even though AT gave it the thumbs up). Should I stay away?
(4) Would I have any problems running on a GeForce 6800GT?

 

[NFS4]

BTW, just found the ATI HDTV Wonder for $129 after rebate:

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/...jsp?ProductCode=320768

 

[yadda]

The best forum on this topic:


AVS

This forum will keep you busy for awhile.

I do have the ATI HDTV wonder and I think the software sucks. YMMV. There are others that have had no problems.

good luck

Y

 

[ViRGE]

So far there is not a conclusive guide(that I know about) which doesn't surprise me as there is no clear-cut way to pull in Cable/DSS HDTV channels in to an HDTV card. Besides the Fusion3, there aren't any other cards that can support QAM, and most channels are encrypted anyhow(to which no current card on the market can do; look for CableCard to take care of this, some time in the distant future..), so QAM support doesn't buy you much.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
So far there is not a conclusive guide(that I know about) which doesn't surprise me as there is no clear-cut way to pull in Cable/DSS HDTV channels in to an HDTV card. Besides the Fusion3, there aren't any other cards that can support QAM, and most channels are encrypted anyhow(to which no current card on the market can do; look for CableCard to take care of this, some time in the distant future..), so QAM support doesn't buy you much.

LOL!! That just went right over my head Channel encryption, QAM, whoosh

I just want to be able to watch high quality TV.

Bottom line, I use my PC as my main "TV." Am I gonna need two TV tuners in order to still be able to watch the channels I watch now (my Leadtek for regular content I watch now + a new tuner for HDTV content)?

Once I get that answered, I can go from there

 

[fr]

I have a Dvico FusionHDTV. It works fine along with my ATI TV Wonder and GeForce card. I only use it for over-the-air HDTV using an antenna. It can view analog TV and cable as well. The software is a little buggy, but I got used to it.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: ViRGE
So far there is not a conclusive guide(that I know about) which doesn't surprise me as there is no clear-cut way to pull in Cable/DSS HDTV channels in to an HDTV card. Besides the Fusion3, there aren't any other cards that can support QAM, and most channels are encrypted anyhow(to which no current card on the market can do; look for CableCard to take care of this, some time in the distant future..), so QAM support doesn't buy you much.

LOL!! That just went right over my head Channel encryption, QAM, whoosh

I just want to be able to watch high quality TV.

Bottom line, I use my PC as my main "TV." Am I gonna need two TV tuners in order to still be able to watch the channels I watch now (my Leadtek for regular content I watch now + a new tuner for HDTV content)?

Once I get that answered, I can go from there

Never mind, I read your question wrong. As I read it, I thought you were asking about if you needed a second card to watch HDTV over cable. Just disreguard what I said. As for the real question, the ATI card supports both analog cable TV and HDTV. It has a RF connector for each, so you will only need 1 card. I will however call all current HDTV cards crap because they don't properly support HDTV over cable/sattelite.

PS You may want to read the AnandTech Review of the card, although their impressions dealing with the software are effectively out of date

 

[camara120]

Had to read the post twice.... someone with 48218 posts calling himself a newb was weird.

 

[rbV5]

(3) I here that the ATI TV tuner is crap (even though AT gave it the thumbs up). Should I stay away?

Alot of folks are having issues with HDTV Wonder. I, however had good luck using ATI's software...but found it unpolished.

It works great for me in MCE 2005 however..even the wife gives it a thumbs up for PQ and ease of use.

My brief $0.02:

*PCI HDTV tuner for watching, low CPU use and output to a digital display....MIT MyHD is a great, mature, hardware decoder card wth a poor quality analog tuner (I'd keep the leadtek with this one) The software is just OK, but the Picture Quality is excellent. It "captures" the native transport streams.

*PCI HDTV Tuner card with decent PVR functionality and a great EPG for USA market...ATI HDTV Wonder with MCE 2005 OS is a "very" good package...however YMMV, and it will likely require an additional supported analog hardware card just to install (even though HDTV Wonder has an analog tuner) This may be considered a "tinkerers" option due to the amount of installation issues I've read, but is definately worth it if you get it working.

One of the major keys seems to be the antenna setup and the signal you can receive. I get a good signal, and I had a working setup for 1 1/2 years before installing the HDTV Wonder (using the MyHD card), perhaps that is why I've experienced few issues.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: camara120
Had to read the post twice.... someone with 48218 posts calling himself a newb was weird.

Not everyone knows everything about everything

 

[Blackberry Junkie]

I, too, am in the market for PCI based HDTV tuner since I just got 2005fpw yesterday. I need one that can hook up to my charter's hdtv receiver. Not the ones like ATI HDTV wonder that requires an antenna for free OTA (Over The Air) local HDTV channels. Thanks!

 

[mcveigh]

hey I found this on google!

current hdtv choices
ATI HDTV
Fusion3
MyHD MDP-120
http://www.digitalconnection.c...ts/Video/fusion3qt.asp
http://www.digitalconnection.c...ducts/Video/mdp120.asp

I'm thinking about getting the fusion. there are some beta versions of timeshiftingsoftware for the MyHD that are getting good reviews.

ATI seems to be very sensitive to what other components and drivers a system uses.

there are a few lesser know ones I think.

 

[dartworth]

What are the advantages of using a HDTV card? You can enjoy the HDTV signal on a monitor, but it does no good on a regular TV correct?

 

[her34]

hdtv cards don't really capture video like regular tv cards right? they basically just act as receivers and copy streaming data? like copying data off of another hard drive?

 

[mcveigh]

dartworth: you can save hdtv on a hard dirve and you can output it to a TV, and depending on the card and software you can use it like a tivo.

her34 yes they really captur the video and save it a Mpeg2 (usually, there are some mpeg4 (divx) encoders and hdtv is often in TS streams theat can be saved and played)

 

[kalster]

hi, i am considering getting the hdtv wonder card, i have the pvr 250 which is serving me very well, i use sagetv, can i just add hdtv wonder and use sage to see both HD and analog conents

 

[FreshPrince]

nfs4, any progress?

which card did you go with?

also, can someone explain to me how the ati is HDTV when the input for the card is coax?

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: FreshPrince
also, can someone explain to me how the ati is HDTV when the input for the card is coax?

It's an OTA HDTV receiver. You have to plug it into an antenna, obviously...

 

[FreshPrince]

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: FreshPrince
also, can someone explain to me how the ati is HDTV when the input for the card is coax?

It's an OTA HDTV receiver. You have to plug it into an antenna, obviously...

heh, I understand that...I'm just saying.. the antenna is coax as well? so how do they sqeeze the HD signal in coax?

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: FreshPrince

Originally posted by: Matthias99

Originally posted by: FreshPrince
also, can someone explain to me how the ati is HDTV when the input for the card is coax?

It's an OTA HDTV receiver. You have to plug it into an antenna, obviously...

heh, I understand that...I'm just saying.. the antenna is coax as well? so how do they sqeeze the HD signal in coax?

The antenna is... an antenna. How else could you possibly connect to it except via coax cable?

You don't have a signal you could transmit over a video cable until it's been decoded.

 

[Arcanedeath]

High quality Coax can transmit over 1000mhz, I don't see the problem w/ it carrying an HD signal

 

[PhoenixOrion]

I bought the ati hdtv wonder even with so many bad reviews about it.

I consider it a keeper. I'm enjoying watching HDTV OTA and TV cable (2 coax inputs) and have the PVR functionality/no broadcast flag.

The software bundle works great but it is the installation process that's very tricky.

I remember reading Tom's Hardware that it took them 2 days to get it working. It took me 20 minutes by following their advice: ditch the CD that came with it, download the 4 latest drivers and install the 4 drivers in very strict order per instructions on the website.

At this price point with the ATI 10% discount, I could not resist as it also came with antenna, remote control, slew of cables/adapters for camcorder/vhs transfers.