TV Tuner cards

[Dman877]

So my ATI TV Wonder VE doesn't seem to like my nvidia graphics card, go figure. It keeps crashing and forcing my to reboot the comp via case because the tv window just freezes and xp can't close it. The audio continues on though, wierd.

Anyway, I'm looking to spend 50 - 70$ on a replacement. A half-hight card is a plus but compatability is most important. Beyond that, I'm not very picky, I can deal with a so-so picture/sound. All I do is watch tv and occaissionally record an empisode of sienfeld or the simpsons.

So what do you guys have/recommend? As far as I know the major brands out there are leadtek, haupage, and a bunch of no-names...

 

[GeneralGrievous]

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-122-132&depa=0

 

[Dman877]

I'm worried about the reviewers there who had trouble installing it. I'm using an aria which is a small case to work in... one guy said it took him 45 minutes to get the card installed... definitely looks like a good deal though.

 

[Dman877]

It seems everyone who reviewed a leadtek card on newegg mentions buggy software too...

 

[Rottie]

I am using ATI Wonder VE no problem with my ATI Radeon 9200...Using it for 3 years no major problems.

 

[Dman877]

Yeah I didn't have any problems with my ati tuner until I swapped my 9800 Pro for a 6800 .

 

[Insomniac]

Originally posted by: Dman877
So my ATI TV Wonder VE doesn't seem to like my nvidia graphics card, go figure. It keeps crashing and forcing my to reboot the comp via case because the tv window just freezes and xp can't close it. The audio continues on though, wierd.

Anyway, I'm looking to spend 50 - 70$ on a replacement. A half-hight card is a plus but compatability is most important. Beyond that, I'm not very picky, I can deal with a so-so picture/sound. All I do is watch tv and occaissionally record an empisode of sienfeld or the simpsons.

So what do you guys have/recommend? As far as I know the major brands out there are leadtek, haupage, and a bunch of no-names...

I had this problem too. What I ended up doing is this: Uninstall everything (DAO, Guide+, MMC). Go to ATI's web site and get the latest files they have. They have 3. Also get WME 9 and DirectX 9.0x. Then install DirectX 9.0c, WME 9, DAO, TV Wonder VE Drivers, MMC. It worked as far as th lock-up issue goes. I still have an audio issue though. The first time I try to use WME 9 to encode, the audio works. As soon as I try to apply changes or exit and return, I never get audio again. I end up having to retsart to get it bacl. I also can't use the MMC TV after I've used WME. Anyone know anything about fixing this?

 

[zerocool1]

how is MSI in terms of tv tuner cards?

 

[Delorian]

Originally posted by: GeneralGrievous
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-122-132&depa=0

Excellent choice. It's only $43, it's got a remote control/fm tuner and it comes with an extensive software suite. I've had one since last fall and it worked with my old GeForce 2 Ti and my 9800Pro(SE) just fine. It was a bit picky to put in at first (had to bend end of metal bracket to screw it in) and the software has crashed about 2-3 times but overall I'm extremely pleased with the package.

 

[Schadenfroh]

some threads on "what tv tuner should i get"
1
2
3
4
5
6
cliffnotes: buy the leadtek

 

[zerocool1]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
some threads on "what tv tuner should i get"
1
2
3
4
5
6
cliffnotes: buy the leadtek

thanks....

 

[Peter]

The major point is that all those PCI TV tuner cards use the same technology - a tuner, plus a digitizer chip that pushes the video stream onto the PCI bus, with the AGP card's video overlay buffer as a target.

If this hangs the system, it's rarely the TV card's fault. Much more often, problems are rooted in how the mainboard's chipset is set up, and the graphics card's drivers. In particular, graphics cards tuned for highest performance (or overclocked cards) don't reserve enough bandwidth for the video overlay, and hang themselves when it's being used. There are also some chipsets that don't particularly like that PCI-to-AGP flow of data. Some ALi chipsets need the latest ALi AGP driver installed, and there's errata in AMD's current server chipset that suggest it won't work too well on those.

 

[slackosaurus]

Compro Videomate Gold or Ultra(NEC chipset). This is the only one I know of with ''Power UP''. This feature allows you to program it to boot your PC, record a show, then shut down your PC. Recording quality is better than with my previous Hauppauge card.

http://www.comprousa.com/

http://www.guru3d.com/article/content/102/

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: slackosaurus
Compro Videomate Gold or Ultra(NEC chipset). This is the only one I know of with ''Power UP''. This feature allows you to program it to boot your PC, record a show, then shut down your PC. Recording quality is better than with my previous Hauppauge card.

http://www.comprousa.com/

http://www.guru3d.com/article/content/102/

Windows Media Center machines do this (take a box out of suspend, record a show, put it back in suspend) by design; it works with all Media Center-supported TV cards.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: zerocool1
how is MSI in terms of tv tuner cards?

Not bad and not great.

I use an MSI TV@nywhere Master and its an ok card. The only draw back is that the volume on record is set way too high and there is no adjustment for it.

 

[Dman877]

I ended up buying a hauppage winTV200. It's pretty nice, the reception is way better then the other 2 cards I tried (ATI and Avermedia) and the picture, audio, and channel-changing are all a lot smoother. It had the same problem the ATI card had but they had a fix for it posted on there website along with tons of other useful FAQ's, something ATI didn't. It was just changing a setting in the control panel thing for the tv tuner and it worked. Anyway, this thing cost about 40$ at crapusa and is well worth it imo.

 

[dclive]

Fry's has the Hauppauge PVR250 for $89 this week - a great deal on a great *hardware* card. I'd recommend this over software anytime. Plus it supports MS Media Center!

 

[UptheMiddle]

With that card, do you have to buy additional software? Seems like I read something about that somewhere (probably in these forums!)

EDIT: found this page that has the card and software:
http://store.snapstream.com/btvand250btv.html

 

[dclive]

Originally posted by: UptheMiddle
With that card, do you have to buy additional software? Seems like I read something about that somewhere (probably in these forums!)

EDIT: found this page that has the card and software:
http://store.snapstream.com/btvand250btv.html

Fry's has it if you don't need the software for $90. I think that's a better deal - I tried Beyond TV and didn't like it nearly as much as Microsoft Media Center 2004.