Best tuner(s) for dual-tuner BTV system?

[cmcquistion]

I bought a Hauppauge PVR-500 a month ago, but I've been constantly struggling with driver and application problems ever since. I chose that card because I wanted a dual-tuner setup for BTV. In addition to multiple stability problems with this card, the picture quality is not great, even on my cheapo TV. I want better picture quality and I want the ability to simultaneously record two TV shows.

I just ordered a MSI Theater 550Pro (pretty cheap, based on the ATI Theatre 550 chipset) and I'm going to take out the Hauppauge card and try this one, to see if it has better picture quality and solves some of the problems I've had.

I've read many, many stories on this forum about problems running dual ATI Theatre 550 setups, so even if this new capture card works, I can't just get another one like it, because two of them won't work. With that in mind, what would be another good capture card to get, when I send back this Hauppauge PVR-500? Of the two Hauppauge cards I've had, I'm not particular impressed with the picture quality. They seem to have problems with motion (my previous PVR-350 exhibited similar quality.)

Any recommendations on good quality, relatively inexpensive tuner cards that would potentially work well, in a dual tuner setup with BTV?

Thanks!

[RiderFan]

I have 3 PVR 250's and they work great. Excellent PQ. Just make sure they are all the same revision number. (15 or 16)

[wilsonj]

I recently bought an Avermedia M150 card. Half the price of the PVR250 I already had. I find it hard to tell any difference PQ wise between the two. Oh and driver setup was MUCH easier than with the PVR250.

[jeffreyd_tx]

Well, when it is possible to run 2 ATI550's, it will be sweet. Great PQ.

[bob01]

I've got 5 PVR-250's (retail) in one BTV server and 2 PVR-250's (MCE + retail) in another. All have perform flawlessly since being built - never had a bad recording.

I also have 2 PVR150 MCE's in boxes - never got them to work reliably.

- Rob