What package do I need?

[burchis]

Before I place my order I need to know what SnapStream package/bundle would best suit my needs.

I wish to build a PVR. I currently have Dish Satellite and also live in a market area that has plenty of OTA HDTV stations. I will be watching using my Sony HDTV. So which TV tuner card will decode both OTA HDTV and Dish Satellite signals?

Also does a tuner card have both video and audio output or will I have to output the audio from a sound card?

Thanks for your help.

[Bigbird999]

tscales just posted an excellent summary here
Future-proof Capture Card?. This This might help you decide.

Just to be clear, whatever tuner card you choose, it's only function will be to capture/encode video and audio to your HDD. Your HTPC's video card and sound card (not the tuner) are used to playback the recorded programs.

BB

[burchis]

Thanks for your answer, I am beginning to understand more of what I need.

Are there many video cards with HDMI outputs available? Which of these HTPC cards would be best.

Thanks

[Mistergq]

I am not sure I have seen a video card with an HDMI out. I recommend getting a DVI out card and then a dvi to HDMI cable from monoprice.com. That is what I did.

Also, I do not remember who posted this, but someone posted this article from PC World about HD on almost any computer. If you have a PCI-E slot, I would consider getting one of these cards from newegg as these cards are not much more, and will put you in a good position for the future.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,14...s/article.html

[rakeshagrawal]

burchis, I'd recommend the Hauppauge HVR-1600 based on what you're describing. It can handle the OTA HDTV that you want to do and for recording from your Dish service, it as an hardware encoder for analog TV and an IR blaster with a code library (that includes codes for most set-top boxes).

The OTA HDTV half of your setup will work like this:
http://www.snapstream.com/products/beyondtv/hdtv.pdf

And the Dish side of things will work something like this:
http://www.snapstream.com/products/beyondtv/digital.pdf

(Both these links and some more information can be found here: http://www.snapstream.com/products/b...howitworks.asp)

On a side note, in a couple of months frow now (at least that's my best estimate) I'd probably recommend the Hauppauge the HVR-2250 -- the nice thing about this one is that it will do dual analog television with hardware encoding (like the PVR-500MCE), dual OTA HDTV or one of each. I believe it'll also have an IR blaster, though I think that'll only work for one of the two analog outputs (Hauppauge's been telling me their driver update for dual IR blasters is "almost done" for the past year or so ).

[Darkk]

Hope the HVR-2250 supports closed caption cuz the card closely resembles the current model which is the HVR-1800.

Any idea?

For some good reading check out this link...

http://techluver.com/2008/01/07/haup...950q-and-1250/

Darkk

[Greg Caulder]

Originally Posted by rakeshagrawal

On a side note, in a couple of months frow now (at least that's my best estimate) I'd probably recommend the Hauppauge the HVR-2250 -- the nice thing about this one is that it will do dual analog television with hardware encoding (like the PVR-500MCE), dual OTA HDTV or one of each. I believe it'll also have an IR blaster, though I think that'll only work for one of the two analog outputs (Hauppauge's been telling me their driver update for dual IR blasters is "almost done" for the past year or so ).

What about Quad IR drive, to control more then just 2 IR's in the cards at once?
Or will it only be 2 at the most?

G

[Crooze]

Originally Posted by burchis

Thanks for your answer, I am beginning to understand more of what I need.

Are there many video cards with HDMI outputs available? Which of these HTPC cards would be best.

Thanks

The only advantage HDMI will give you over DVI is that the audio will be carried over the cable as well. If you use your TV for the audio playback then great... only one cable to mess with. If you use or plan on using a receiver or amp for your audio then DVI with a DVI to HDMI cable (or adapter) would be the way I would go. I'm sure video cards with a DVI interface are less expensive then one with an HDMI interface.

[baharder17]

I just bought this one but haven't received it yet so I can't tell you my opinion yet.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...acture=Diamond

But it has an HDMI slot.

I currently have a X1650 Pro (see signature) and it also has HDMI. There are more and more all of the time.