SnapStream selling products that do not work??

I do not understand why Snapstream is selling a packaged product (Beyond TV 3 and Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 Kit) which OBVIOUSLY does not do and CANNOT do what MOST users who are buying it want it to do which is to stream LIVE-TV!!! It is advertised but no where is there any disclosure that this product currently does not support Streaming Live TV. why? There is not even any support for it. Im thinking about getting my money back.

[vogelap]

If you're not happy with it, by all means, ask for your money back.

Personally, I love BeyondTV. It's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

you obviously did not read the post. I said people who want to STREAM LIVE TV!!! which you clearly are not doing with THAT card what are you some kind of spokesperson??

[Eric3a]

Streaming using PVR 250 is supposed to come out with the next version, ie "soon".

Not sure how you got confused thinking you could stream at the moment with PVR 250. I guess the web site is not clear.
Somwhow I knew before buying, and that was one reason I went with a software encoder.

You have 3 options as I see:
Spend $50 bucks on a cheap (compatible) tuner card to make do until 3.5, by which time having 2 tuners is a good idea anyway.
Wait for 3.5 (shouldn't be a very long wait)
Return the product.

Good luck

[RobertH]

they have made no promises that you will get streaming video they just have it as a feature, the use of a hardware encoder gives you better quality but because it only records in mpeg format it cannot stream.

they know this is a requested feature and are planning on adding support in the form of a networked client in 3.5.

If you are that inpatient and are unwilling to wait then I stongly suggest you go and get an RMA and get your money back, otherwise live with it like everyone else does.

The use of a hardware encoder is a trade off, you get extreme quality with the limitation that you can only use it locally. If you want streaming you should get a crap tuner card and live with software encoding's quality

[vogelap]

Originally posted by lrod2344
you obviously did not read the post. I said people who want to STREAM LIVE TV!!! which you clearly are not doing with THAT card what are you some kind of spokesperson??

hehe... Nope. Not a salesperson. Just a satisfied user.

Also, you might have noticed that I didn't address your issue at all in my first post. I simply supported your thinking to ask for your money back if you're not satisfied.

Hang in there, lrod... The streaming live TV with PVR-250 feature is on its way. Or, just do as Eric3a suggested and get a cheap ($50) software encoder card and toss it in there. Then you can stream live TV.

[vogelap]

Originally posted by RobertH
The use of a hardware encoder is a trade off, you get extreme quality with the limitation that you can only use it locally. If you want streaming you should get a crap tuner card and live with software encoding's quality

Another option, though it's not live TV, is to record your show using the PVR250 then transcode (err... ShowSqueeze) it to a WMV file, which can be streamed.

[cwg]

Originally posted by lrod2344
I do not understand why Snapstream is selling a packaged product (

I believe the packaging says it can stream video, it can just not live.. Personally I like my pvr-250, the quality is much better than the non hardware cards, however I have a ati aiw in the same machine so I can stream live tv to my pda and my mac. However to be honest I haven't found much need to do that except for a novelty. I mostly use it with my showcenter mediaserver. You might want to give sage tv or videolan a try, they might be able to stream with a hardware card.

[V_D_O]

I'm afraid you're mistake, lrod. I can and do regularly stream live TV with the product. If you read the documentation carefully (on the website or the forums or the supported hardware list), you'll find that streaming live TV is very possible, only not in conjunction with a hardware encoder such as a PVR. You need a software encoder. Do bear in mind that live streaming of MPEG2 files to clients over a network is coming in v3.5, and as a paid user of 3.4, you will have access to the betas when they come out.

Also, trials can be useful things - like the one that came with BTV. If you want to get your money back, Snapstream apparently doesn't refuse refund requests.

The support contact info is clearly listed on the website, and, I'm sure, on the box too.

[noodleNT]

IROD...

I too was upset when I switched from a software encoding card to the PVR-250 and noticed I couldn't stream live TV to my laptop. But... after seeing the HUGE quality improvement in the recorded video I figured it was worth the trade.

Just hold tight. 3.5 is coming really soon. This should fix that limitation.

[ccarlin]

Will it really "fix" that limitation. With a software encoder card I could specify a lower resolution and stream over the internet using windows media format.

I don't see this as remotely possible with mpg as the format. Unless I have a T3 line or something.

[Eric3a]

which OBVIOUSLY does not do and CANNOT do what MOST users who are buying it want it to do which is to stream LIVE-TV!!!

Actually although I love the feature, I doubt many use it, or buy BTV because of it.

Maybe a poll: I stream Live Tv over a LAN, over the internet, I don't stream Live TV.
Bet you the "over the ineternet" use is very low.

Eric

[Brett]

Originally posted by lrod2344
I do not understand why Snapstream is selling a packaged product (Beyond TV 3 and Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 Kit) which OBVIOUSLY does not do and CANNOT do what MOST users who are buying it want it to do which is to stream LIVE-TV!!!

Well, I guess its similar to ask why Microsoft sells Windows XP with a CD-Burning feature...and then complaining that your regular old CD player can't burn CDs. Some features are hardware specific, that is true with every application. Good grief, I agree with the rest if your not happy return the product, I too knew before I purchased the 250 that it did not stream LiveTV. And I was so happy with my decision to purchase the 250 I bought a USBPVR2 (which is an external version of the 250) just a couple days ago.

You obviously did some "research" before purchasing because you bought the more expensive tuner card, did you not completely understand what you were getting? Everytime I ever suggest to someone to upgrade to a 250, I always mention it does not support LiveTV through a network connection. As do several others in this community. I am suprised you were able to figure out to get the 250 over the cheaper package, but were never made to understand it did not support that feature.

-Brett

Thanks all for the insight. I have decided to put aside the PVR250 for now and use my old WinTV Theatre until release 3.5. I do stream regularly over my LAN and the Internet and the feature is by far the single sweetest feature. I actually decied to BUY the software after having used the hacked version for so long becuase I love the features. So until 3.5. I'll just use the PVR 250 in my Windows Media Center Edition PC I'm building; as I understand MCE will ONLY work with hardware based MPEG decoders.

[Brett]

Originally posted by lrod2344
I actually decied to BUY the software after having used the hacked version for so long becuase I love the features.

Please tell me I am misreading this sentence.

-Brett