Advice on hardware

[Jarhead]

I am a noob and I'm looking to build a system for my entertainment center. I want to have this output to my TV at all times and use BTV for watching real time TV and recordings, so I would be watching TV within BTV. I currently have DirectV with a 5th gen reciever which is one that is supported by Snapstream. In my case it would have to be a USB device due to I am using a Flex ITX board and case which only supports small PCI cards. Is anyone currently using a setup like this? Will my 64 meg ATI Radeon VE card w/TV out work for my output or will I need a VGA-TV converter? Any advise will help. Thanks

[MonsterHTPC]

What are you going to use as your Tv-Tuner or does that graphics card have it built in? I did a quick search and didn't see it as having a Tuner.

I couldn't find any half-Height PCI Tuner cards that are supported by Snapstream. The Yuan MPG6000 was one of the few hardware encoders I found out there.

[Brett]

Adaptec makes a usb1/2 dongle tv tuner that has a hardware encoder on it. I have not heard much about it, but I think its pretty much equvilant to the pvr250 in quality.

Its available here with BTV3:
http://store.snapstream.com/pevistandtvt.html

[Jarhead]

MonsterHTPC,
With having Directv I was under the impression that I dont need a "tuner card" all I need is a capture card and thats what I'm trying to get some input on. Also I am trying to get advise on what I should use for my TV output? Should I use a VGA-Svideo convertor or a video card with video out? It has to be the same quality as my tv now.

[MonsterHTPC]

Aye sorry often use capture card and tuner card interchangeably <-- is that even a word?

The Adaptec® VideOh featured on snapstreams site should work as a TV capture device also. You will want to use something like USB-UIRT w/ girder, or a serial cable from your PC to the Direct TV STB to change the channels for you. It all depends on what connections your cable box has.

Basically it works like so. Connect STB to USB device. Configure Snapstream. When recording is scheduled, PC will change channel on the STB via serial cable or USB-URIT IR device. Snapstream starts recording whatever is being piped to the Videoh.

If that Radeon card has S-Video out then you are straight just use that. If you want better quality think about getting a transcoder box to go from your VGA out to Component. If you go with a transcoder box, roughly 160 dollars, then you might want to look at powerstrip also. Powrestrip is a program that lets you do custom resolutions for your graphics card, this will help you get a clearer picture. Now if you are piping in with S-video through the Vedioh USB device then you won't notice much of a difference but while watching DVD's you will. This also depends on your TV and what quality it is.

Course you could save yourself headaches and money, get an antec overture case for 100 dollars, use the Hauppauge PVR-250 which is cheaper than the USB videoh. Not sure how much cheaper it would be but the larger case has generally better ventilation and more room for expansion, plus a 380 watt psu. I just prefer to not have cables and extra devices laying around if I don't have to.

ok I am just rambling now and probably not helping much.