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Thread ID: 83121 2007-09-20 02:01:00 Help with TV Cards steveharr (12844) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
593102 2007-09-20 02:01:00 Hi,

I want to buy a tv card which is capable of recieving satallite tv e.g. SKY and also freeview and possibly analogue as a backup. Can anyone recommend a card and a supplier?

Also I have noticed that none of the cards have any form of output so I can actually watch some thing I have recorded on a tv rather than the computer monitor. How can I output so that I can watch stuff I have recorded on the computer on my tv? And what free software is best for recording?

Cheers,

Steve.
steveharr (12844)
593103 2007-09-20 02:25:00 Welcome to PressF1 Steve :D

I am only able to answer half your questions :o sorry about that :blush:


And what free software is best for recording?

Most TV Cards come with software that let you watch the TV & record it. (Example Winfast PVR) etc...

I Hope this is of some help :)
stu161204 (123)
593104 2007-09-20 02:32:00 First of all it is ILLEGAL to get Sky via tuner that is not a Sky decoder. you can however use the output of the Sky decoder into the input of the Tuner.

There are Tuners that can output onto a TV, the Hauppauge WinTV PVR350 can for example. But the other way is to use the GFX card to display the image onto the TV assuming you have a capable video card.

Most (if not all) Tuners come with PVR software, but there are other free ones out there... Google PVR software...
The_End_Of_Reality (334)
593105 2007-09-20 03:03:00 To pick up Freeview without a decoder I think you need a card that supports DVB-S.

You can use the Sky Dish and just put a splitter in the sky cable to split off to the DVB-S card. The software that comes with the card should record.

I just got the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR4000 card but not connected it up yet.
Bantu (52)
593106 2007-09-20 04:30:00 DVB-S is the current technology used to get Freeview via a satellite, although DVB-T will be introduce early next year and offer high def reception. Pete O'Neil (6584)
593107 2007-09-20 04:45:00 Thanks so far guys.

I see the WinTV-PVR-350 has a tv out which is cool but does not have any freeview capability. I think the HVR series is what I want just got to find one with tv out.

Bantu: What is DVB-S2? And should I consider it for the future?
steveharr (12844)
593108 2007-09-20 04:57:00 Bantu: What is DVB-S2? And should I consider it for the future?

Info here (en.wikipedia.org)
Speedy Gonzales (78)
593109 2007-09-20 05:36:00 I don't think anyone does what I want none of the HVR series have tv out it seems, leadtek and pinnacle only seem to do DVB-T steveharr (12844)
593110 2007-09-20 09:00:00 I currently have a WinTV-PVR-350 installed which works fine for what I got it for. I have a 4 input switch in lounge and office so with the press of a button can either send or receive to/from the PC. I have one switch hooked to Sky out and one to VCR/DVD Out and one to TV out so can record on the PC from any of the three.

DVB-S2 is backward compatible with DVB-S. (*S2 is Hi Def)

Pete Says "DVB-S is the current technology used to get Freeview via a satellite, although DVB-T will be introduce early next year and offer high def reception" they are different one is Satellite Dish, one is Terrestrial (Cable or Aerial).

My new Hauppauge WinTV-HVR4000 supports DVB-T, S, S2, Analogue so hopefully will do what I need it to do.

Some of the new Panasonic HDD Recorders have built in DVB-T but also are limited to Zone 4.
Bantu (52)
593111 2007-09-20 10:25:00 I highly recommend that you have a look at MediaPortal (http://www.team-mediaportal.com) for your PVR / media center software.
I use it at home and have for about a year now.
I have two DVB-S cards in my media PC that receive the FreeView Channels. This way I can record up to 4 different channels at the same time :eek: Not that there is that many good programs on TV!

As Bantu said, the HVR3000 or HVR4000 would be what I would buy now if I was going to buy another TV Card.
They can both receive normal TV via antenna (UHF & VHF)
They can both accept the output signal from a Sky Decoder or VCR or anything that has AV outputs.
They can both received Freeview via DVB-S (Satillite)
And they both will be able to receive Freeview via DVB-T (Digital UHF) when that comes on line next year.
The HVR4000 also does DVB-S2 which is hi-def I think.

The EPG (Electronic Program Guide) is automatically received via DVB-S for FreeView and I assume that it will too via DVB-T.
It makes it so much easier to see what is on TV and coming up and also to set up recordings as a once off or to record a program every time it is on.
CYaBro (73)
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