USB TV tuner...

[ajrettke]

at newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?description=15-100-102&refer=pr1c3watch

Anyone know anything about it? I'd get a nice PCI, but I got a massive heatsink on my video card so I can only have 2 PCI slots open....my wireless network card and RAID controller have priority.

Any input would be appreciated

[Maxvla]

that would be very nice. i have a pci one but it would be great to be able to move it to any of my computers easily.

[Surreal]

it looks performing!

[Nukemall]

USB dosent have enough bandwith for a good tv tuner. From what ive read ati made a tv tuner that was USB and it was lacking in quality and what not, so i wouldent recomend getting one.

[zachj]

The only kind of external TV Tuner worth having will be FireWire or USB2. As was said above, there simply isn't enough bandwidth in the USB 1.1 spec to support TV tuners. You'll get picture, but I'd check the specs. I bet it doesn't compare to a PCI tuner. Resolution, FPS, features, or simple quality will be lacking (in all, or just one area, I don't know). I think they do make FireWire tuners, though, since you can get 'em for Macs, methinks.

Z

[ptwearnhardtfan]

I agree with the above. Usb just doesn't cut it. I would try to figure out another option.

[zachj]

They make adapter things for PCI slots. You can get a right angle adapter that has two or three more PCI slots on it (assuming it'll fit in your case). It probably won't be pretty, but it'll work. Then there's the more upscale version of having an external PCI bus adapter thing where you've got PCI cards in an external enclosure connected by wire to a PCI slot in the case, but that costs a few grand, and for that, just buy a whole new computer . . .

Of course, I think a major issue with these things would be IRQs and such, but only assuming you've got like 14 devices, in which case they'd all be sharing, and creating conflicts. You said you only had two PCI slots, so I doubt it'll be a problem...

Z

[ptwearnhardtfan]

I think maybe just get a normal cooler back on the vid card and recoup a pci slot or 2. I don't think the gain is enough to substantiate the use of such a huge cooler.

[pca]

I have a Hauppauge usb tv tuner and the tv plays back much slower and with less picture quality than with my pci Hauppauge tuner. It's almost like playing the newest game but using an older video card, it struggles to be smooth.

But since this one is newer it may be different and better. Though check the reviews on it:
http://secure.newegg.com/app/CustratingReview.asp?item=15-100-102

[zachj]

Yup . . Complaints about "picture quality" and frame rates. Also, look at the max resolution it'll import . . . That's lower than a PCI card.

Z