help tv tuner card

DrunkenCat · Dec 25, 2006

im looking for a tv tuner i have been looking at a hp media center the model # is hp-pavilion a1230n im looking for a tuner card thats better or the same as the one it comes with i whould like a reply asap b4 boxing day lol

thanks guys somthing new give me a top quality to the 3 top
thanks

hyperasus · Dec 25, 2006

I highly recomend Leadtek cards. Great cards with even better software. Leadtek software works very well on multi screen computers.

amdfreak04 · Dec 25, 2006

whats the cards name like the model and do thay work with windows media center

dicecca112 · Dec 25, 2006

god leadtek is terrible don't bother, the two best are any Card built on the ATI Theatre550Pro chipset or Hauppauge x50 series. I perfer the ATi's because there cheaper.

Deanzo · Dec 25, 2006

Ive had 4 leadtek tv cards, they did there job for the most part, but I now use a Sapphire (ATI) Theater 550 PRO and its 100 times better that any leadtek tv card.
Just like dicecca112 said go with a "ATI Theatre550Pro chipset or Hauppauge x50 series"
If there was only one thing to look for Id say make sure it has hardware MPEG2 encoder.

Bios24 · Dec 25, 2006

Deanzo said:
If there was only one thing to look for Id say make sure it has hardware MPEG2 encoder.

QFT. If you are going to be recording or time-shifting this is a must. I've got a couple of PVR-150's and I couldn't be happier. They should be compatible with most everything.

Last I checked Directron had the cheapest price for the 150's: http://www.directron.com/150mce274.html
It's just a white-box special, so you can use whatever TV software you like with it. (There are also a few free alternatives for people that don't have software already)

hyperasus · Dec 26, 2006

dicecca112 said:
god leadtek is terrible don't bother

Why so? I have this card here and it works very nice. Even has MPEG2 encoder.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122200

Have one of the usb versions and it works pretty well also. A great option if you are on a notebook or hard up for pci slots.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122213

I've tried the ATI cards and I ended up going back to leadtek because I like their software interface alot better. Leadtek software/cards works with multi screen environments. In other words, if you have two or more monitors.....you can move the leadtek video window around anywhere you want without the damn thing going haywire. It even lets me right click and easily go back and forth between 4:3, 16:9 or fill screen. VERY handy when your running different types of monitors on the same pc. You'd be surprised how many tv cards only work on the primary display. I've bought enough tv/capture cards to appreciate what leadtek has done. Saying they are terrible is inaccurate at best. Maybe leadtek is not the best choice for everyone, but definitely worth putting at the top of the list for consideration. If there really is a better card then the leadtek then I'd like to know about it so I can get upgraded asap LOL.

Deanzo · Dec 26, 2006

Hey hyperasus, did your ATI card come with PowerCinema 3 ? as its a dog to work with.
The newer ones like mine come with PowerCinema 4 and its alot better, more like WMCE
Ive never worked in a multi screen environment so I wouldnt know which is better.
But dont you just find WinFast PVR a little bit cheesy.

hyperasus · Dec 26, 2006

I used PowerCinema 3. Never tried PowerCinema 4 so it is definitely possible that ATI could have figured some stuff out by now.

Winfast PVR did seem a bit cheesy to me at first. And years ago the early versions of Winfast PVR were buggy. But after I spent months looking for any software that would work better I started to realize what a jewel Winfast PVR really is. It is a very simple program, has a very slim border all the way around it so I can use it on a small part of the screen while I use my computer for other things while watching TV. I can just click anywhere on the video screen and scroll my mouse wheel for volume, go too and from full screen mode with a double click. It's not cheesy. It's just very simple and works great for what I use it for. I would love to hear if anyone knows a great PVR program. I've tried all the mainstream stuff but I'm sure theres one I missed somewhere.

David_N · Dec 26, 2006

I have a Hauppauge PVR150, and have no problems with it. I've had two earlier ATI cards (in 2001-2002) and hated them compared to this (I know technology has advanced a lot, but ease of use alone is MUCH better.)

I highly recommend the PVR150.

dicecca112 · Dec 26, 2006

hyperasus said:
Why so? I have this card here and it works very nice. Even has MPEG2 encoder.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122200

Have one of the usb versions and it works pretty well also. A great option if you are on a notebook or hard up for pci slots.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814122213

I've tried the ATI cards and I ended up going back to leadtek because I like their software interface alot better. Leadtek software/cards works with multi screen environments. In other words, if you have two or more monitors.....you can move the leadtek video window around anywhere you want without the damn thing going haywire. It even lets me right click and easily go back and forth between 4:3, 16:9 or fill screen. VERY handy when your running different types of monitors on the same pc. You'd be surprised how many tv cards only work on the primary display. I've bought enough tv/capture cards to appreciate what leadtek has done. Saying they are terrible is inaccurate at best. Maybe leadtek is not the best choice for everyone, but definitely worth putting at the top of the list for consideration. If there really is a better card then the leadtek then I'd like to know about it so I can get upgraded asap LOL.

your right on the software aspect, but when it comes to picture quality and recording quality, leadtek can't keep up.

help tv tuner card

DrunkenCat

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hyperasus

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amdfreak04

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dicecca112

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Deanzo

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Bios24

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hyperasus

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Deanzo

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hyperasus

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David_N

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dicecca112

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