TV Cards - Recommendations

Cube623

If any of you were around on DH (about 1-2years ago) i set up a thread asking what TV card to get.

I ended up getting (just really for mobility - switching it between pc) i bought a USB2.0 Typhoon Universal TV tuner.

This is still going and really well but i've decided (one reason is because i'm getting fed up of taking 1 tv tuner and transferring it between pc) that i'm going to get a tv card for my new pc.

The main reason though for this is that we are planning to buy a pc projector and i want the tv signal and the tv features on my pc to be the best as possible.

One feature i would love to have with this card is that somewhere (can't remember where) there was a plasma screen tv with satalite on (E4) and after a while i noticed it was a pc (it was changing satelite channel using cyberlink software, it also had all the tv listings in the cyberlink software if that helps and it was running XP Pro). So i assumed this pc had a tv card with satelite on it (As E4 is a satelite channel) where would you get one of these?

ATM it's price is not an object so hit me with any card you recommend.

Cheers.

Cube623.

P.S. I do not want to change my gfx card to a AIW as i've had enough hassle with gfx cards to last me a while

soloz2

I'm new in the whole HTPC and TV tuner market myself but I did recently build a HTPC for myself and I put an ATI HDTV Remote wonder card in it. The card worked fairly well... the TV quality wasn't the greatest, but the recording quality was much better. However, i was having some driver issues running an ATI tv tuner, nvidia gfx card and creative sound card... and when someone offered to buy it from me I sold it. I ordered a Haupauge 150 to replace it and just yesterday got it installed. I've had some trouble getting it configured properly... but thus far the TV quality is much better (although I can only get it to show 1 channel w/o sound)

From what everyone has told me the best brands are either ATI or Haupauge.

the ATI theater 550 or the Haupauge 150 and up are supposed to be the best

Cube623

cheers

i can't seem to find any good spec figures for the hauppauge 150 can anyone tell me?

Also (it wasn't clear on any of the specs i found) none of the two cards had digital tv. Have they? if not which one has? and is it any good? and whats the best tv card with and without digital tv? also is digital tv in a tv card a feature i should be looking for?

Another thing (if i'm feeling generous and if i have the money and time) i might also get a sound card (as i have onboard sound) again what is the best sound card? (yes i know it's in the wrong forum but since i had already had a thread open i thought i'd just be wasting time making a 2nd one)

Cheers again

Cube623.

soloz2

I believe the haupauge nexus does digital TV
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116618

this is the one I got:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116625

newegg is usually pretty good about giving descriptions... but if you click on the manufactuer's link you'll get more info.



as for sound cards it really dpends on what you want. I like creative sound cards bc they are basically the standard for PCs. The x-fi is the newest and best sound card on the market, but the audigy 2 zs was the top dog up until a few months ago.

Cube623

o.k after studying it seem that the manufactuer to go for is hauppauge from the products they offer and for reviews from the net and newegg.

The Question is now which one do i go for out of these?
http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/prod_digital.html
i don't really want the usb one as reponses from my old typhoon TVR Universal (USB2.0) were crap.
And i can't have the MCE one as i don't have Windows Media Centre 2005 as my O/S.

So which one is best?

Also what is the difference between European DVB Standard and European DVB-T Standard?

Cheers

Cube623.

P.S On sound cards is the sound card to go for (money no object) the Creative X-Fi series? and if money was an object is the Audigy 2 is the sound card to go for?

P.P.S Also what benifits would HDTV give me in the future? Should i buy a card with HDTV compatibility to prepare for the future or is HDTV too far away or unimportant in my case? (I am planning to get this card as we are thinking of getting a projector in time for the World Cup )

P.P.P.S (lol) Would the hauppauge cards (and any other cards for that matter that i could consider) work with Nero 7 Ultra Edition? As my Typhoon TVR will not work with nero home under the video and tv section.

Cube623

Well the 2 cards that are looking good are

Hauppauge Nexus-s
And
Hauppauge Nova

but i'm struggling to find a Nexus-s and the nova seems alot cheaper.

There should surely be some differences between the 2 cards if one is alot more expensive, or is the nova just bargin of the centuary?

Cube623

sos for the triple post but new things keep coming up.
How does the 2 cards actually get digital channels?
Do they get them from the internet or actually from a satelite through an ariel?
And what channels do you get?

Edit: Also can someone tell me what's the best projector? Budget about £300 but will go higher if the projector is brilliant