Recommended Video Card

[gaspower]

Hello,
I am building a new HTPC with SageTV. Would like a suggestion on a video card or cards to use. I would like to record on one channel and watch another, so I assume two cards are needed. I also need it to output HDTV, DVI or componet. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks JR

[stanger89]

Geforce 6600GT
Geforce 6800
Geforce 7800

Depending on budget.

Note that the video card has nothing to do with recording, you need a separate TV card for that (PVR 150/500 ATI 550 for SD, or A180 Fusion 4 or Vbox for OTA HD).

[flavius]

Something less power hungry:
ATI 9550

[stevech]

are the non-ATI branded 9550 cards a safe bet in terms of Windows drivers?

[stanger89]

I still don't trust ATI drivers, but that's me.

But since you want to output to an HDTV, IMO you want something much better than a 9550. The power/heat complaints against the 6 series are very much overblown (IMO again ). I've got a 6800 in my HTPC, passively cooled, and I've had no problems with it whatsoever.

[wazkaren]

FWIW, I'll throw in my experience. I was originally using a Sapphire (non-ATI) 9600 but it just wasn't quite doing it for me for HD output. The video wasn't as smooth as I wanted and it wouldn't work in VMR9 or FSE. I followed Stangers advice from some other threads and got a BFG 6600GT and I love it. Video is smoother and I can finally use VMR9 and FSE.

Greg

[flavius]

Originally Posted by stevech

are the non-ATI branded 9550 cards a safe bet in terms of Windows drivers?

Before I bought mine, I hadn't touched anything ATI in years - because of the driver issues, so, I can't say.

I have a 42" HDTV plasma, and playback of DVD standard quality recordings is absolutely smooth. PQ is is good.

Just the other day, I had a friend over who owns a 50" Panny and wanted to see all the PVR stuff I have done. He was very satified with the PQ, so, it's not totally subjective. However, I use overlay. And the HDMI/DVI support in newer drivers in buggy ("blanking").

But after getting the component adpater, I'm all set now.
See sig for some more details.

[gaspower]

Originally Posted by flavius

Before I bought mine, I hadn't touched anything ATI in years - because of the driver issues, so, I can't say.

I have a 42" HDTV plasma, and playback of DVD standard quality recordings is absolutely smooth. PQ is is good.

Just the other day, I had a friend over who owns a 50" Panny and wanted to see all the PVR stuff I have done. He was very satified with the PQ, so, it's not totally subjective. However, I use overlay. And the HDMI/DVI support in newer drivers in buggy ("blanking").

But after getting the component adpater, I'm all set now.
See sig for some more details.

Hello,
Thanks for all the great advice and suggestions. One last question, in order to record two shows at one time, I am guessing I need two tuner cards, or is there one card out there with two tuners? And is Hauppauge the best to look at?

Thanks JR

[davin]

For SD recording Hauppauge is certainly the most widely used tuner. Some people have had problems with drivers and such but many others have had no problems at all. Their tuners are proven to work with Sage and there are plenty of people here with experience with them to help out with problems.

The current generation cards are the PVR-150 and the PVR-500, which is basically two 150s on a single card. Feel free to get either the straight up version or the MCE version, both will work. I prefer the MCE version because it has actual RCA inputs for audio rather than a mini-jack, but you might want to check your motherboard first for clearance around the PCI slots... the backplate on the card is jam packed with connectors and the lowest audio jack housing might interfere with something on the motherboard (see my adventure with this and my solution here: http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=15375

If you do decide on the 500, check out pcalchemy.com... they have a backplate and cable connector to bring out a second set of video/audio inputs on the 500 if you're interested in having that.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by davin

If you do decide on the 500, check out pcalchemy.com... they have a backplate and cable connector to bring out a second set of video/audio inputs on the 500 if you're interested in having that.

FWIW, my 500 (from newegg a couple months back) came with the second input dongle.

[aperry]

I think that the PVR-500 is shipping with this input dongle now by default. A friend of mine just bought one (not from Newegg or PCAlchemy already mentioned), and his came with one as well...

[stevech]

I see the '500 at $140 on the 'net.
Hmmm

[Oats]

Is there any advantage going with the 500 over two 150's? Other than the obvious that the 150's would take two PCI slots. I ask because $131 is the cheapest Froogle listing for the 500, but you can get the 150MCE w/NO FM for $50. If you have the PCI slots why not buy two 150's and save some money, or spend a little more and get three 150's.

[aperry]

The main thing you are giving up is expandability in the future. If you load up with three PVR-150's, and later decide that you need a fourth tuner, you're out of luck in your configuration. Not sure why the PVR-500 continues to cost more than two PVR-150's, but maybe over time, they'll get closer in price.

[gplasky]

The other advantage is one coax connection for the PVR500 that feeds both tuners. The other coax connection on that card is for FM.

Gerry

[kerryp24]

I went with seperate cards (1 250MCE and 2 150MCE) because I wanted to be able to record from premium channels as well as standard cable.
With the 500, you only have one input source.
Not sure how you get Sage to set one tuner on the card for channel 3 input (and direct it to make the cable box change channels) and set the other tuner card up for direct channel tuning.
Seems like a lot of extra headache and work just to save one PCI slot.

I have my cable box connected to one tuner card and the others get direct cable input feeds.
The first card gets set to channel3 and I control the cable box with a USB UIRT for changing channels.
The other two cards are set to use their internal tuners.

If, in the future I wanted to add another cable box, I would just change the configuration of one of the tuner cards and add another IR sticky to the new box.

Just another thought you might want to consider.

Kerry

[davin]

If your cable box has a composite or S-video out (not all do) then you can use that connection for the cable box input. So on a PVR500, you'd have the cable connected that only one of the tuners would use, and the other tuner would use the composite/svideo input from the cable box (picture quality would be better, too!).

If your cable box doesn't have a composite/s-video out, often you can request a new one from the cable company if you explain that you need the output. Unless you own your own cable box, then you're outta luck!

[fastoy]

I'm running SageTV 4.1.6 on a Dell GX270 small desktop, 2.4GHz, 512MB, with a PVR-350. I've been using the PVR-350's video out but want to move to using the PC's video out for a number of reasons.

The GX270 only supports a low-profile AGP card (requires a low-profile BRACKET) and has a 210W power supply.

This system is used ONLY to watch TV so I don't necessarily need gaming capabilities.

What are the recommended boards?