Recommended HDTV capture card ??

[LSHorwitz]

I'm a Sage user for several years with several clients including one MVP. I am considering an upgrade to high definition, and wonder which HDTV capture card to buy. I also wonder if a single Sage server can support both HD and standard TV so I can continue to use my 2 Hauppauge PVR-250 cards. I have an empty PCI slot which could be devoted to another HDTV capture card.

Any suggestions would be mnost apprectaed.

Thanks,

Larry

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by LSHorwitz

I'm a Sage user for several years with several clients including one MVP. I am considering an upgrade to high definition, and wonder which HDTV capture card to buy.

Unless you're talking OTA (broadcast) there aren't any, period. If you want sat, your only option is an (R5000) modded sat box.

I also wonder if a single Sage server can support both HD and standard TV so I can continue to use my 2 Hauppauge PVR-250 cards. I have an empty PCI slot which could be devoted to another HDTV capture card.

Yes, Sage doesn't care what kind of cards you've got

[LSHorwitz]

Thanks for your reply. I am talking OTA. The SageTV description for version 5 indicates that quite a few HD cards are supported. My original question was (and still is).......which card is preferred. And also, can this new HD card be added to an exisiting server which uses 2 Hauppauge PVR-250s so that I can do noth HD and SD recordings simulltaneously.

Thanks again,

Larry

[wheelrandolph]

I use (2)A-180's and a pvr-150 in my Sage box. It works great. I will be adding 2 more HD cards soon and am thinking about a dual tuner, pci-e that recently came out by V-Box. Haven't heard much about it yet, however.

Randy

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by LSHorwitz

Thanks for your reply. I am talking OTA. The SageTV description for version 5 indicates that quite a few HD cards are supported. My original question was (and still is).......which card is preferred.

A180s were quite popular for a while, but I think the Vbox cards are getting the best "reception" (pardon the pun) these days.

And also, can this new HD card be added to an exisiting server which uses 2 Hauppauge PVR-250s so that I can do noth HD and SD recordings simulltaneously.

Yes, like I said above, Sage doesn't care what cards you have.

[LSHorwitz]

Thanks for the info. I am still trying to find a comparison / review where the HD cards are compared for features / performance / etc. I've got a spare PVR-150 card sitting here, and my impression is that the A-180 will only work if another slot has a PVR-150 installed. This would be a cheap solution for me if such is the case, since the A-180's are selling for about $70.

Any other comments and opinions are always welcome, and thank you both again for your help.

Larry

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by LSHorwitz

Thanks for the info. I am still trying to find a comparison / review where the HD cards are compared for features / performance / etc.

That's because they're really all the same, feature wise, they record OTA HD, quality is the same because they all capture the same digital bitstream. All differences come down to software mostly. Though there are some minor tuning/sensitivity differences.

I've got a spare PVR-150 card sitting here, and my impression is that the A-180 will only work if another slot has a PVR-150 installed.

I ran my A180 without any other tuners and it worked fine. MCE requires an analog tuner, but that's an MCE limitation, not a hardware one.

[idvsego]

I have a fusion 5 lite that I am happy with and 2 a180 on a fedex truck with an apperently clueless driver. Anyway, they are supposed to be here today.

[wheelrandolph]

Hi,
Anybody know if you can install (3) Avermedia A-180's in same machine? I installed it and it shows up ok in Device Mgr. and I added it ok as another source in Sage but it says "no signal" when trying to record from it.

Randy

[garyellis]

Try this website...(not sure of the timestamp for the data)

Personally, I am waiting for a dual HD tuner with cable and QAM support.


http://www.hdtvtunerinfo.com/comparetuners.html


Gary

[domc]

Is this true? I found this on the site that is listed above.

NOTE: Even if you pay for the “premium” HDTV cable channels, you will NOT be able to receive them through your PC HDTV tuner as HDTV. Only the cable company’s digital box is equipped to decode the encrypted channels.

So from what I get from this statement is that I can not get the Discovery Channel HD with a capture card? Only my locals that are unencrypted?

[jkohn]

Originally Posted by domc

Is this true? I found this on the site that is listed above.

NOTE: Even if you pay for the “premium” HDTV cable channels, you will NOT be able to receive them through your PC HDTV tuner as HDTV. Only the cable company’s digital box is equipped to decode the encrypted channels.

So from what I get from this statement is that I can not get the Discovery Channel HD with a capture card? Only my locals that are unencrypted?

That is correct. To get the encrypted channels would require a tuner with CableCard support. There are rumors of such cards being available at some point in the future, although at least initially they'll be sold in complete systems not as standalone components.

[morpheus]

I think Discovery is unencrypted QAM... at least it is on Comcast in Boston. That means you should be able to record it. By "premium channels" I think they are talking about HBO, Showtime, etc... the ones you have to pay extra for.

[CyRex]

Originally Posted by morpheus

I think Discovery is unencrypted QAM... at least it is on Comcast in Boston. That means you should be able to record it. By "premium channels" I think they are talking about HBO, Showtime, etc... the ones you have to pay extra for.

All depends on where you are. I have Comcast here in Middletown, CT, and the only unencrypted channels I get are the locals, Bravo, BET, and MoviePlex, and two or three of the music channels.

-Dan