Please recommend me a good tuner card

[archcommus]

IncredibleHat: Interesting, I thought the Samsung tuner was smaller than that. Perhaps a DualTV really is the way to go for you.

blade: Yeah I figured you didn't need Windows MCE to get the MCE card, I just figured it'd be pointless to since the remote would have MCE-specific buttons. I didn't know there was any chance the included remote and IR blaster wouldn't work satisfactorily. What would you recommend instead? I don't really want to spend $50 on something like the USB-UIRT, it's not that important to me, I just want something that lets me change channels and volume, check the EPG, stuff like that. But let's say I DID want to take my chances with an INCLUDED remote. Would you recommend going with the default Hauppauge one or the MCE version? Is the MCE remote better even when not using Windows MCE?

unkyjoe: Good to hear the DualTV worked out for you. I, however, really don't need two tuners at all so that'd be a waste of money for me. Hopefully you're right about PCI slots! Considering almost all tuner cards and ALL sound cards are still PCI, you're probably right.

[roxy99]

My vote goes to Hauppauge also. I use the dual PVR500 and it has been very stable with a great image (also uses very little CPU).

[blade]

Originally Posted by archcommus

blade: Yeah I figured you didn't need Windows MCE to get the MCE card, I just figured it'd be pointless to since the remote would have MCE-specific buttons.

You can buy the MCE version of the cards that do not come with a remote. I haven't checked in awhile and don't recall exactly which models come with what, but I think you can get a plain jane PVR150 without a remote for about $55.

I didn't know there was any chance the included remote and IR blaster wouldn't work satisfactorily.

I believe people start to run into problems when trying to run multiple capture cards. There have been quite a few posts, but I've never really read up on because it doesn't affect me.

What would you recommend instead? I don't really want to spend $50 on something like the USB-UIRT, it's not that important to me, I just want something that lets me change channels and volume, check the EPG, stuff like that. But let's say I DID want to take my chances with an INCLUDED remote. Would you recommend going with the default Hauppauge one or the MCE version? Is the MCE remote better even when not using Windows MCE?

You can pick up something like this for $35. You'd be looking at about $90 total for a plain jane PVR150 and a MCE remote that Sage natively supports. As I said before some people like the Hauppauge remote and some people like the MCE remote that comes with the PVR150, but the remote I linked to is in no way dependent upon the capture card and is natively supported in Sage.

Of course it's just my personal preference. Others may prefer the other remotes that come with the cards.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by blade

I believe people start to run into problems when trying to run multiple capture cards. There have been quite a few posts, but I've never really read up on because it doesn't affect me.

The main problem I know of with the Hauppauge remote is when you mix a tuner w/the IR port (non-MCE version, such as PVR-150) w/a tuner w/o the IR port (MCE version, such as 150-MCE). The Hauppauge IR software can't tell the difference & may try to use the board w/o the IR port. Other than this issue, the Hauppauge remote should work quite well.

- Andy

[archcommus]

Thanks Andy and blade. After hearing that, since I'll only be using a single tuner card I'll just buy a version that includes a remote instead of going with an external solution. Would you recommend the non-MCE card with the standard Hauppauge remote or the MCE card with the MCE remote? I guess the only difference between the two is the ports on the card and the remote design and functionality.

Also, I just called Hauppauge tech support and asked about the tuners. The guy told me I could get any number of tuners if I buy a PVR-150 today, but that the Samsung tuners are perfectly fine and the bad Samsung tuners referred to in the BTV thread was only from one bad batch on the PVR-500's only. So hopefully I will be fine with any PVR-150 card I purchase.

[IncredibleHat]

Originally Posted by blade

You can pick up something like this for $35. You'd be looking at about $90 total for a plain jane PVR150 and a MCE remote that Sage natively supports. As I said before some people like the Hauppauge remote and some people like the MCE remote that comes with the PVR150, but the remote I linked to is in no way dependent upon the capture card and is natively supported in Sage.

Sage natively supports the remote, but not the IR blasters that plug into the receiver that comes with the remote. Just so that is clear. You have to use external plugins, software, driver changes, and time configuring it all.

I have this exact remote. Works great. Although I use via HIP because I have to use the remote for other applications outside of sage. Plus, I remapped a few of the buttons to do different things than Sage's "native" support settings.

I also have the hauppauge remote. I don't like it. Sharp edges, rough on the fingers, ugly I also have the RF "Firefly" remote... junk, dont waste your money.

And as the others said, it doesnt conflict with any tuner card you get... allowing you to get a cheaper tuner card that doesnt come with its own oddball remote.

As for DualTV, I KNOW it has better picture, cleaner quality etc etc. I just am waiting for the guys at SageTV to finally say they ARE going to get support for that card into SageTV. Otherwise, I am not going to risk it. That's a big chunk of cash to replace two cards I already have working, with one that may or may not be properly calibrated on plugin.

[archcommus]

http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggIma...116-631-04.jpg - Picture of the contents of the MCE kit. Why is there a USB box AND something that resembles an IR blaster? Which of those two would I use for the remote? Either?

I know I want a PVR-150, and I know I want one with an included remote, I just can't decide between the $87.99 one with Hauppauge remote and $92.99 MCE version with the built-in RCA inputs on the back and MCE remote. Would I ever use those RCA inputs? Like are they useful to hook up a console to my computer? Or would there be a delay because of the processing chip? And would I like the MCE remote that much better? Hmm.

[IncredibleHat]

The black diamond box with a usb cable, is the 'receiver'. It listens for the remote. On the back of that box is ports for the two small wired 'blasters'. Those get stuck onto the front face of your STBs so that MCE can control the channel changes on them.

However not having MCE as the OS, getting those blasters to work requires some external plugins and software outside of sagetv. However people have confirmed getting them to work just fine.

As for RCA and the Svideo inputs, it allows you to get input from varried sources. Like, from a Satellite box, or a cable box, or even an old VCR if you wanna do capture like that (a method to transfer old home movies on vhs tapes to dvd). Although most vcr's have that coax output as well.

Some of those hauppauge cards have headers to plug in an external bracket that has more ports on them. For instance, one of my PVR150's has a white header plug, and I can take input from COAX, Composite1, Composite2, Svideo1, Svideo2.

Just keep in mind, it can only capture from ONE of those input at a time.

[archcommus]

Thanks. I don't feel like messing with a USB port, box, AND IR blaster cable in addition to that. I like just plugging the IR cable into the card itself, so I think I'll go with the non-MCE version, with remote.

Thanks for the help!

[archcommus]

Well the card came today and I put it in. Love it! Easy driver installation, picture looks great (got the ESMT tuner, using NVIDIA decoder), and the audio is plenty loud and clear.

Now, to get the remote working. I installed the batteries, plugged in the cable, installed the program and let it sit in the tray, and selected "45 button Hauppauge remote" in Sage. No go. I can't remember for certain if I selected the Hauppauge remote settings when installing Sage. Is there somewhere I can check this?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by archcommus

Now, to get the remote working. I installed the batteries, plugged in the cable, installed the program and let it sit in the tray, and selected "45 button Hauppauge remote" in Sage. No go. I can't remember for certain if I selected the Hauppauge remote settings when installing Sage. Is there somewhere I can check this?

There is a FAQ entry about using the Hauppauge remote.

If there is no [SageTV] section in the irremote.ini file (found in your Windows directory), it isn't configured to be used with SageTV.

- Andy

[archcommus]

Thanks for your help in pretty much every thread I've been in, Opus.

Very interesting.

I downloaded the file for the new remote, restarted Ir.exe, and it worked. However, I wasn't sure if I needed to add those commands from the other .zip file or not, AND all my remote commands were strange because I had changed all of the keyboard commands in the past and apparently the keyboard and remote commands are linked somehow.

So I just said forget it and deleted irremote.ini and reinstalled Sage, this time leaving Hauppauge remote support CHECKED. It created a fresh irremote.ini file which I have attached in case you're curious of its contents. With this file in there, and with 45-button Hauppauge remote selected, and after restarting Sage and Ir.exe, the remote DOESN'T work. I'm guessing this is just how it is, and if you have the new remote the .ini file that comes with Sage is not sufficient and you need the "new remote" .ini file. I just want to make sure this is true and there isn't anything wrong here. Once I get that "new remote" .ini file back, do I need to add the commands from SageCommands.zip as well?

And finally, I'm curious as to how I can go ahead and edit keyboard commands without affecting remote commands, and once I do make those changes, what file to back up to preserve them.

Thanks!

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by archcommus

I downloaded the file for the new remote, restarted Ir.exe, and it worked. However, I wasn't sure if I needed to add those commands from the other .zip file or not, AND all my remote commands were strange because I had changed all of the keyboard commands in the past and apparently the keyboard and remote commands are linked somehow.

The 'normal' irremote.ini sends keystrokes to SageTV. You could easily redefine the keys it sends to match your reconfigured commands.

Post 15 of Link 3 in my sig lines controls SageTV via event codes instead of keystrokes. That's how it controls SageTV w/o needing focus, and it won't matter how the keys in SageTV are configured. You can modify the buttons by changing the command numbers in the ini file.

So I just said forget it and deleted irremote.ini and reinstalled Sage, this time leaving Hauppauge remote support CHECKED. It created a fresh irremote.ini file which I have attached in case you're curious of its contents. With this file in there, and with 45-button Hauppauge remote selected, and after restarting Sage and Ir.exe, the remote DOESN'T work.

It won't work because irremote.ini did not exist to begin with... the ini file contains more than what SageTV adds to it, so the ini file you ended up with is not usable by Hauppauge's IR software.

I'm guessing this is just how it is, and if you have the new remote the .ini file that comes with Sage is not sufficient and you need the "new remote" .ini file.

The ini file modifications, together with the remote control selection in SageTV allow both types of Hauppauge remotes to be used.

And finally, I'm curious as to how I can go ahead and edit keyboard commands without affecting remote commands, and once I do make those changes, what file to back up to preserve them.

I guess I answered that above -- start with the ini file that uses event codes to control SageTV w/o needing SageTV to be in focus. You could customize the keys in the 'normal' ini file to match your setup, or set them up completely differnt & then assign the new keys to appropriate commands.

- Andy

[archcommus]

Again you pull through, Andy, thanks so much for the timely and detailed response. Even though I don't really need the remote to control Sage when it doesn't have focus, I figured it'd be easier if the remote controlled commands independently of how the keyboard is configured, so I downloaded that version of irremote.ini, and I'm using the latest version of the IR remote software. Seems to work just fine. I then went ahead and reconfigured my keyboard commands how I'd like them. Again, thanks.

To backup these keyboard commands, do I need Sage.properties or SageClient.properties? The keyboard_accelerators= line populated with numbers seems to be present in both. I am using the service but not the server.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by archcommus

To backup these keyboard commands, do I need Sage.properties or SageClient.properties? The keyboard_accelerators= line populated with numbers seems to be present in both. I am using the service but not the server.

If you are using service mode, then all the UI settings are in sageclient.properties. But, I would backup both of them and include wiz.bin in that too.

- Andy

[archcommus]

Thanks!