BlackGold compatibility?

[StuckInTheMud]

Can any confirm if the BlackGold cards are compatible or not?

Looking at the GDI2510 or GDI3520

The only forum references I can find date back to 2004.



Jim

[Jason404]

Hi StuckInTheMud

I know it's been a while since you posted this message, but could you please tell me what you found out in the end?

I have a BlackGold GDI3520, and was wondering if it worked with SageTV?

Thanks!

[StuckInTheMud]

I ended up getting a pair of Nebula cards

Also stuck with MCE as I couldn't get answers out of Sage on a few issues and queries.

Currently testing Media Portal (eclipses most other PVR software, and it's free!), due to make the jump once it's hit a release version.



Jim

[Jason404]

Thanks for the reply.

Oh, so does SageTV definitely not work with the GDI3520, or you do not know for sure? I've had mine for nearly two years, and do not want to get another one, as it is a very good card.

I tried Media Portal a few months ago, but it didn't do the things I want, and I never found a theme that I liked the look of. Maybe I should give it another look now.

I used to use ShowShifter, years ago, and then Snapstream (now called BeyondTV), but that does not work with DVB cards. I have not tried SageTV yet, and if I find out if it doesn't work with my card, I'll not bother.

[StuckInTheMud]

No idea if it works, couldn't get any answers so didn't take the risk.

Like you, I found most PVR offerings didn't support DVB cards (or claimed they did but implementation was poor or only one was allowed).

MCE has been generally OK, but the EPG has a habit of crapping out and missing recordings / loosing all channels, and the GUI sometimes crashes (clean built machine, been round all the options) so about to give up.

The other issue I have is that I'm in a good (hilltop) location, so can get 3 (sometimes more) transmitters, but there is no way in MCE to control exactly which frequencies are scanned, so it just gets everything and I end up with right mess of channel numbers and duplicates etc.



Jim

[Jason404]

Thanks for the confirmation (that you cannot confirm!).

I don't know of your Nebula cards have silicon, or older style can tuners, but silicon ones are a lot more sensitive, so you can get a decent Freeview (DVB-T) picture where the Hauppauge Nova-T 500 that I tried could not. I think that is why USB tuners used with laptops can get a pretty good picture with shoddy indoor aerials.

The issue about not being able to choose transmitter is not applicable to the Vista Media Centre, as you can do that with it. The Media Centre in Vista is one of the only tangible benefits of that OS as far as I am concerned. It does freeze up for a few seconds now and then though, and occasionally crash (GUI), on my machine.

Cheers!