HVR-1600 - which model # for QAM?

[jasmithvr6]

Greetings. I'm a long-time Sage user, but running behind the times still using version 5.1 (what can I say, it's been rock solid stable). I'm considering an upgrade to the current version and replacing my PVR-250's & Fusion Lite5 cards with a pair of Hauppauge HVR-1600's to run clear QAM natively through Sage.

Here's my question...I've seen a few different model numbers for the HVR-1600 (#1178, 1181, & 1199). Do all of these HVR-1600 models run QAM with Sage 6.2 or later? I have the opportunity to pick up model #1178 for what appears to be a great price, but I've read conflicting info on the web whether it can do QAM.

Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks!

[SprDtyF350]

Originally Posted by jasmithvr6

Greetings. I'm a long-time Sage user, but running behind the times still using version 5.1 (what can I say, it's been rock solid stable). I'm considering an upgrade to the current version and replacing my PVR-250's & Fusion Lite5 cards with a pair of Hauppauge HVR-1600's to run clear QAM natively through Sage.

Here's my question...I've seen a few different model numbers for the HVR-1600 (#1178, 1181, & 1199). Do all of these HVR-1600 models run QAM with Sage 6.2 or later? I have the opportunity to pick up model #1178 for what appears to be a great price, but I've read conflicting info on the web whether it can do QAM.

Any insight would be appreciated! Thanks!

I have an HVR-1600 and after using it for awhile I would not recommend it. For near the same price as 2 HVR-1600's you can get an HDHomerun which has 2 tuners that do either QAM or OTA, receives more channels than the HVR-1600, gets them in better quality, is easier to setup, especially with the latest HDHR software, and the latest Sage Beta.

To me it is like a night and day difference. The HVR-1600 works, but not as well as the HDHR...

[jrh995]

For the original HVR-1600 only certain Poduct Codes would do QAM:

Note: Product codes 74021 and 74041 support QAM, while product codes 74031 and 74551 do not.. The product code can be found on the tuner label on WinTV-HVR-1600.

The current models all appear to support QAM:

model 01178: WinTV-HVR-1600 with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, on-board IR receiver and blaster, and English manual
model 01181: WinTV-HVR-1600 with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, on-board IR receiver and blaster, and French/Englsh manual
model 01101: WinTV-HVR-1600 MC board only with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, without remote control, with FM radio
model 01183: WinTV-HVR-1600 MC-Kit with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, Media Center certified remote control and FM radio

Above info from the Hauppauge website.

John

[jasmithvr6]

Originally Posted by SprDtyF350

I have an HVR-1600 and after using it for awhile I would not recommend it. For near the same price as 2 HVR-1600's you can get an HDHomerun which has 2 tuners that do either QAM or OTA, receives more channels than the HVR-1600, gets them in better quality, is easier to setup, especially with the latest HDHR software, and the latest Sage Beta.

To me it is like a night and day difference. The HVR-1600 works, but not as well as the HDHR...

Thanks for the feedback. What is it that you dislike about the HVR-1600? Do others out there share the same view? I've looked into the HDHR and it seems like a nice option...I was thinking of running an HD Media Extender in the basement with HDHR, while the Sage box runs dual HVR-1600's upstairs. The price on the HDHR is about $175 all in, while I have the option to pickup a pair of HVR-1600's for $50 each. For the extra $75, am I better off getting HDHR?

[SprDtyF350]

Originally Posted by jasmithvr6

Thanks for the feedback. What is it that you dislike about the HVR-1600? Do others out there share the same view? I've looked into the HDHR and it seems like a nice option...I was thinking of running an HD Media Extender in the basement with HDHR, while the Sage box runs dual HVR-1600's upstairs. The price on the HDHR is about $175 all in, while I have the option to pickup a pair of HVR-1600's for $50 each. For the extra $75, am I better off getting HDHR?

I have had the HVR-1600 since before the drivers were available to do QAM and was pretty happy when the QAM driver became available. I have always had problems receiving channels with it that my QAM tuner equipped TV could easily get. It also seemed like I would get alot of artifacts, acting like it was not getting a good signal. I purchased the HDHR and it easily received everything my tv could, and had no artifacts.

I think basically the difference for me is the HDHR just sits and does it's job. I have never had a problem with it. It has never missed a recording. I just never felt I could trust the HVR-1600 though. Maybe the newer ones are better, maybe it's because mine was one of the early ones, even though it is a QAM model.

Anyway, for me the HDHR is the better choice. At least for ease of setup, and peace of mind that it will always just work...

[blade]

I picked up a couple of 1600's because of the price and I had the same problems as SprDtyF350. They were no where near as good as my HDHomeRun. Some people are running the 1600 without issues, but my experience was bad enough that I returned them for a refund.

[jasmithvr6]

Originally Posted by SprDtyF350

I have had the HVR-1600 since before the drivers were available to do QAM and was pretty happy when the QAM driver became available. I have always had problems receiving channels with it that my QAM tuner equipped TV could easily get. It also seemed like I would get alot of artifacts, acting like it was not getting a good signal. I purchased the HDHR and it easily received everything my tv could, and had no artifacts.

I think basically the difference for me is the HDHR just sits and does it's job. I have never had a problem with it. It has never missed a recording. I just never felt I could trust the HVR-1600 though. Maybe the newer ones are better, maybe it's because mine was one of the early ones, even though it is a QAM model.

Anyway, for me the HDHR is the better choice. At least for ease of setup, and peace of mind that it will always just work...

Certainly good info to know. I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous delving into the HD QAM realm as my Sage 5.1 box has been running problem free for over a year. I currently pick-up HD via OTA, although it's a headache battling reception and rotating the antenna. I can watch QAM through the DVICO software via my Fusion Lite 5 card, but it's a pain to switch between that and Sage. Needless to say, I'm looking for the easiest and most reliable way to run HD QAM without a complete HTPC meltdown (but then again, aren't we all looking for that?). That being said, it sounds like HDHR is the way to go.

[deilenberger]

Originally Posted by jrh995

For the original HVR-1600 only certain Poduct Codes would do QAM:

Note: Product codes 74021 and 74041 support QAM, while product codes 74031 and 74551 do not.. The product code can be found on the tuner label on WinTV-HVR-1600.

The current models all appear to support QAM:

model 01178: WinTV-HVR-1600 with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, on-board IR receiver and blaster, and English manual
model 01181: WinTV-HVR-1600 with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, on-board IR receiver and blaster, and French/Englsh manual
model 01101: WinTV-HVR-1600 MC board only with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, without remote control, with FM radio
model 01183: WinTV-HVR-1600 MC-Kit with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, Media Center certified remote control and FM radio

Above info from the Hauppauge website.

John

That information is actually incorrect - or incorrectly intepreted.

Model 74551 (Rev C1A3) is working quite nicely in QAM mode with BeyondTV on my system. Apparently Hauppauge didn't list QAM compatibility with that card since it was a Microsoft Media Center package card meant for OEM use, and at the time it was produced/sold - MC didn't support QAM and they didn't have drivers for the card that supported it.

The important thing is - the tuner is identical on all the 1600 models - and they ALL can be used with the latest drivers for QAM use in WinTV, and in BeyondTV, and in MediaCenter (with some tweaks) and I'd assume SageTV.

Thanks to the misinformation given out in every forum on these cards - the ones listed as non-QAM capable are a real bargain.. and they work just fine with QAM (I have about 45 channels mapped at the moment..)

[CollinR]

I have had no issues with my HVR1250 however Hauppauge has always been sensitive to the length of the center pin on the RF cables. If you have reception issues the first thing I would suggest to do is reterminate the cable and leave the center pin longer then normal.

[Cabalsan]

As a follow up, my HVR1600 took abit to get up and running, but it's fine now.


It's a dual tuner model, so with a splitter I can record SD & HD content. Due to some limitations in the software (I still don't believe tuner affinity works right) I had to map a channel to digital HD and digital SD for the same station. When I setup Fav's I just tell it I only want to record this Fav on this channel, e.g. the SD or HD. This works for daytime programming, wifes Oprah can record SD ver and not waste needless GB for recording it in HD.

Other than the initial setup time scan for the QAM and the whole physical re-mapping part of stations, it's not too too hard to setup. Do a search on the 1600 and you'll find a step by step that works it all out (for the most part... YMMV).

The only problem I have now is my ATI 2600 card with HDMI connection. The new ver 6.5.1+ broke the Cat 8.3 MPEG2 driver I used fine in prev versions (6.4.8). I switched to the supplied SageMPEG2 driver and its back. The PQ is a bit darker in HD, but still very watchable. Long ago I tried an upgrade to the then current (ATI Cat 8.6 driver) and had problems viewing via HDMI on my TV. Went back to ver 8.3 and worked, so I am a bit leary of updating any ATI video card drivers. Basically, when I upped to those drivers, the card would not output via HDMI, so i had to pull pc apart and drag upstairs to CRT to unistall/re-install. A major chore! Audio still won't work over HDMI, so I have analog audio output hooked up to the TV. I think that has something to do with the G45 chipset and HDCP. Analog seems to work just fine,so I haven't went anywhere with that issue.

Between small children & work travel schedule, messing around with the Sage box has gotten to be very minimal these days. lol



Anyways, good luck. The 1600 works great for me. Enjoy.