Best USB HD Tuner

[darinf]

I tried searching, but didn't find much.

I currently have the On Air GT USB tuner, which works fine for HD recording but since it does not have a hardware analog tuner, so I am told, the audio on analog channels slips out of sync. Tech support told me I need a USB tuner that has an analog hardware tuner.

What's the best USB tuner available? I need it to be USB since I am running SageTV on a laptop.

Obviously the tow requirements are digital HDTV tuner and hardware analog tuner. Hopefully there is one device that can do both.

Thanks for your help,
-Darin

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by darinf

I tried searching, but didn't find much.

I currently have the On Air GT USB tuner, which works fine for HD recording but since it does not have a hardware analog tuner, so I am told, the audio on analog channels slips out of sync. Tech support told me I need a USB tuner that has an analog hardware tuner.

What's the best USB tuner available? I need it to be USB since I am running SageTV on a laptop.

Obviously the tow requirements are digital HDTV tuner and hardware analog tuner. Hopefully there is one device that can do both.

Thanks for your help,
-Darin

Since you are limited to an external device and you want it to be able to do Hardware encoded SD channels, I think you are only choice is the Hauppauge HVR 1950. It is supposedly supported by Sage, but I haven't used it. Someone esle will need to chime in.

And yes, since you are using a software encoder, you will notice a lot of audio slip. It is an unfortunate side affect.

[darinf]

I just saw the HDHomerun box too.

It looks like that might work too?

So that device works over my network as opposed to USB, right?

I like the idea of having two tuners.

How is SageTV with the HDHomerun?

Thanks,
-Darin

[darinf]

I see now that the HDHomerun is digital only. No analog...

Oh well.

Anyone else have an opinion on the Hauppauge HVR 1950?

Is that my only option?

Thanks,
-Darin

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by darinf

I see now that the HDHomerun is digital only. No analog...

Oh well.

What input source are you using? Analog cable, straight from the coax? And also, what programming are you wanting to get?

[darinf]

Right now, I am just using the cable signal directly from the "wall". I do not have a cable box.

I can get all the analog channels and all the network channels in QAM HD through the cable connection direct.

That's all I really need.

I suppose I could just rent a cable box from the cable company and then us the HD-PVR. That would definitely get me a lot more channels.

But I wanted to avoid the monthly cable box rental and on a laptop, I like the idea of being able to plug-in any cable at any location and at least get some analog channels without audio sync problems.

Thanks for helping,
-Darin

[pjpjpjpj]

I think your OP was a little unclear... you already have a USB tuner that works fine for digital content (which, in your case, is QAM from cable), so you just want recommendations for a new analog tuner that works well and doesn't have sync issues and such, correct?

Sorry, I can't help you - since I don't have any analog tuners - but hopefully someone else can if this clarifies your "wants". Good luck...

[darinf]

Just to be clear...

I want the SAME functionality as the OnAir GT, but WITH an analog tuner in hardware.

I don't want two separate USB external tuners.

I want one tuner that has an analog tuner and an HD tuner.

Is the Hauppauge HVR 1950 the only one out there? If so, how well does it work?

I guess either there's not very many people using it, or it works great so no one is posting any issues.

Thanks,
-Darin

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by darinf

Just to be clear...

I want the SAME functionality as the OnAir GT, but WITH an analog tuner in hardware.

I don't want two separate USB external tuners.

I want one tuner that has an analog tuner and an HD tuner.

Is the Hauppauge HVR 1950 the only one out there? If so, how well does it work?

I guess either there's not very many people using it, or it works great so no one is posting any issues.

Thanks,
-Darin

I think you will find not many are using it. Most are using internal cards (1600/1800) or have gone almost solely HD and are using HDPVR's and HDHomeruns. My only SD encoders I am using is an Hauppauge 500 for my Dish 311's. Otherwise all other capture is HD.

[darinf]

Although we do get a lot of HD content, it seems like there's still so much content that is still analog SD here.

Something weird happened. All of a sudden my On-Air GT stopped going out of sync on analog channels!

I swear I did not upgrade any drivers or version of Sage, or even change any settings.

The other day I noticed that my recordings were no longer out of sync. I have rebooted the laptop several times and now I can't get it to go out of sync like before which it did ALL the time.

Oh well, I am not complaining, but I can't figure out for the life of me what changed.

I guess I don't need a new tuner after all.

Thanks for all your help,
-Darin