Confused about which TV tuner card to get

[forefront]

Hi,

The requirements at:

http://www.sagetv.com/requirements.html?sageSub=tv

State for Linux one of:

Supported Analog TV Tuners with Hardware Encoding:
Supported DVB-T/C/S/S2 Tuners (requires SageTV V6 or later):
Supported OTA HDTV Tuners (requres SageTV V5 or later):
Supported ClearQAM HDTV Tuners (requires SageTV V6.2 or later):

I am good with Linux but unclear of what these mean. Is there a good card that will "future proof" me based on current available TV? My cable provider currently does not offer HDTV but may in future.

Thanks!

[QueOnda]

HDPVR uses your component, so as long as your cable uses component out the you can use it

Analog tuners may give you channels lower than 100 (YMMV) and you can even use the S-video to capture from a cable box.

HDHR could be used for clear QAM if you cable provider uses (but you say don't have HD so maybe not).

What is your cable provider and Where?

[kbyrd]

Originally Posted by QueOnda

HDHR uses your component, so as long as your cable uses component out the you can use it

This is wrong. The HDHomerun will tune clear QAM from your cable provider or ATSC from over the air. It take coaxial cable input.
I think you meant the HD-PVR.

[forefront]

Thank you both - I really am a newbie so TLAs don't help, currently.

Cable provider is a very local one Reliance Connects

We currently do not use component, using either svideo red/white/yellow cables or coax. They currently do not offer HDTV.

But in future we will get a flat panel and they may offer HDTV.

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by kbyrd

This is wrong. The HDHomerun will tune clear QAM from your cable provider or ATSC from over the air. It take coaxial cable input.
I think you meant the HD-PVR.

Thanks for the catch. I was thinking HDPVR but My fingers weren't listening. I corrected the post.

[forefront]

Whereas I remain non the wiser...

[kbyrd]

Originally Posted by forefront

Whereas I remain non the wiser...

Sorry about that.

Supported Analog TV Tuners with Hardware Encoding:

This is a capture card that does mpeg2 encoding on the card. This will usually let you attach get the following standard definition (NTSC) signals:
- Over-the-air NTSC connected to an antenna.
- Basic unencryped cable that doesn't require a cable box.
- S-Video input from anything that outputs S-Video (a DVD player, a game console, a cable box with S-Video out)
- Composite (RCA cable) input from anything that outputs composite. Same list as S-Video.

- The one notable standout here is the HD-PVR. It takes component (not composite) input and therefor captures at higher than NTSC resolution, but it's still analog. A lot of people use this with HDTV cable boxes and satellite boxes to avoid going from a high-def signal to a standard-def capture card.

Supported DVB-T/C/S/S2 Tuners (requires SageTV V6 or later):

Digital Video Broadcast Satellite. I don't believe these are used in the US. This is NOT for DirectTV or DishNetwork.

Supported OTA HDTV Tuners (requres SageTV V5 or later):

Digital TV over-the-air (antenna on your roof or something) broadcasts. HDTV resolutions (480p up to 1080i)

Supported ClearQAM HDTV Tuners (requires SageTV V6.2 or later):

Just like you can get basic cable without a cable box, you can often get clearQAM from your cable company without a cable box by just plugging the cable from the wall into the tuner card. Same HDTV resolutions as the over-the-air signals.

[bcjenkins]

I have great success with the HVR-1600. It does one analog and one digital tuner and has a very active developer supporting it. It might help to know where you're located/what cable system type you are on. NTSC or PAL?

B

[matt91]

and can you receive (over the air) OTA broadcast?

If you do some homework and figure out what's available in your area, we can help provide advice.

Matt
PS I poked around, and there is a "Reliance Connects" company in Mesquite, NV. Cross-checking Mesquite, NV, on here shows that there is a single (analog) PBS station available OTA. Is this where you are?