PVR 350 initial impressions

[Crowdx42]

Well I received my PVR 350 Friday morning, popped out the remaining PVR 250 and did HCWClear deleting all the hauppauge drivers. Installed the PVR 350, booted up, did a clean install using the downloaded cd files and then the latest files from the hauppauge web site. Started Sage, selected the 350 in Sage with OSD out.
First impressions, I have an XCard and although I have not had a chance to directly compare the two cards (Sage won't work with Xcard when I change over, not sure why) BUT from memory I think the XCard by default has a slightly sharper picture (I may be wrong but hopefully later next week will check for sure). As for OSD on PVR 350, that works great once the overscan on the osd is adjusted.
So far, I do not think I have had a major problem with the PVR 350 output, is great to not get any tearing and great smooth playback (no stutters).
On the recording side I had some problems with the input from my cable box and after many hours messing with different driver revisions I finally got this working also. Here was the only slight problem I have had, when I changed to a channel live to watch a show on the cable box, the picture froze. I brought up the menu, chose another show, screen worked again and then when I went back to the show I initially watched live all worked fine. I think this may have been a 350 problem with changing the inputs and was really minor cause it still recorded the show even though the video froze and so I missed nothing.
So my 2 days viewing has been a good experience so far, I have a 4th tuner with this card and the hardware decoding works great. All in all a good purchase for me. I am happy.
Take not of the hardware specs below, seems this board is very happy with nforce1 chipsets.
Patrick

[Crowdx42]

Well to update this initial impression. I finally hooked up my Xcard and played the same stream with the Xcard and PVR 350, frankly there is little difference between the two cards, both give excellent output to the tv. The upside of the PVR 350 has definately been the OSD output, so far this has worked pretty flawless with the exception of 3 lockups over a weeks period of view, none were a reboot, just close the file and reopen and all worked, so I would think this was a Sage glitch. Other than the OSD output the Xcard comes in as a much cheaper option, less than $100 delivered compared to the PVR 350 for nearer $200. For those considering the PVR 350 I think the main reason would have to be the OSD, as a tuner it works fine but I think it does push the card that bit harder recording and viewing simultaneously, an issue which some users have already encountered with the extra heat generation involved. For me the PVR 350 handles a composite input from my cable box and also is a source for extra recording but with a low merit so that all other tuners in my other server get used first.
For me now in some ways I have the best of both worlds with TV on the PVR 350 and DVDs and Divx on the XCard.
Patrick

[Al T]

OK, now, anyone out there who can answer the TRIVIA QUESTION of all questions: What is the on-board connector for? Haup. sez it's for OEM front-panels, others say it's for a future front panel.

Anyone know? It would probably be a DYNAMITE aid to getting the beast working.
My month of attempting to get the beast working show: some software problems, inability to tie to a sound card with Dolby/etc decode for an automatically good video tape, need for 3,4 additional S-VHS I/O points......
Al T.

[CanadianEh]

Check out http://www.shspvr.com .. go to FAQ's and check out the 3rd(?) item listed. It states that it's a connector for a front panel and shows what the pinout is.

[Al T]

THANKS, but... They may have had it, but right now, only thing listed is keyboard shortcuts... Will surf it again,