Hardware Disappointment, HDHR Prime or InfiniTV 4 PCIe

[OttoNP]

Long story is below, but basically I want to know which will give me less headache tuning with a cable card...I'm leaning towards the Infini because it is 4 tuners and a PCI card, but I would take the HDHR in a second if it will tune my cable channels better...

I have been using Sage since version 4 starting with SD and I think I switched to HD early (what a headache!). Anyway, we had Comcast and I had the hardest time getting my hardware, both a Hauppauge 1600 and the first HDHR to tune cable and even OTA consistantly. I have moved since twice and I expected with the first move to finally get a good signal and consistant tuning...but no. My final move was into a new home with fiber run to it. Fiber, directly to the house. I figure for sure this will end my woes...but alas, it did not.

For the life of me, I do not understand why both the Hauppauge and HDHR can not tune as well as my TV or cable box, in all my other locations, no TV or cable box ever had any problems tuning anything! At my first location, I actually tried wide open west and comcast and both companies when I complained about signal explained that if it worked find on the tv and cable box, there wasn't much they could do...

Between OTA and cable, I was able to get what I needed, but at my new location OTA is not really an option. I will be getting a cable card and plan to try the HDHR Prime of InfiniTV 4 PCIe, anyone know if either will tune as well as my TV does? I really just want it to work for once...

[SprDtyF350]

The only time I have ever had a problem with my HDHR working was when the power adapter was bad. It would do all sorts of things randomly. The HDHR had a power adapter issue when they first came out and I had one bulge. SiliconDust replaced it.

So maybe try replacing the power adapter.

I have a HDHR Prime that I currently use with WMC but it worked good with Sage also. You have to use the SageDCT program with it for Sage to see it though.

I also use 2 Hauppauge Colossus with Sage and they work good also. You have to connect them to a cable box. I used to tune the cable boxes with firewire until Comcast shutoff the firewire ports in my cable boxes. Now I use LM Remote Keymap with a Windows Media Center remote receiver. Works very well also.

So pretty much all of it works. Your issue from house to house sure sounds like power adapter..

[OttoNP]

It was consistent on the same channels and on both the hdhr and the 1600 cards, so the signal was probably not the best, though worked perfect on my tv. Other channels worked perfect all the time. Also, some of the issues are minor but really bother me and I never see them when I watch tv direct...

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by OttoNP

For the life of me, I do not understand why both the Hauppauge and HDHR can not tune as well as my TV or cable box,

Simply the cost of the tuner, it is a higher quality in the TV and cable box.

My work arround for all my HDHR's was to rewire the distribution so that the HDHR's were the first tuners from the source, then I added an adjustable amplifier and set the amplification so the HDHR's show 100% signal strength.

[OttoNP]

What amplifier did you use? I tried several and typically the setting required would fix a particular channel but mess up the tuning of other channels. I tried less splitting and that seemed to not have much of an effect...

[phelme]

Originally Posted by OttoNP

What amplifier did you use? I tried several and typically the setting required would fix a particular channel but mess up the tuning of other channels. I tried less splitting and that seemed to not have much of an effect...

Let me jump in, I have a stupidly long run to my house from the pole and have to have an amp for my cable modem to even function. I'm currently using a PCT MA-B1015-1A-VG, which has variable active gain on both forward and reverse for optimum tweaking. Quite versatile and only $25 + shipping.

[makutaku]

Originally Posted by OttoNP

I will be getting a cable card and plan to try the HDHR Prime or InfiniTV 4 PCIe, anyone know if either will tune as well as my TV does? I really just want it to work for once...

I am planning the same. What did you decide to get ? Why haven't you mentioned the InfiniTV USB ?