Windows 7: How is the live/recorded TV video quality?

I'm considering re-purposing my rig and making it a DVR/HTPC. Yes, it's a little overpowered but I'm getting disenchanted with gaming and figured I'd get better use of it this way.

I plan on getting the Ceton InfiniTV4 for my tuner and keeping the GTX470 for the output card. As the subject says, I'm concerned about the quality of the TV picture, is it just like watching a signal coming directly to the TV, or through my cable company's DVR? Also, how is the channel changing, is it quick?



I plan on using WMC for my interface, unless there's something glaringly better.

Thanks.

I think the picture quality is better on the computer. I suppose that depends on your monitor or tv screen. I have had the Ceton Infini4 pciE for about 7 months now. It works great and the support at Ceton is fantastic. Speed of channel changing depends alot upon how well your hardware is running.

Thanks. I actually placed the order earlier, anxious to get it rolling. If it works out, I may pick up the Ceton Clone and dump my tuner for my second TV. Phase 1 is getting the tuner card and IR receiver and testing it. If everything works out I'll pick up an actual HTPC style case so it fits in with the home theater concept.

I'll be using an actual TV as my output, a 37" LG that's about 5 years old.

I see you have the Phenom II x4 965, I have the next CPU down, the 955. If yours runs well, I expect mine will also.

Like you said the Phenom II x4 is overkill for an HTPC. I plan to run 3 extenders in the future, and one core for each is required.

If you don't all ready have one, consider a SSD for the O/S and record to the spinner.

Have a 120 GB OCZ Vertex 3 already, the OS is already installed on it. If it all works out, I MAY re-install Windows before making it dedicated to the DVR, right now it's a gaming machine. That decision won't come until after I test though.

You are going to love the Ceton. The only real problem I had with it was cable signal related. I put in a bi-directional amp and that straightened out those issues.

I was just looking at your specs. Sabertooth, nice! You weren't kidding when you said slightly overpowered. I blew up my first Ceton trying to jam it into a 16X pciE in an old board. Ceton graciously RMA'd it.

You are fortunate to have a pcie X1 slot. Hopefully, not being used.

The PCIE X1 slot IS open.

Yeah, it's a gaming rig. I'm getting more and more frustrated with the COD series (there is ZERO work being done to ban hackers), there's not much else that's interesting me so I figured I'd save myself some cash in the long run and convert it to DVR duties. If all works out, my next goal is to find a suitable case, looking at the Lian Li PC-60 or the Silverstone GD01mx. Might lean toward the Silverstone if my video card will fit, though I like the HDD layout of the Lian Li case better the VFD on the Silverstone may earn it my money.

I'v already worked out my other issue, my printer is in a different room than where this will be. I'd rather have the machine plugged in to the router and there's no way to run a cable neatly. Set up an old router with DD-WRT and bridged it, wired-only network printer is now on my wireless network.

I've heard good things about Lian Li cases. I like the looks of the Silverstone also. Looks are important up there with the TV. Cetons get a little flakey when they get hot, so cooling is something to consider with a new case. I just have mine setup in a gaming tower right now. Ceton temps hover around 45-50.

Moneual and Thermaltake (touch screen) are on my wish list. Kinda pricy though. Deprecated Browser Error Worth a look.

I looked again, the x1 slot is blocked by the video card. Will it really damage the card to use it in a x16 slot? I guess I need to try using the video card in one of the 3 other x16 slots to see if it will work but I'm not confident it will. I may need to find a single-slot card.

Install guide on the Ceton site says this
http://www.cetoncorp.com/documents/I...edure_v1_4.pdf

I stopped by my local office for the cable company, despite being told on a chat last night that I can just pop in to the local office and pick up the CableCard and tuning adapter the local offices do NOT carry those items, but he was able to order them for shipment (he wanted to force a home visit but I expressed my knowledge of my right to self-install). However, he DID give me a couple splitters and RG6 cables so I could hook up my modem, the PC and my DVR on one outlet.