Best TV Tuner Card for Windows 7?

Darryl Licht · 21 Oct 2009

Hey all you Windows Seven fans! Im looking at getting a nice tuner card for my desktop and need some advice/suggestions.

So far I am leaning toward the AVerTV Combo G2 but I also like the Hauppage WinTV-HVR-2250. I know the white box version is typically without the remote and in plain packaging, and I always love saving money. I have a few questions:

If I am only going to view television on my PC via WMC do I even need a remote?
What are pros and cons of remotes?
Are their other alternative Win7 cards I should also be looking at?
Any other software I might need or want?

Thanks to all in advance!!! ...Im an old hand at Windows/DOS but a total noob at tv tuner cards!

Hondajt · 29 Oct 2009

So, the new HVR-2250 is the best bet for Win 7 users? Do any of these work with time warner cable?

Tarka Dal · 29 Oct 2009

My Hauppauge Win 7 does not work on either Vista or Windows 7...
Hauppauge in my view are crap...
That does not have to be your view.

dnorris · 29 Oct 2009

Hondajt said:

So, the new HVR-2250 is the best bet for Win 7 users? Do any of these work with time warner cable?

I use mine to watch Time Warner at the computer. I don't use the cable box, though, so I only get the analog channels 1-76. If I want to watch other channels or HD, I go to my HD tv.

Ex_Brit · 29 Oct 2009

It doesn't matter which cableco it is, it'll read the cable when you set up Media Center. I don't use the digital boxc either, just the basic cable.
Obsidian, are you installing the drivers correctly?

LarixUthule · 29 Oct 2009

I use the dual tuner Win Tv HVR-2250 PCIx1 card, and it works fine on Ulimate 64-bit -- can record two shows at the same time, and can chose between which of the two shows I want to watch while the shows are recording. The HD channels are a plus -- could not get that when running Vista Home Premium, and the recording of HD is perfect as well. [My connection is ComCast, single cable -- the tuner separates the signals. The Win Tv HVR-2250 has two pair of dual tuners, one analog, the other digital --(total of 4)]

I use the remote and it works well.

Running 8GB RAM -- no issues with stutter.

Darryl Licht · 07 Nov 2009

That newegg gift certificate was burning a hole in my pocket, so I bit the bullet and ordered the AVerMedia AVerTVHD Duet tuner card. It installed without a hitch, but thanks to Charter Communications encrypting nearly every channel, I only get 16 channels (4 of which are Mexican)!

I also have a cable issue which keeps freezing the screen while watching, apparently this card is very sensative to signal strength... if I put a splitter in, I get the freezing, jerky viewing and very slow cable modem dl speeds. If I disconnect cable modem and run coax straight to my tuner card, great picture and quality but no Internet. I've tried 3 different coax cables and 2 different splitters.

I am now thinking of returning this card in favor of something else, any sugggestions?

PS - I'm new to TV Tuner cards... since my card says it gets QAM, does that mean I do not get NTSC? I have a TV in my garage and it gets all non HD channels... what kind of card do I need to get both QAM and regular channels?

hdjunkie · 08 Nov 2009

Yeah, return it and go with the HVR-2250.

Darryl Licht · 08 Nov 2009

hdjunkie said:

Yeah, return it and go with the HVR-2250.

Does the HVR get both QAM and NTSC? Please I need more details than get the HVR-2250... why?

Hondajt · 09 Nov 2009

Darryl Licht said:

hdjunkie said:

Yeah, return it and go with the HVR-2250.

Does the HVR get both QAM and NTSC? Please I need more details than get the HVR-2250... why?

A basic google search will let you know that the HVR-2250, has ATSC/NTSC/ClearQam.

So LarixUthule, you can get HD channels on the HVR-2250 with time Warner cable? I was under the assumption that I would only receive the basic 1-79 stuff.

Best TV Tuner Card for Windows 7?

Looking for a Win7 PCIE x1 Card...

Win Tv HVR-2250