Best TV Tuner Card for Windows 7?

[Mike89]

The HVR 2250 will not give you HD channels. If you don't want HD TV, then it doesn't matter. For HD, it's entirely different. For HD TV, you can hook up HDMI from the recorded source to TV but currently you will not be able to use HDMI to record HD TV as HDMI is encoded. You can get around this by using an HD PVR that uses video component cables. As you stated, you can also go with the Ceton which uses a cable card instead of a cable box. Then go HDMI from it to the TV. The Ceton is expensive and the Comcast channel guide will not work with it.

 

[dave8671]

I was going to use HDMI for the output to the TV I get clearqam here I do not have a cable box where the PC_DVR is going. My TV is HD. guess I will need two cards than to get the HD channels and the clearcam digital channels. I can tune to channal 3 or 3.1 which shows up as HP which I think it is. channel 3 is I think digital and not as good as 3.1. and this is without a box. comcast must transmit in clearcam up to channel 99.

any HD card you would suggest

 

[Mike89]

I don't know anything about over the air channels so couldn't suggest anything there. Getting TV channels (through cable) to the computer via a TV tuner has changed a lot. Comcast (and most others as well) have changed the way they broadcast cable channels in that now almost all channels have to go through their cable set top box. This virtually rendered almost all TV tuners useless since the tv tuner no longer did the channel changing. HD TV also changed everything. There are very few devices for the computer right now that will give HD TV on the computer screen. Hauppage currently has two that will. These are not "tuners", they are HD PVR's that bring the HD signal in from the Cable company's tuner/set top box, also allowing recording and playback.

 

[dave8671]

It is not over the Air I have cable without a box on two HD TV's I only have Comcast. I did a search on the web for the channel that I am getting here is the link. so it is HD oook.

WFSB

 

[Mike89]

It cannot be HD unless it's hooked up from the a box via component cables or HDMI to the device (in this case your TV). If the TV is just hooked up straight from the coax cable, it's not HD (even if the station was). If there is no box involved (or cable card tuner), it can't be HD.

 

[dave8671]

Not even if the TV has a HD turner built-in, did not know that. Must be Digital than I checked on another site for the same station and it said that they multiplex the signal on the same channel 3.1 digital/HD that must be what I am getting but the Digital part, good only one tuner. I might purchase a ceton infinitv 4 at some point but right now it is to much. I can get one free cable card from comcast the first one is included in the primary outlet fee. this was help full.

When installing (feel like a newbie here but not) the tuner I would get the latest drivers from the manufactors website install them then open up WMC and have it detect the card right? Or does WMC have the drivers bulit-in?

thanks
dave

 

[Mike89]

If you are talking about the Hauppage HD PVR (which is not a "tuner"), you need the Hauppage drivers to work with WMC. Remember you will also need the Comcast HD Set Top Box (the "tuner"). Couple of ways to do it. Either have the Comcast remote do all the channel changing (that's the way I'm doing it) in WMC (using Comcast's channel guide from remote) or use a "blaster" to essentially make the Hauppage remote control the Comcast Set Top Box (this method uses the WMC channel guide and channel numbers). I never could get that to work. I don't know where you live where you can still get Comcast channels without a box. Here is California Comcast has encrypted almost all digital stations (even the ones not HD) so a set top box is needed now for HD and/or a DTA (basically a non HD box) even when not going HD.

 

[dave8671]

I live in Mystic CT but I think in some big cities states like California the encrypt the signals but in Mystic ct this is a small town. But who knows if one day I may have to have a box that would suck it saves me $8.00 a month. I do have a DVR from comcast it works great on the Big TV.

I think I am getting digital and some analog since DTV did not demand that cable companies have to go all digital I do not think comcast is due to the fact i get the same channel twice 3 and 3.1 which is the same channel. odd I might hide the 3 and keep 3.1

The TV turner I was thinking about is:
Hauppauge, the HVR2250 I do have a S-video connection on the back of this sony could use that one to video it see how the picture looks might change it to the RCA.

thanks
dave

 

[Mike89]

Again that tv tuner will not do HD. That's what you have to decide if you want or not. If you want HD, you will have to contact Comcast to see of you need a HD set top box or see if the tuner on your TV will do HD.

 

[Sardonicus]

I haven't read all the posts before this, but,
Yes, the HVR-2250 will give you HD channels.
HD channels can be recorded in SageTV, MCE, GB-PVR and Beyond TV.
I have no problem watching HD recording through HDMI from my
HD5670 to my HDTV monitor.

 

[Mike89]

I was referring to cable channels. The HVR 2250 will do HD through Clear QAM channels only. In my area that is virtually non existent. So I guess it depends on how many Clear QAM channels you are fortunate enough to get. Those numbers are getting smaller and smaller every day. A quote from Hauppage on the HVR 2250.

Note: not all cable TV networks send clear QAM channels. Please check with your local cable operator for the availability of clear QAM digital cable TV.

 

[Sardonicus]

Again that tv tuner will not do HD. That's what you have to decide if you want or not. If you want HD, you will have to contact Comcast to see of you need a HD set top box or see if the tuner on your TV will do HD.

Many people can get broadcast HD channels through cable with the HVR-2250, but no, you won't be able to get non-broadcast HD channels over cable.

You are correct, the HVR-2250 doesn't do non-broadcast HD.

 

[dave8671]

I think I am not going to worry about this TV upstairs with HD I have that downstairs and with a DVR. My next isue will be being about to connect the PC_DVR to the TV with HDMI output if possible the VGA connection has issues so can't use that connection. and I would want sound but if I have to I will just use the RCA jacks back to stone age here.