TV Tuner Cards For HTPC Discussion

[Dimas]

Originally Posted by Wayne

How many of those 40 channels are HD?

Well, I've written I did not get any HD channels but I got about 10 channels “TV on Demand”! Of cause, I cannot control it, but I can watch it. In generally it is soccer, porno, and movies.
I’ve return Philips antenna and bought another one – Terk(15 CAD). I got very easy four channels with perfect quality. Antenna is inside. I did not get Buffalo yet.

Important. The quality of full screen is perfect, but overlay video in a window is terrible. Therefore, myHD 130 rather for output to HDTV TV set or full screen. For watching HDTV only on a computer FusinonHDTV is a better choice, I guess. Besides, there is a switcher from cable/antenna input, so 1 input in TV tuner maybe enough.

[Dimas]

Can I use TitanTV in Toronto? Which postal code should I use?
Is there a way to use TitanTV for digital 256Q channel ?

[protovision]

Originally Posted by Dimas

"It works on cable channel too. I got over 50 watchable digital channels from Rogers cable. Unfortunately they are all 480i programs (that's why they are free I guess)."

"When I use channel autoscan to scan "analog + digital" in rogers cable, I got three types of channels:
analog
digital encrypt 256Q
digital 256Q
...

So, is KWorld the only HDTV tuner on the market that has 2 coax inputs, one for OTA and one for QAM?

thx

[Dimas]

Originally Posted by protovision

So, is KWorld the only HDTV tuner on the market that has 2 coax inputs, one for OTA and one for QAM?

thx

I’ve bought MyHD 130 which has 2 coax inputs.
But I guess I could buy another card with only one input and use the switcher (5$) between cable and antenna.

[protovision]

Originally Posted by Dimas

I’ve bought MyHD 130 which has 2 coax inputs.
But I guess I could buy another card with only one input and use the switcher (5$) between cable and antenna.

thanks for reply, I was thinking more about having 2 different sources hooked up, and being able to record via EPG from either/both sources at the same time, say an OTA show and a QAM/analog show.

EDIT: oh yeah, I forgot that most HDTV cards have 1 tuner. (although I've read a bit about those upcoming cards with 2, one digital, one analog)

p.

[Gujustud]

woot, ncix now carries the avermedia MTVHDA180. Although its special order (1-2w), their price is better than Tigerdirect. Just ordered mine today. Can't wait to see if I can grab some OTA from Mt. Seymour, and run it to my new 2407!

[jwal]

Hi All,

I just installed an ATI HDTV in my Windows Media Center (WMC) computer and would like to set up channles for reception in Mississauga. When I entered my postal code when setting up the signal/program guide, it appeared that Media Center did not recognize the ATI HDTV card. I tried again usings the zip code for WIVB (zip for channel 4 TV in Buffallo) and WMC recognized the card, provided a list of local HDTV stations and proceeded to scan for signal strength on for the stations provided. I'm assuming that Canadian HDTV stations must be entered manually into WMC. If this is the case, can someone please provide a set-up list for GTA receivable stations (ie major channel number, minor channel number and frequency) as requested by WMC when manually adding HDTV stations. If this is not the approach used to establish Canadian HDTV channels in WMC, could someone please properly advise me as to the correct procedure.

Many thanks!

PS. I installed the original ATI software that came with the card and then downloaded/installed the latest software from the ATI web site. Is there anything else that I should do or be aware of?

[TedS]

By default, MCE doesn't allow ATSC (HD) tuners for Canada. You must enter a US postal code to enable your ATSC tuner. The problem with this is that you lose your local satelite/cable via the NTSC tuner(s).

There are work arounds to this, but require knowledge of Windows Registry.

Once it is enabled though, you can manually enter the Canadian signals.

Ted

[jwal]

Hi TedS,

Thanks for your input.

I did enter a Zip for location in Buffalo, NY and Windows Media Center (WMC) did supply a list of surrounding broadcasters. WMC does allow manual HDTV channel specification, but it requires the major/minor channel numbers and corresponding frequency. I just have to obtain this data from other HDTV tuner card users in the Greater Toronto Area for the Toronto HDTV channels.

JWAL

[emuu101]

I've posted some stuff for this a little while back..

http://sensuz.com/community/modules....viewtopic&t=13

[Joeboo]

Hey, I currently have a Digital HD box from rogers with most channels activated. I want to buy a QAM capable card for my PC like the dvico fusion 5 to watch and record digital HD tv. Because I'm already entitled to these channels do u think it's possible to talk to Rogers and get the card set up to decrypt the channels and be able to view everything. Can any card handle encrypted channels if it is set up properly?

[classicsat]

Originally Posted by Joeboo

Hey, I currently have a Digital HD box from rogers with most channels activated. I want to buy a QAM capable card for my PC like the dvico fusion 5 to watch and record digital HD tv. Because I'm already entitled to these channels do u think it's possible to talk to Rogers and get the card set up to decrypt the channels and be able to view everything. Can any card handle encrypted channels if it is set up properly?

Nope. You are SOL in getting HD video form Rogers into your PC.

The card cannot receive any encrpyted channels, nor is there any way for the provider to make it so that it does get your subscribed channels.

No card or other device you can buy will decode pay cable programming, save for the provider's STB.

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by Joeboo

Hey, I currently have a Digital HD box from rogers with most channels activated. I want to buy a QAM capable card for my PC like the dvico fusion 5 to watch and record digital HD tv. Because I'm already entitled to these channels do u think it's possible to talk to Rogers and get the card set up to decrypt the channels and be able to view everything. Can any card handle encrypted channels if it is set up properly?

Not unless Rogers ever starts supporting CableCard. If they do then the ATI OCUR (which will only work with Vista) will do what you want. For more on the OCUR see
http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2662

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by Wayne

Not unless Rogers ever starts supporting CableCard. If they do then the ATI OCUR (which will only work with Vista) will do what you want. For more on the OCUR see
http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2662

That ATI OCUR is a worthless POS here in Canada and no good for satellite anywhere. Why can't they make a card with a DVI or HDMI input as well as output? We could than run it from any HD receiver and have our own HD PVR. Sounds easy to me, but I'm no electrical engineer.

Don't mind me, I've spent most of the day trying to find a HDTV card with a DVI in. Sounds simple, but I can't find any such animal.

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

Why can't they make a card with a DVI or HDMI input as well as output? We could than run it from any HD receiver and have our own HD PVR. Sounds easy to me, but I'm no electrical engineer.

Because of the MPAA. I believe that the cable cos in Canada will eventually allow cable cards so the OCUR may still have some benefit to us eventually.