Low Profile Tv Card? Whats the best for LinuxMCE

[jaynkeel]

I have searched a bit on the wiki and the forums am looking for some suggestions on what card people have had good results with. I have a low profile pc that needs a low profile card with bracket.  I was looking at the win tv hvr 2250 as it fits the bill, just haven't found anything listed recently if this card's abilities are fully up and running with LinuxMCE. The most recent article I found was from Aug this year. According to the wiki it's listed but with no ratings next to it. So if anyone is using this card for regular cable tv reception and it's working let me know. Thanks. I would also consider the hdhomerun but we only have a handful of clear qam in my area. Either way give me some feedback on either of these or your card, like I said just looking for suggestions that are current.

[mythtified]

I have not used that card but according to Linuxtv.org the digital portion works but the ntsc portion does not.  http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/ATSC_PCIe_Cards.  You may want to try a usb encoder.  I got the HVR-1950 to work with lmce.  The analog portion worked and I was able to scan digital channels.  There is a note though that the digital and analog tuners will not work at the same time so this sounds like an either or situation.

[jaynkeel]

As much as I would love to have only digital and hd, the reality is my time warner cable has about 10 channels on qam and of those only 2 or 3 I'd actually watch. I guess I am just caught in a pickle, I like the idea of the homerun but not sure if I should go with it. And as much as the wifey cleans and nosy kids in the house I could see a usb stick "falling out"  . But I will look into that one seeing as it is confirmed to work with the analog. Thanks for the input.

After pulling up that model I do see it's a separate box and not a dongle that sticks out the back. It does have possibilities..

[mythtified]

ebay is a good source for the older analog cards.  I picked up some pvr150s about a year ago for $15 apiece US.  They are pci cards and unfortunately those slots are becoming as scarce as hens teeth.  That was a reason I purchased the 1950 to see if it would work.  Another possibility are pcie cards.  I just some hvr1800 on ebay for about $25 us.  I ordered 2 for test.  They have separate digital and analog inputs so theoretically they should be able to work at the same time.  The digital could be connected to an external antenna to pick up broadcast digital while still being able to connect to analog cable.  Of course these have also been discontinued by hauppauge so ebay would probably be the best source for these.

[merkur2k]

if you are capturing an HD stream from a cable box, the usb HD-PVR is the only way to get that into mythtv in HD.

[jaynkeel]

I'm gonna do the pvr 150 for now, like I said I need the channels offered by the cable company, due to the crappy assortment thats available with qam here. Thanks for the input though. I will definitely look at the usb model mentioned earlier in the near future as I do like some of the options offered with that model, maybe by then we will have some more options with the qam in my area?

[merkur2k]

well the point i was trying to make is that you will be limited to SD only with cards like the pvr150 as you are forced to use svideo as the best connection. the HD-PVR captures HD from component video and is currently the only way to do HD with settop boxes.

[mythtified]

well the point i was trying to make is that you will be limited to SD only with cards like the pvr150 as you are forced to use svideo as the best connection. the HD-PVR captures HD from component video and is currently the only way to do HD with settop boxes.

Personally, I think the only problem with this is the cost.  The HD-PVR is quite a bit more expensive than the SD solutions plus if you wanted to record more than one HD channel at a time you are talking about multiple set-top boxes and HD-PVRs.  A less expensive HD solution would be an HD Home Run or some other usb/pcie HD card.  I do realize that this would only be good for unencrypted cable hd or OTA broadcast.