ASUS TV/FM Card... HTPC Suitable?

[Skystalker]

I see that many of you are using some pretty expensive cards to power your HTPC... I am just planning on throwing some parts together, and recently bought this for my wife.

-Comes with some ASUS home theater software (not too bad, not as intuitive as I would like, but it does VCR, Timeshifting, FM, DVD, Picture slideshows, Music player, etc.)

-Has an i/r remote (a nice looking one that doesn't look cheap)

-TV and Audio quality is excellent (IMHO, many of you here know better, I am sure)

...the only real problem I have is the file size that it record to is (on minimum quality) about a gig an hour. It doesn't seem to work with other software (although it has a Phillips tuner/decoder.

linkage

My question is... is it worth trying to build a 1/2 decent HTPC around this set-up?

Oh, btw... it is retail ~$55 USD (~$80 CAD) -- that is why I bought it!

-Skystalker

 

[SJetski71]

Do you have the one with the blackbird chipset onboard? That would mean hardware encoding. Got anymore linkage to what specific card you have?

 

[Skystalker]

Honestly, I don't know... I will post the info from the chip.. stby.

it is a Phillips chip.. only one (looks like the picture on the site, but longer... I think they butchered that picture).

SAA7133HL / 101
CB844705
Tf03091

The exact model number is: TV7133/FM/LP (Rev 2.0)

I found this picture... mine is identical.

Phillips gives specifications on the chip here.

Does that help?!

Thank You!

-Skystalker

 

[codeflux]

unless you end up using some low-end software to watch tv, you DO NOT want that card.

get an ATI E-HOME WONDER - it too is low-profile, and has a hardware MPEG encoder onboard, the same one that's used in Hauppauge PVR-250. the reason that's important is that SageTV (www.sage.tv) supports that card!!! and it only costs $70, prob. even less now.

 

[SJetski71]

Does that help?!

Thank You!

-Skystalker

Not sure if "Phillips" would be the only chip(set) onboard, it still might be a blackbird chipset but i'm totally unsure. If you haven't bought already then....

unless you end up using some low-end software to watch tv, you DO NOT want that card.

get an ATI E-HOME WONDER - it too is low-profile, and has a hardware MPEG encoder onboard, the same one that's used in Hauppauge PVR-250. the reason that's important is that SageTV (www.sage.tv) supports that card!!! and it only costs $70, prob. even less now.

This sounds like a great deal, i never knew it was a hardware encoding. Software support should be a major consideration when considering a TV/capture card...unless that Asus one has the blackbird chipset (having my doubts based upon memory of how the card looked) then it might be worth considering.

 

[codeflux]

This sounds like a great deal, i never knew it was a hardware encoding. Software support should be a major consideration when considering a TV/capture card...unless that Asus one has the blackbird chipset (having my doubts based upon memory of how the card looked) then it might be worth considering.

one more thing - HOME E-WONDER does not come with any software - you need to plan to use something "third-party".

 

[sp00]

one more thing - HOME E-WONDER does not come with any software - you need to plan to use something "third-party".

Or windows MCE if you have a MSDN subscription or if you "magically" get a copy...

 

[CrimandEvil]

Your card uses the Philips SAA713x chipset and is a software based encoder, not really what you want for a dedicated HTPC. The gold standard is Hauppauge but right now cards that use the Conexant's "Blackbird reference design" are pretty good too. Hauppauge also has a "Blackbird" card out but only OEMs can get it right now. Later this week (Thursday I believe) Pc Alchemy will be stocking them but only with a Sage TV bundle, but I would suggest just getting one of the Bundles to save time and such. PC Alchemy has said that they are try to work out a deal with Hauppauge to sell the "Rosalyn" (thats what they call it) card.

http://htpcnews.com/main.php?id=pvr_card_id_guide

Avermedia m150- from what I've heard it's pretty good but the quality of the tuner is not as comparabily to Hauppauge's cards.

ATI E-Home Wonder- Excellent card from what I hear.

I believe you can use Got TV

 

[e.lectronick]

Hi,
I noticed you mentioned the Hauppauge card is the "Gold Standard". Which one do you mean? The Roslyn with the "Blackbird" chipset?
Seems like Hauppauge is the manufacturer of choice among those wanting to capture high quality. Any of their cards is cheaper than a 9800Pro ATI All In Wonder.

Dumb question, does hardware encoding mean I can't use HuffYUV? for lossless encoding?
Thanks,
-Erik.

 

[CrimandEvil]

The reference is to the 250 series, the Rosyln is new and needs time to mature.
As for using Huffy, the card encodes into MPEG 2 so you have to transcode it virtually making it totally useless (since huffy is lossless but trancoding is not).