Best TV tuner card

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RayFinkle

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Joined
Sep 28, 2010
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I'm not sure if this is the section most appropriate for this question, but it seemed to be. If not, I apologize. I am looking to add a TV tuner card to my rig and really haven't got a clue where to begin. I am willing to spend up to $200, I would like it to be able to play in HD, record, schedule recordings, and be able to record while watching another channel. The software it uses isn't a big deal to me, although suggestions on what would be the best on this side would be appreciated.

Here are the specs of my comp (Not sure if they are needed for a good recommendation but just in case):

Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Cooler Master HAF 932
Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish
Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish
Processor: Intel Core i7 930 2.8GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: EVGA X58 LE Edition SLI (Intel X58 Chipset)
System Memory: 6GB DDR3 1600MHz Digital Storm Certified Performance Series (Highly Recommended) (Hand Tested)
Power Supply: 750W Corsair TX (Dual SLI Compatible)
Expansion Bay: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 1: Operating System: 1x (80GB Solid State (By: Intel) (Model: X25-M MLC Edition) (Extreme Performance)
Set 1 Raid Options: - No Thanks
Hard Drive Set 2: Multimedia\Data: 1x (500GB Western Digital (16MB Cache) (7200 RPM)
Hard Drive Set 3: Backup\Misc.: - No Thanks
Optical Drive 1: Blu-Ray Player/DVD Player (Play Blu-Ray and Play DVDs)
Optical Drive 2: - No Thanks
Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections)
Video Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 1.5GB (Includes PhysX Technology)
Add-on Card: - No Thanks
Sound Card: Integrated Motherboard Audio
Extreme Cooling: AIR: Stage 2: Noctua NH-D14 Extreme Performance (Does NOT fit on the regular EVGA X58 3X SLI)
H20 Tube Color: - Not Applicable, I do not have a FrostChill or Sub-Zero LCS Cooling System Selected
Chassis Airflow: Standard Factory Chassis Fans
Internal Lighting: Internal Chassis Lighting System (Blue)
Enhancements: - No Thanks
Chassis Mods: - No Thanks
Noise Reduction: - No Thanks
CPU Boost: FREE: Stage 1: Overclock the processor between 3.3GHz to 3.9GHz (Cooling Upgrade Recommended)
Graphics Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not overclock my video card(s)
Memory Boost: Memory Fan Kit Only (Does not include memory overclocking service)
OS Boost: - No Thanks, Please do not tweak the services on the operating system
Windows OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-Bit Edition)

Thanks for any help!
 
Happague 2250 is probably a good bet
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
Comcast cable where I am now and Charter cable when I go back to school next semester.
 
Are you going to be using set top boxes. Otherwise you will need a cablecard tuner and with what you want the only card is the ceton quad which is about 400 and in short supply.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
I do have a set top box but I was hoping I didn't have to use it. So you're saying the cable needs to run from the box in order for any of these solutions to work (except the one you said)?
 
None of the solutions will work for HD content/premium/encrypted content and a set top box outside of the HD-PVR (or a cable card solution, which there are really only 2 models, one of which is disconnected and not a dual tuner, and the aforementioned tuner which is currently in short supply, high demand). All the other tuners can only pick up what is transmitted "in the clear". If you want your 800+ channels and HD that isn't in the clear, you need a cable card tuner (or the HD-PVR). It sort of sucks, but them are the breaks.
 
RayFinkle said:
I do have a set top box but I was hoping I didn't have to use it. So you're saying the cable needs to run from the box in order for any of these solutions to work (except the one you said)?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, Comcast (at least in my area) requires the use of a set-top box or a CableCard tuner for everything. If you do buy a reasonably-priced TV tuner card, you'll be pretty much limited to over-the-air TV reception via an antenna.
 
So just to be clear (I don't know too much about any of this). I cannot get the channels I get on my current cable broadcast onto my computer without a high priced cablecard tuner?

I'm not sure if the previous explanations are describing how to unlock channels you don't get.. if so, I am only talking about what I would normally get on my TV, but instead on my computer.

If you're talking about even the channels I already get... then I am sad. :(
 
You are sad. Cable is encrypted to have to use a cablecard. Currently your card is in your set too box. So id not using the box your options are very limited
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
RayFinkle said:
So just to be clear (I don't know too much about any of this). I cannot get the channels I get on my current cable broadcast onto my computer without a high priced cablecard tuner?

I'm not sure if the previous explanations are describing how to unlock channels you don't get.. if so, I am only talking about what I would normally get on my TV, but instead on my computer.

If you're talking about even the channels I already get... then I am sad. :(
Click to expand...

Not really. It's just that your choices are extremely limited. You'll have to spend $400 for a tuner card in order to use it for Comcast and other CableCard services. And that's because Comcast has already encrypted everything except for the local over-the-air broadcast channels that you're already receiving without the set-top box. And as I stated Comcast requires the set-top box or a CableCard-compatible device just to even watch any of the encrypted channels.

And if you do choose to buy an inexpensive tuner card, the only way that you'll be able to watch anything through the tuner card on your computer without resorting to an over-the-air antenna would be to connect the analog outs from the set-top box (yes, you will need that box if you're going with an inexpensive tuner card) to the analog input that comes with the card's dongle (you will not get HD at all with this connection - but rather, a squeezed or letterboxed 4:3 SD). This is because none of the reasonably-priced tuner cards have any inputs other than the RF input and the conventional composite video input.
 
At this point the ATI CableCard tuner card on ebay is approaching the cost of the more expensive ClearQAM/ATSC/NTSC cards. This will get you what you want, the only problems are that there is only 1 tuner built in and its EOL, so no support from ATI. Also, no On Demand or channel guide, though if you use WMC it downloads the data you need. I took a chance on it and got it set up and love the results. It was worth it to hold me over until the Ceton card is actually attainable
 
Can someone post a link to whatever card would work, regardless of cost? I'm just curious.
 
Look up Ceton on google or ATI cablecard tuner on ebay. Both those products would do what you want, but the Ceton is $400 and OOS everywhere, while the ATI is discontinued.
 
If you want to get your full HD line up, there are only three options:

ATI TV Wonder™ Digital Cable Tuner:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/pctv/tv-wonder-tuners/pages/digital-cable-tuner.aspx
[note:this card, which is a single tuner, is discontinued and can only be obtained used, and is not being updated, so it will soon stop working on Verizon's network due to some upgrades on their part]

Ceton InfiniTV 4:
http://www.cetoncorp.com/products.php
[note:this card, which is a quad tuner, is backordered and in high demand, so you'll have to pay a premium to someone on ebay, or wait a few months perhaps? Don't quote me, I don't know the turn around time]

Hauppauge HD PVR
http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html
[note:this is an external box]


You can use most of the basic TV tuner cards and an IR blaster to watch TV, and even have a program like Windows Media Center change the channels and such, but this method doesn't allow HD content, as described above.

Also note, none of these solutions allow you to "steal" or descramble cable. You can only get what you pay for (and the 2 cablecard solutions need to be paired with a cable card that you get from... your cable company, which often costs a monthly fee).
 
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