Best TV tuner software

J

Jivemiguel

Gawd
Joined
Sep 1, 2004
Messages
761
I just got an ATI 650 PCI TV tuner card (the recent woot.com offer). I've installed it and used the bundled software to verify that it works and the video looks fine and audio is great. But, the bundled software isn't that good.

So, I'm posting this to get input on the best TV tuner software available. Keep in mind that this will be used on a regular desktop PC, not an HTPC. I just want to be able to watch a little TV while I'm working, or watch the Lakers when the wife won't give up the remote. I'd like the option to watch in a window or full screen. I like the support for the TV program guide (whatever you call it), but that's not even 100% necessary. I'd prefer free software, but I'll pay if the software is good.

** EDIT ** I'm using Windows XP. (obviously NOT the media center edition).

Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
I've had good performance with WinTV 7, but I'm going to try WMC.
 
Windows Media Center, since it's pretty well integrated into Windows.
 
Yeah, WMC is pretty slick. However, it keeps trying to find the infrared hub before it'll finish configuring my set top cable box. I don't use an infrared hub so I'm stuck unless there's a way to bypass that step.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
Yeah, WMC is pretty slick. However, it keeps trying to find the infrared hub before it'll finish configuring my set top cable box. I don't use an infrared hub so I'm stuck unless there's a way to bypass that step.
Click to expand...

only if you have it configured to use a stb.... in which case you must use an ir blaster, it would be crappy not to.
 
krupted said:
only if you have it configured to use a stb.... in which case you must use an ir blaster, it would be crappy not to.
Click to expand...
I guess I'll have to dig out my IR blaster from wherever I stored it. I've just been using my universal remote to control the STB directly. Maybe I can remove the blaster once everything is installed.
 
I forgot to add that I'm using regular old Windows XP. I thought Windows Media Center only worked for Vista. If I can get it for XP, how do I go about doing that? I've searched and the MS site doesn't make it too obvious. They just say 'upgrade to windows 7' which I'm not ready to do.
 
Last edited:
The only way to get it for XP is it you purchased XP Media Center Edition.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
I guess I'll have to dig out my IR blaster from wherever I stored it. I've just been using my universal remote to control the STB directly. Maybe I can remove the blaster once everything is installed.
Click to expand...

you certainly can remove the blaster after you configure it and continue to use it the way you do. wmc only complains about that IR stuff in the setup... they do it like that for reliability reasons. this way stupid people wont setup their system wrong and then complain that microsoft cant make anything work.

i agree there should be an option to opt out of IR control in setup though, for advanced users... but microsoft strives to keep wmc as streamlined as possible (even though in the last couple years it's really starting to get intricate).
 
Well, I hooked up my IR receiver, got the driver installed correctly, connected it to my STB... and proceeded to waste a few hours trying to get WMC to recognize the damn receiver. Nothing I tried would work. Several web searches yielded virtually nothing of help. No matter what I tried, I just kept getting that hideous "IR Hardware Not Detected" message. :mad: :mad: :mad:

WinTV 7 isn't nearly as polished as WMC, but it's cheap ($12 shipped on CD from Hauppage), easy and it WORKS without the fucking IR receiver!!!
 
Mr. Wolf said:
Well, I hooked up my IR receiver, got the driver installed correctly, connected it to my STB... and proceeded to waste a few hours trying to get WMC to recognize the damn receiver. Nothing I tried would work. Several web searches yielded virtually nothing of help. No matter what I tried, I just kept getting that hideous "IR Hardware Not Detected" message. :mad: :mad: :mad:

WinTV 7 isn't nearly as polished as WMC, but it's cheap ($12 shipped on CD from Hauppage), easy and it WORKS without the fucking IR receiver!!!
Click to expand...
That's cause WMC uses and only uses an RC6 IR receiver. That means it doesn't work with any typical junk remote someone might have hiding in a drawer. Get a better remote and WMC will work with it. It's weird to say but at least MS has some kind of quality standard.... when it comes to WMC.
 
CrimandEvil said:
That's cause WMC uses and only uses an RC6 IR receiver. That means it doesn't work with any typical junk remote someone might have hiding in a drawer. Get a better remote and WMC will work with it. It's weird to say but at least MS has some kind of quality standard.... when it comes to WMC.
Click to expand...
I didn't try a junk remote I found in a drawer. I used the remote and receiver that's included with my tuner, which is certified to work with WMC. It works just fine with Tivo (though I don't use the service) and WinTV.
 
try plugging in both IR blasters to your IR receiver. restart the pc and then try again. win7 has this new hook that if you dont plug in both IR blasters it doesnt like to pick up the IR receiver... for whatever reason. if you dont have IR blasters, or your IR receiver isnt capable of the function, you might/probably need to get a real green button remote kit.

in case anyone is wondering, the hauppauge cards now ship with the pinnicle remote kit that ive always said work perfectly. now i know why, because apparently hauppauge makes them or at least designs them- http://www.videoguys.com/Item/PCTV+Remote+Kit+for+Windows+Media+Center/5363132323.aspx
 
My tuner only has one IR receiver. However, I jumped on eBay, last night, and found a Dell WMC RC6 IR receiver for $12 shipped. I just want to get WMC installed properly then yank the receiver. I do all my TV recording through my STB, anyway. I use the tuner more as P-in-P while working at my PC. Hope this works.
 
Last edited:
Okay, I finally got the proper IR receiver connected and fully configured WMC for my PC tuner.

Final verdict?

WinTV displays a much sharper picture for my tuner than WMC. No contest.
 
even when fullscreen? wmc looks like crap when shrunk to a pip sized mode.... at least it always has before, i havent tried win7 like that lately but im sure its still the same.
 
krupted said:
even when fullscreen? wmc looks like crap when shrunk to a pip sized mode.... at least it always has before, i havent tried win7 like that lately but im sure its still the same.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I tried watching the Vikings-Bears game on both WMC and WinTV, last night. WMC was choppy, grainy, blechh. I was really surprised. Also, WMC wouldn't detect a signal without the IR blaster connected. I hoped the blaster could be removed once WMC was set up properly. Nope. Gotta keep it connected. I use my STB and universal remote, so the blaster just gets in the way.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
Yeah, I tried watching the Vikings-Bears game on both WMC and WinTV, last night. WMC was choppy, grainy, blechh. I was really surprised. Also, WMC wouldn't detect a signal without the IR blaster connected. I hoped the blaster could be removed once WMC was set up properly. Nope. Gotta keep it connected. I use my STB and universal remote, so the blaster just gets in the way.
Click to expand...

I have no clue why you are getting such bad performance. My sig rig is connected to four tuners, two HD OTA Pinnacle 801e sticks, an old Hauppauge Win-TV-USB 2 analog tuner and a Hauppauge PVR-1950. Analog signals are a little grainy but looked no worse than any TV software I've use over the years.

Now HD signals are BEAUTIFUL! Can't wait for the new standalone CableCard tuners! At that point there will VERY little that I'll watch that won't be high def.
 
MythBuntu worked great for me but Windows Media Center has much smoother playback with my hardware.
 
powertower said:
MythBuntu worked great for me but Windows Media Center has much smoother playback with my hardware.
Click to expand...

+1. Well at least for the smooth playback. With my sig rig I can run Prime 95 large FFTs pegging my CPU at 100% and still get almost normal response from WMC.

But that has more to do with the 920 at 3.7 than anything else. These freeking CPUs are amazing.
 
krupted said:
wells thats completely out of line with my experiences :( your computer sucks? ;)
Click to expand...
My 950Q tuner + WinTV displays a clear, smooth picture (full screen or P-in-P) and doesn't require a IR blaster to work. WMC is exactly the opposite. Clear indication that my PC sucks. Such an insightful comment indicates that this thread's usefulness has come to an end.
 
GBPVR
It's free and has a very helpful forum. I have the ATI650 (as well as the HVR1600 and 2250) plus 1 internal and 1 external cable card tuner. It won't work with the cable card tuners but works very well with the other tuners. I must say that the quality of the Hauppauge tuners is much better for me on 2 systems than the ATI card. Just my .04.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
My 950Q tuner + WinTV displays a clear, smooth picture (full screen or P-in-P) and doesn't require a IR blaster to work. WMC is exactly the opposite. Clear indication that my PC sucks. Such an insightful comment indicates that this thread's usefulness has come to an end.
Click to expand...

Well, it all depends. Are we talking Vista MC here? For me, VMC was nothing but frustrating. If it wasn't for Win 7 I would have switched over completely to SageTV.

The reason you need the IR Blaster (only if you are using a STB) is because it allows Media Center to change the channel for you so that MC can do all the recording. If you don't want to record then you don't need the IR Blaster. Just keep using the remote like how you are but, honestly, if you're not going to allow MC to do all your recording for you and you prefer to be a slave to live broadcasting then that's cool (I guess). That's your choice (but, really, what's the point then?).

It's not that your PC sucks, just that Media Center doesn't do what you want it too do. It's much, much more then that.
 
Mr. Wolf said:
My 950Q tuner + WinTV displays a clear, smooth picture (full screen or P-in-P) and doesn't require a IR blaster to work. WMC is exactly the opposite. Clear indication that my PC sucks. Such an insightful comment indicates that this thread's usefulness has come to an end.
Click to expand...

stop what youre doing, go outside, light a cigarette and take a few drags. when someone winks at you it generally means theyre pulling your leg.... i was genuinely confused and concerned, i had come to an end of my own conclusions based on the information given.
 
CrimandEvil said:
Well, it all depends. Are we talking Vista MC here? For me, VMC was nothing but frustrating. If it wasn't for Win 7 I would have switched over completely to SageTV.
Click to expand...

the largest difference for me (at least with the livetv part) is how much easier it is to setup tuners. in vista, you had to do it certain ways and even use hacks to find all tuners. you cant really screw it up in win7, its really nice now. i did use vista mc as my main tv source for almost 3 years though, its not a horrible experience by any means.

i do notice, now that i look, that win7mc does scale properly and looks very good in a tiny little window now. with vista, it was terrible... and was always never fun to watch tv in the corner of the screen while web browsing or whatever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top