ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)I have used this TV card several months with Windows Vista and 7 x64 and have had no problem. No problems with Windows Media Centers. Just use the new driver from the ATI website instead of the one in the CD.

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Hauppauge 1229 WinTV-HVR-2250 White Box for System Builders Dual Hybrid PCI-E TV Tuner Board Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a relatively new product and I was skeptical as to whether it would work for me. There were very few reviews to help guide me. I'm happy to say that the tuner card installed easily, the drivers loaded properly, and both tuners (this is a dual tuner card) are functioning with my digital video recording software. I use Beyond TV and wasn't sure that the current version of BTV would recognize this new tuner device. I had some initial concerns in that the Hauppauge software that came with the tuner card wouldn't pick up one of my local channels (the weakest channel in my area). However, the BTV software successfully directed the tuner card to the weak channel and the tuners pull in a sufficiently strong signal for good reception. I'm delighted with this card and would recommend it. Just make sure you have the appropriate slot open in your computer to accept it. Double check the specs for the card and your computer to ensure compatibility. Oh yeah... you can order directly from Hauppauge for less than what Amazon has it priced at.

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Pinnacle PCTV HD PCI Card 23040 Review

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(More customer reviews)Go with Hauppauge. Pinnacles support service was terrible. The card works OK in XP but not very well in 7. I gave it away and went back to Hauppauge.

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Toshiba RS-TX20 DVD Recorder with 120 GB TiVo Series2 Digital Video Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a pretty nice unit. 120GB hard drive, which means 32 to 141 hours of recording capacity depending on video quality. MPEG encoding artifacts become pretty apparent in motion scenes at medium quality (94 hrs) so I'm sticking with High for most recordings, which means 46 hrs storage on the hard drive. Of course the great positive here is that you can archive to DVD the stuff you want to keep. There's no editing of the material before you burn, but if you have a PC at home, you can always rip the DVD and probably edit more easily there. This unit, as well as the Pioneers, has a major advantage in that it comes with TiVo basic (3-day program guide, no "season pass", "wish lists" or home media features) so you don't have to pay TiVo the $13/mo subscription unless you really want that stuff.
A few nits:
* menus can seem pretty slow at times, as does the program guide
* does not display amount used/free on hard drive
* even "live tv" is displayed with "best" compression (i.e. not the native line-in signal)
* DVD burns are only at the same quality you originally recorded the show
* remote is too symmetrical; i've pointed it the wrong way 3 times already!
* $100 rebate requires perhaps 10-12 weeks of premium TiVo subscription
As for the HD complainers, come on. How many people are even receiving HD content, let alone recording it? Since the dawn of analog videotape, home recording options have always been inferior in quality to broadcast/prerecorded-content. I agree that if you have satellite HD, it's much more compelling to go with an integrated DVR/converter box that can save the programming in its native format. But most of us don't live in that world. We just want to time-shift our shows. I had been using a VCR up till now and this is much better. I don't doubt there will be better recorders in the future, but this is a nice combo IMHO.
BTW, I suggest doing a websearch/price-compare as you may not find your best deal here (hint hint).

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Toshiba's RS-TX20 Digital Media Server is two high-tech components in one: a full-featured DVD recorder/player and a TiVo Series2 digital video recorder with free TiVo Basic service included with purchase. The unit's high-capacity, 120 GB hard-disk drive (HDD) stores up to 140 hours of audio/video storage (depending on the quality level you select), while DVD recording gives you the option for archiving your VHS and camcorder footage and for easy recording of your favorite TV programs. A convenient, front-panel DV input (IEEE 1394) is perfect for quick transfers of camcorder material onto the hard-disk drive and then to DVD.The unit also comes with a 45-day free trial of the TiVo Plus service so you can try features unique to the TiVo Plus service, including the ability to search for programs by title, set up Season Pass recordings for your favorite shows, and create actor, director, and keyword WishLists searches.With TiVo Basic Service included and without paying a subscription fee, you can record your favorite TV shows onto the HDD and watch them on your schedule. You can also record content from the hard disk drive to a DVD media (DVD-R or DVD-RW--does not record to DVD-RAM discs) quickly and easily. The easy-to-use TiVo interface can automatically create a DVD menu for easy navigation. DVDs can be named according to your program selections, or you may manually enter a title.This is a great DVD player, too. Whether your living room is currently home to an HDTV or you're merely thinking of "someday," the RS-TX20 will deliver the full potential of your commercial DVDs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, gives you higher resolution and sharper images than standard 480i signals while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. Toshiba's Digital Cinema Progressive feature (3:2 pulldown detection and reversal) digitally corrects frame distortion in film-based material to display a film-frame-accurate picture.The recorder/player offers 1 set of ColorStream Pro component-video outputs (selectable for 480p/480i), 2 composite-video-based AV inputs, 1 S-video input, and 1 RF coaxial input (for an antenna signal or a feed from an older VCR or cable box). A set of left/right analog-audio outputs channel audio to Dolby Pro Logic receivers and stereo televisions, while both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's Toslink optical digital-audio output for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.The DVD drive is fully compatible with your MP3 and WMA music CDs and will even play discs full of your favorite JPEG digital photos for ready-made slide shows right in your living room.A supplied IR blaster cable for cable-box and satellite receiver control (C3 Control) connects to the back of the recorder and transmits an infrared (IR) signal to change channels on your cable or satellite box, as needed, for advance recording--freeing you from having to pretune the correct channel ahead of time.The included, no-fee TiVo Basic service features a 3-day rolling program guide, TV "Trick Play" features (such as the ability to pause and rewind live TV), instant replay/instant skip, and manual recording capability with repeat function. The unit is fully upgradeable to the TiVo Plus Service (subscription required: $12.95 per month or a "product lifetime" fee of $299 that's good for as long as your RS-TX20 remains operational), which includes TiVo's Home Media Option for remote (online) scheduling, access to MP3/JPEG digital media files from your PC, and multi-room viewing with no additional TiVo receivers.What's in the Box DVD/HDD recorder/player, a remote control, remote batteries, an IR blaster cable, a user's manual, a stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, and warranty/registration information.

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TiVo TCD648250B Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)I've recently upgraded from the original TiVo to the new "Series3" HD TiVo. This review was written with the new Series3 out for less than one month, so some of the shortcomings listed below may have been addressed by the time you read this.
TiVo did a spectacular job with the hardware. The recorder can hold ~35 hours of HDTV or ~300 hours of non-HD programming, which is significantly more than cable company-provided DVRs. The Series3 can record two shows at once -- either OTA (connect an antenna to receive the networks) or cable via CableCards, and if you have a recent HDTV, the TiVo can output all the recording via HDMI (a pure digital connection between the TiVo and your HDTV). It also contains a host of less major upgrades (back lit remote, an OLED display, etc) that improve upon the famous TiVo experience.
I should point out that, at the time of writing, the Series3 is missing functionality that is available on older TiVos, such as ability to export shows to your PC, iPod, etc (TivoToGo), and the ability to view shows recorded on the Series3 on other TiVos in your house (Multi-room viewing). If these are important to you, you may want to delay your purchase until this functionality is added (currently, there is no guarantee they will be available). I rated the item as "4 stars" because of the missing functionality.
If you plan on viewing only OTA (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc via an antenna) programming, you can stop reading this review, since the rest of it deals with using TiVo with cable company supplied CableCards.
Most people who purchase a TiVo Series3 do so with the intention of using it with their cable service, and the only way to receive digital (non-basic) cable service on the Series3 is with the use of cable company-supplied CableCards. Unlike older TiVos, a cable box cannot be connected to the Series3. If you plan on using a Series3 with cable, be aware that getting and installing CableCards *can* be very difficult, and you may wish to check with your cable provider prior to purchasing the Series3. Some caveats, based on my experience with the second largest cable provider:
(1) The customer service agents flatly refused to provide CableCards for use in a TiVo. It required multiple calls and escalations to finally have a manager "approve" the install. You should note that cable companies are *required*, by law, to provide CableCards for compatible devices. Most cable companies charge a monthly fee (usually less than $2) for each CableCard.
(2) Some cable companies require a technician to "install" the cards on premises, which may cost you $35 - $45 for the install (again, check with your cable co). Unfortunately for me, the installer couldn't activate the cards. This also appears to be a frequent issue at the time of writing. Multiple calls later, I finally found a customer service agent who was able to activate both cards.
(3) With CableCards, you cannot receive OnDemand and Pay Per View events. You should also note that some cable companies are placing channels on "Switched Digital Video" (SDV). SDV channels are not compatible with the Series3, so check with your cable provider.
(4) Finally, if you subscribe to a cable package such a digital cable + broadband Internet, you cable price may not go down if you return your set-top box. In my case, the price would actually have *increased* since, without the cable box, since I would not be eligible for the package pricing. Needless to say, I kept the cable box.
Overall, I am satisfied with my Series3. The initial installation problems caused a couple of headaches, but once resolved, it has performed quite well. Some of cable company problem might become less frustrating once the cable co gains more experience with this product.

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World's first thx -certified digital video recorder delivers high-quality home theater a/v experience with 300-hour recording capacity easily connects to home network with built-in ethernet & usb ports records 2 live digital cable channels at once while user watches a pre-recorded show finds & records shows by title actor sports team or keyword schedules recordings anywhere from the web includes remote

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Sabrent ATSC and Digital TV Tuner PCI Card with Remote Control TV-PCIDG Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased three of these and two worked right out of the box. One did not and is currently in the RMA process. The cards were meant to replace Hauppauge 150's that will not support QAM cable. (I also bought two Hauppauge 1255's and more about that in a minute.) After I got the scan done, it took me a minute or two to figure out the scheduling software -- but once familar with it -- it went smoothly.
The Sabrent cards come with a SMALL disc containing drivers and an application called BlazeTV. Don't lose the disc sleeve as it contains the applications serial number and you will be prompted to enter it. After getting the whole thing set up properly -- I watched a few channels and then decided to pull the card and install one of the Hauppauge 1255's. The Sabrent is a PCI bus card and the Hauppauge (this model) is a PCI-e. The performance between the two was impressive(!) and not in the way you might expect.
The Sabrent actually outperformed the Hauppauge, much to my surprise. In fact, the recordings from the Hauppauge were virtually unwatchable, while the Sabrents played in my native VLC without a hitch. (I did discover that by default the Sabrent is set up to record one CD size file and then begin another file for another CD size segment. It is quite possible that a 90 minute show could take 3 or more CD sized files. I corrected that by going into options and resetting the file size to a much larger value.)
I also tried a Hauppauge 1600 and was very dissapointed with it. Although it is a PCI card -- it requires two distinct antenna connections. (One for analog and one for digital.) To be fair -- all of my testing went on with an Asus K8N or P5RD1. Not exactly the fastest boxes on the market, but what I had on hand.
Bottom line for me is: Sabrent is well worth the price for the under $50 market. Hauppauge requires more horsepower -- but comes with a better application (WinTV 7). I will probably add a couple more sabrents to my little farm.

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ATI TV Wonder HD 600 PCIE PC TV Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)I was able to get this card on a woot special of $19.99 and had the card installed in 5 minutes working perfectly in a quad-core Dell XPS using Windows 7 Media Center which immediately picked up all my analog and digital HD channels. I ignored the install CD and went straight to the ATI TV Wonder website: [...]. I installed the ATI Theater Drivers for Windows v10.3 (3/23/10) and then opened Windows Media Center which recognized the tuner and picked up every single analog and digital channel that I was expecting. Awesome card to get HDTV and DVR on your Windows 7 PC. This works just as well as my Elgato EyeTV 250+ on OSX 10.6.2 Snow Leopard for those of you that also have Macs to give you a comparison. I suspect the new drivers dated 3/23/10 corrected many of the problems that prior reviewers described.
**Update 5/28/10**
I've used this card to record HD channels such as NCAA Final Four and other shows and this card works great with Windows 7 Media Center. Not a single problem with freezes or reboots!

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ATSC NTSC Hybrid HDTV PCI TV Tuner /Digital Video Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)Hi, this package is great. I've used TV tuner cards for several years and seen them develop. This card is by far more mature than anything I've used. It's very easy to use, the interface is like a TIVO and the functions are fairly intuitive. Overall, I give it high marks and am satisfied with my purchase.

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TiVo TCD652160 HD Digital Video Recorder Review

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(More customer reviews)First, I need to inform you that all of my home television programming comes from an antenna on my roof. No cable or satellite whatsoever.
When the Series 3 debuted earlier this year, I contacted TiVo about recording two HD channels at the same time from an antenna and was told that would not occur. That one would be in HD and the other in standard definition. That, along with the price made me pass on this unit.
When the TiVo HD came along, I contacted TiVo again and was told by one technician that it WOULD record two HD shows and by another that it would not. With the cheaper price, I decided to give it a try and am glad that I did so.
I am happy to report that this unit will definitely record two high definition programs at the same time from an antenna. No splitters, amplifiers or other hardware. Just plug it into the Antenna connector on back of the box.
Setup and activation was easy. The most difficult part was figuring out the maze of cables behind my TV and Stereo amplifier, but that is hardly TiVo's fault. I already had it set up when I called to activate the box. When I got off the phone and turned it on, it was ready to download the Guide. Very hassle free.
The remote, while nothing fancy, has a good layout of buttons and is programmable so that it will turn my TV on and allow me to change its inputs while the volume and mute buttons control my amplifier. About the only other thing I need for it to do is actually turn the stereo on. But getting up once to turn on the stereo is a small price to pay for being able to record HD programs and pause live TV.
On some forums users have been reporting macro-blocking and pixelation when using some cable cards. I have no experience with that, but can report that I have not seen this problem using an antenna. In fact, I see no difference at all in the quality of the broadcast than I did when the signal went directly to my television.
After a bit over a week's use I have no complaints at all with the product or service and would recommend it to others.

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TiVo HD is a smart addition to any high-definition TV, combining the clarity of high definition with the smart, easy-to-use TiVo Service?. It works with any cable set-up. It connects to any home network, so you get access to the best of both broadcast and broadband content. It downloads the latest movies straight from the Internet to your living room. It can pause, rewind, and slow-motion your favorite moments with razor-sharp HD clarity. Plus, TiVo HD connects to virtually any cable service via CableCARDs1, so it replaces your existing cable box.
TiVo HD FeaturesSearch for HD movies and sports: With our intelligent search features, you can easily find a specific director, actor, player, or team among the world of both broadcast and broadband content. Prefer to see a movie in high definition? Do a WishListTM search and the TiVo service will automatically record the HD version and place it in your Now Playing List.
Record movies in HD: When recording with TiVo HD, you have the option of capturing shows in standard or high definition. Plus, when you play them back, you can easily pause or rewind HD instant replays without ever sacrificing their original razor-sharp HD resolution.
Download movies from the Internet: Don't see any great movies in your cable program guide? You can easily select a classic or new release from the world's largest movie library, order them with a click of your remote control, and have them downloaded directly to your TiVo box.
Access your music library with the remote: When you connect your TiVo DVR to your home network, your HDTV can connect right to millions of songs and playlists available over the Internet. You can now enjoy digital music on the best sound system in the house.
Schedule an HD premiere: With TiVo, you can do your TV scheduling from any computer when you are away from home. Log onto TiVo.com, click on a show, and you're done.

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ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Combo USB PC TV Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)I first bought the ATI TV Wonder HD 650 PCIE card to go in my computer (a Gateway SX2800), but discovered that the card is about 1/8" too long to fit (runs into the DVD drive). So I returned the card and picked up the external USB version instead. I went with the HD 650 because it offered dual tuning and was on great sale at the local big box retailer ($30 PCIE and $40 USB).
I'm running Windows 7 and wanted a dual TV tuner to use with Media Center. I currently have standard definition cable running into the analog input (very basic cable, no fancy channels). I hope to get a digital antenna soon to test out the digital input, and if that works okay then I'll replace the analog TV with an FM radio antenna or leave the analog cable to allow recording of one channel and watching another.
So when I first got the unit, I plugged it straight in and let Windows deal with it. It appeared to recognize it and load drivers okay. Then I went to set it up in Media Center. That went okay, too, and it didn't indicate any problems. BUT then when I tried to watch TV all I got was a black screen. I discovered that I could unplug the unit and plug it back in and it would work perfectly fine. Fine, that is, until I exited MC. Launching MC again brought it back in the unusable state. Unplugging always fixed it though. There was also a scary incident where the computer blue screened and crashed, then couldn't find the hard drive to boot from. Not sure it was related the tv tuner or not, but after unplugging the SATA cables and re-seating them on the motherboard it was able to boot again.
Having to unplug it every time I wanted to watch TV wasn't acceptable, and I was afraid I would have to return it. I decided to try upgrading the drivers first. I downloaded the latest driver from the ATI website and ran the .exe file. Turns out that is not enough. You have to go into the device manager and manually update the driver by pointing it to the appropriate folder. Once I did that, VOILA it seems to be working as expected now! The picture looks really good (at least as good as it did on the TV's tuner) and all the TIVO-esque functionality is there (which is great!).
So getting it working was a bit of a pain and a little bit scary, but so far so good. Now to test out the digital tuner...

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Miglia Digital TV Recorder for Mac Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're anything like me, you spend a lot of your time with your Mac, Browsing the web, listening to itunes, making the occasional iMovie. The only thing other than work and friends that competes for my time is the occasional TV show. That is where the folks at Miglia come in. They know you love your mac and they know you're busy and don't always have time in your schedule to sit down and watch a full hour of "LOST." They even know that you get up during the commercials to send a quick email, but that invariably something will happen that keeps you from getting back to the show and you miss the next segment. They know all this... and they've done something about it.
The TVMini HD is a cute little peripheral about as big as a mouse (optical not animal). The design appears to draw from the iPod, as the majority of it's smooth rounded case resembles stainless steel (iPod mini) and the front and back are adorned with shiny white plastic (Classic iPod good-ness). The TVMini HD(tm) is a compliment to any desktop and looks especially nice next to my 20" iMac. The front of the unit contains three blue LED's which at a glance can tell you if it's on, how good your signal strength is, and when a show is being recorded.
The rear of the unit has but two connections, USB-2 and a coaxial cable terminal. The fact that the unit is powered via USB means there is no power-brick to worry about and keeps potentially messy cables to a minimum.
The TVMini HD has the capability to decode, pause and record ATSC/Clear QAM broadcasts. It will let you watch unencrypted digital TV content, but is not compatible with paid digital cable or satellite services. Many cable TV providers broadcast free-to-air digital channels on their networks. TVMini HD(tm) supports resolutions of up to 1080i (1920x1080) and transfers the digital video stream to your Mac without modifying it in anyway keeping the original quality.
I am cheap, I don't pay for digital cable so I haven't been able to use the TVMini HD in the latter capacity. However I do have a nice ATSC antenna in my attic and when I plugged the TVMini HD into it, I was able to pick up 26 channels 6 of which are HD. The TVMini HD ATSC video fills the majority of my 20" monitor and gives a much better picture than Standard Definition TV.
1920x1080 signals are crisp and will fill many Mac screens - leaving just over 2" on the bottom of my iMac. You can view the broadcasts at "Half size" and "Small size but they look too good at the normal size, not to make this your default. If you have a 20" monitor and a Dual G4, G5, or a CoreDuo processor you will find that the Miglia TVMini HD provides a wonderful TV viewing experience on your Mac.
The included Elegato EyeTV software is intuitive, good looking, and just plain works great. The program guide is what I was most interested in and it works well, at first I had a hiccup getting the actual program information to show up so that I could schedule a recording, but once it started working, it was flawless. Once you have a show recorded, the EyeTV software continues to be useful, allowing you to edit out commercials (saving space on your HDD!) and includes one button support for burning the content to DVD, and/or conversion to the iPod's video format (it will also automatically import the file into iTunes for easy synching or playback via Front Row).
Out of the box you have everything you need to watch HDTV on your mac. The small antenna they provide will get you by in a pinch (I was able to pick up 7 channels, 3 being HD). The included remote control is nice and works well, but it would be nice if you could access EyeTV's new full screen menu (which functions much like Apple's Front Row) using only the remote. The included "protective carrying case" is a nice touch, keeping it looking good on your travels and your friends drooling.
For people who don't want to spend a fortune to get the benefit of HDTV Miglia's TVMini HD is perfect. You get HDTV (as well as SD) decoding, PVR capability, and program guide data from a small portable device. Plus the small size and attractive appearance compliment your desktop.
I recommend this product to anyone who loves TV. The TVMini HD is especially nice for those of us in the military, since we're often loo

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Channel Master CM-7000PAL Digital Video Recorder, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll preface this review with the disclosure that I own the Echostar version of this product, the DTVPal-DVR (actually, I own three of them). While these are the same physical units as the Channel Master CM-7000PAL offered here (Echostar is the OEM for the Channel Master) the firmware is slightly different and Channel Master provides its own independent warranty and customer service program.
This DVR is an excellent value in comparison with similar offerings. In fact, it is one of the few DVRs which has been designed for Over-The-Air (OTA) recording of digital TV, rather than tied to a cable or satellite service. There are no subscription or licensing fees required for operation, nor any feature limitations imposed. The DVR includes two independent High Definition (HD) tuners, which permits the simultaneous recording of two HD broadcasts and playback of a third previously recorded show. Input from an external antenna is via a standard coax RF connector, and the tuners have better than average ability to lock onto distant stations. HD video output is provided via HDMI and/or analog component outputs, and standard definition video is available via analog composite and/or RF coax (including pass through of antenna signal to TV). Audio is transmitted via HDMI, optical digital, and analog outputs. The digital audio ports support Dolby Digital output for both live and recorded shows.
There is no compression or re-encoding of the recorded material, so playback is exactly the same quality of the original broadcast. It should be noted, however, that output resolution (480p, 720p, 1080i, etc) is set via menu selection and does not automatically switch dependent on broadcast resolution. This just means that by default any scaling required (if any) will be done by the DVR rather than your TV - a function which will be unnoticed by most viewers.
A complete channel guide is provided. This is noteworthy, as many OTA units provide guide information for only the currently tuned channel. Eight (8) days of full channel guide info is obtained from the TVGuide service supported by many major stations, otherwise the more limited PSIP data is downloaded from the individual stations themselves. The DVR does a good job of combining the two in cases where TVGuide information is available for some, but not all, of the tuned channels.
Recordings can be started manually, and if the tuner has been on the current channel prior it is possible to record from the beginning of a show even if it is already in progress. Scheduled recordings are set via the channel guide, and are time-based. This means that a recording will commence at the time/date initially set even in cases that the show's timeslot has been moved. This is an important point and one area where the DVR falls a bit short compared to other (more expensive) units which feature name-based recordings, auto-skip of reruns, etc. This DVR's scheduling capabilities are more akin to a traditional VCR with the addition of a channel guide for reference.
All display material, both live and recorded, can be paused, rewound, fast-forwarded, and put into slow motion. A convenient button on the remote provides an automatic skip forward of 30 seconds, which when pressed multiple times corresponds almost exactly with a commercial break.
An Ethernet port is provided for automated firmware updates, or updates can be manually transferred via a "thumb drive" to the included USB port. The built-in hard drive is capable of storing up to 30 hours of HD material, or 150 hours of standard definition recordings (though this is determined solely by the station - you cannot choose to record HD material in SD format). Other than a somewhat tricky opening procedure for the case, replacing the hard drive for higher capacity is fairly easy and reliable (though not supported by the manufacturer).
In closing, it should be noted that the original DTVPal-DVR units (such as mine) on which the Channel Master is built have had a somewhat rocky history. Early versions of the firmware had a range of issues, some which were simply annoyances and others which were a serious impairment to usability. However, the most recent firmware, released several months ago and initiated prior to the OEM agreement with Channel Master, has proven to be quite stable and reliable. Having three units used on a daily basis in my home, the oldest of which has been in use since product introduction well over a year ago, leaves me confident in recommendation of the DVR for anyone interested in a great value, fairly well-featured OTA DVR.

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Hauppauge 1196 WinTV-HVR-1250 PCI-E x1 TV Tuner TV Tuners 1196 Review

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(More customer reviews)Pros:
One of the lowest cost Hybrid Tuner Cards out there that can do both Analog and Digital Tuning. It works well, can view a clear picture on the computer, smooth, NOT choppy nor freezes. Includes WinTV7 which is needed to watch digital channels (ATSC or clear QAM), Windows Media Center only supports Analog (NTCS) Channels. The card is small (1/2 Height with 1/2 Height headers that can be swapped on) and its PCIe so it will fit a PCIeX1 or PCIeX16 slot.
64Bit supported just as well as 32Bit, running this on Vista Home Premium 64Bit.
Cons:
Does NOT have a MPEG Encoder chip, so no hardware conversion of the Analog signal, your CPU will have to work harder to do a software MPEG conversion. With weaker CPU's that might be a problem, my Athlon X2 6000+ runs at 40%-50% utilization while watching analog channels. I'm pretty sure Digital Channels do NOT need a MPEG Encoder chip, the digital signal is already streamed as MPEG, and watching digital channels my CPU utilization is 15%-30%, more often at the lower end near 15%.
Like mentioned, WinTV7 can crash suddenly, but restarts and runs fine after a crash. Its NOT to often, but enough that its more than a fluke. Runs just as well 64Bit as 32Bit. Remember, you can't watch Digital Channels in Windows Media Center, only analog, you'll need WinTV7 or another 3rd Party Program to watch Digital Channels.
Other:
Windows 7 will support Digital Channels in Windows Media Center.
If your cable company offers clear QAM, Comcast in my area has a digital alternative for every analog channel as well, so I can get every channel they offer in digital, then there is NO reason to pay extra for a Tuner Card with a MPEG encoder chip onboard, its NOT needed for Digital Channels. I'm pretty sure its NOT used at all for digital channels.
Remember, this card is PCI"e" NOT PCI, it will NOT fit your PCI slots, its for PCI"e"X1 or even PCI"e"X16 slots.

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The Hauppauge 1196 WinTV-HVR-1250 lets you watch, pause and record both digital and analog television on your PC, in a window or full screen. With PVR software you can also record television onto your computer for viewing later without slowing down your computer. Thanks to MPEG-2 encoding, video quality is superb.
Watch High-definition Digital TV on Your Computer The WinTV-HVR-1250 lets you watch ATSC digital TV as well as QAM digital TV and analog cable TV directly on your computer. ATSC digital TV, which typically requires an antenna for reception, is the over-the-air HDTV standard for North America. ATSC broadcasts range in resolution from standard definition up to the high definition 1080i format. (To check the ATSC digital transmissions in your area, input your zip code at titantv.com.)
The WinTV-HVR-1250 also lets you watch and record QAM channels, which are unencrypted digital channels broadcast by your local cable operator. If you don't have access to digital television channels yet, you can also watch regular analog cable television. And with the included remote control, you can control your cable TV or satellite set top box.
In addition to high-definition video, the card also features a dbx-TV stereo decoder for great TV sound. The card has S-Video and stereo audio inputs that allow for connecting VCRs or cable/satellite set top boxes.
Your Own Personal Digital Video Recorder! With the included software, you can easily record TV shows to your hard disk using MPEG-2. Several recording options are available depending on your playback needs; higher quality video requires more disk space. Generally, 5 gigabytes of disk space is used per hour of ATSC digital TV recordings, and 1.5 gigabytes of disk space is used per hour of Analog recording using Hauppauge's SoftPVR for Windows XP and Media Center.
With the WinTV-Scheduler software, you can easily schedule the recordings of your favorite television shows daily, weekly, or just once. You can then play back the recordings at your leisure, burn them onto CD or DVD for playback on another computer or your television, or with video editing software (not included), you can even edit the shows. This is great for saving favorite movie clips, clips of your home team's dramatic last-second win, or your favorite player's grand slam.
The Hauppauge 1196 WinTV-HVR-1250 plugs into a PCI express X1 or X16 slot, and is compatible with Windows Vista, XP with Service Pack 2, and Windows XP Media Center Edition. With XP-MCE and Vista, you can add the WinTV-HVR-1250 as either the primary or secondary TV tuner. The Microsoft Media Center application supports up to two TV tuners so if you have a second tuner in addition to the WinTV-HVR-1250, you can watch one channel while recording another.
What's in the Box WinTV-HVR-1250 PCI Express bus TV tuner, remote control with batteries, remote control receiver cable, WinTV software CD-ROM, quick installation guide, and half-height bracket for use in low-profile chassis.

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Hauppauge 1128 WinTV-HVR-1850 Internal Hybrid TV Tuner/Video Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a full height, single slot PCIe X1 board, which means it fit perfectly in the top slot on an nVidia 680i mobo with 2 8800 cards configured in SLI.
The 1800 installed in my Vista 64 Bit system flawlessly despite that the enclosed CD only had drivers for XP. Didn't even need it because Vista installed the drivers from on line automatically. Slick!
Integration with Vista 64 Media Center was automatic.
I'm just hooked up to analog cable and FM so I can't speak about the digital qualities just yet, other than to say the analog picture looks fantastic. Somehow I'm not too worried. The tuner just feels right and solid, not like some funky finicky A*I kludge.
The IR Media Center Remote Control is a real remote control and though some of the buttons are incredibly small I can't complain too much. It comes with batteries and works well with the USB Remote Receiver. Vista 64 installed drivers for this as well. I'm stunned.
And so far very, very happy with this purchase.
Just a heads up, ANTonline shipped me a white box and not a retail package.

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The Hauppauge 1128 WinTV-HVR-1850 includes dual TV tuners to let you watch both digital and analog television on your PC, in a window or full screen. With PVR software and built-in hardware MPEG-2 encoding, you can also record television onto your computer for viewing later without slowing down your computer.
Watch High-definition Digital TV and Listen to FM Radio on Your Computer With dual format TV tuners, the WinTV-HVR-1850 lets you watch ATSC digital TV as well as QAM digital TV and analog cable TV signals. ATSC digital TV, which typically requires an antenna for reception, is the over-the-air HDTV standard for North America. ATSC broadcasts range in resolution from standard definition up to the high definition 1080i format. (To check the ATSC digital transmissions in your area, input your zip code at titantv.com)
The WinTV-HVR-1850 also lets you watch and record clear QAM channels, which are unencrypted digital channels broadcast by your local cable operator. If you don't have access to digital television channels yet, you can also watch regular analog cable television.
In addition to high-definition video, the card also features a dbx-TV stereo decoder for great TV sound. The card has Composite/S-Video and audio inputs that allow for connecting VCRs or cable/satellite set top boxes.
With a built-in FM radio tuner, you can also sit back and listen to top 40 hits or your favorite talk radio while you are working on your latest project.
Your Own Personal Digital Video Recorder With the included software, you can easily record TV shows to your hard disk using MPEG-2. Several recording options are available depending on your playback needs; higher quality video requires more disk space. Generally, 5 gigabytes of disk space is used per hour of ATCS digital TV recordings. Thanks to the built-in hardware MPEG-2 encoder, your PC continues to run at full speed even while recording.
With the WinTV v7 scheduler, you can easily schedule the recordings of your favorite television shows daily, weekly, or just once. You can then play back the recordings at your leisure, burn them onto CD or DVD for playback on another computer or your television, or with video editing software (not included), you can edit the shows. This is great for saving favorite movie clips, or of your favorite teams dramatic last-second win or your favorite player's grand slam.
Windows Media Center Compatible with Included Remote The Hauppauge 1128 WinTV-HVR-1850 plugs into a PCI-Express x1 or x8 slot, and is compatible with Windows 7, Vista, or Windows XP, and Windows XP Media Center Edition. With Windows 7 and XP-MCE, you can add the WinTV-HVR-1850 as either the primary or secondary TV tuner. Microsoft's Windows Media Center application supports up to two TV tuners so you can watch one channel while recording another.
Included in the package is a Media Center certified remote control that allows you to have all your digital entertainment within easy reach, even while you are lounging on your couch.
What's in the Box WinTV-HVR-1850 PCI-express card, Media Center Remote kit, CD-ROM with WinTV software.

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Hauppauge 1192 WinTV HVR-1950 External USB HDTV Tuner/Video Recorder Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is my second tuner and far exceeds the 'average' tuner I purchased at a local electronics store. Hauppauge provided excellent customer service helping me decide which tuner was best for my computer and my needs. I have a new HP system running Vista 64-bit and wanted a tuner to run with the Media Center already installed. It did not come with a TV tuner. The HVR-1950 model 1192 comes with an external MPEG-2 encoder which doesn't draw resources from the computer. Great for watching TV while working in other programs simultaniously. It also comes with it's own viewing program (WinTV V6) which I find relatively user friendly but I prefer to use Media Center for TV viewiewing, recording, and scheduling. The USB connection makes installation easy. Setup in Media Center was simple and picture quality and sound is as good as fatory installed Hauppauge tuners.
The package also comes with an FM radio antenna, remote control, and IR Blaster to control channel changing on cable or satellite boxes.
My only complaint was over the initial setup. Although the instructions are fairly complete for XP and Vista OS they do not address Vista-64 issues thoroughly. For Vista-64 users only, if you receive a message about "No device attached or no driver installed" even after going through the driver installation, you need to download the driver specfically for Vista 64 bit OS for the HVR-1950. http://www.hauppauge.com/site/support/support_hvr1950.html. I had to hunt this down on Hauppauge website but once that driver is downloaded, setup completed perfectly and installation was complete. It was a little work but well worth the results. I love the tuner and my Media Center!

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With the Hauppauge 1192 WinTV HVR-1950 External USB HDTV Tuner/Video Recorder, you can turn your PC into a virtual television and personal video recorder, or PVR. By simply plugging this video recorder into one of your computer's USB ports, you can watch, pause and record live HDTV or cable TV directly on your computer. Watch Analog, Cable and Digital TV on your PC The WinTV HVR-1950 Tuner/Video Recorder lets you watch NTSC analog cable, over the air TV, ATSC digital over the air HDTV, and Clear QAM Digital Cable TV directly on your computer, either in a window or on full screen. Why miss your favorite sitcom or the deciding playoff game just because you have work to do? This unique tuner supports NTSC analog cable, over the air TV, ATSC Digital over the air HDTV, and Clear QAM digital cable TV. NTSC is the analog cable TV standard, and ATSC is the over-the-air digital HDTV standard for North America and typically requires an antenna for reception. Clear QAM digital cable allows you to watch unencrypted HDTV stations from your cable TV provider without a set-top box. The tuner also features a built-in 125 channel cable-ready TV tuner, allowing you to watch Analog TV and Clear QAM Digital TV by connecting to your cable box. For analog cable TV reception, you need an analog cable TV connection. If you have a digital cable set-top box or a satellite box, the WinTV-HVR-1950 can connect via either Composite or S-Video inputs. For ATSC over-the-air digital TV reception, a high-gain antenna is recommended. (To check the ATSC TV broadcasts in your area, go to TitanTV.com and enter your postal code. Note: depending on the strength of your antenna, you might not be able to receive all broadcasts listed at TitanTV.) Schedule and Record your Favorite Show With the on-board MPEG-2 encoder, which allows your PC to run at full speed while recording, the WinTV-HVR-1950 lets you record analog cable TV while allowing your PC to operate at full speed while recording, so you won't sacrifice any performance. Digital TV programs are recorded in their original video quality, so 1080i programs are recorded at 1080i, and so on. With WinTV-Scheduler software installed, you can also turn your PC into a virtual PVR and schedule and record your TV shows automatically. Analog TV recordings typically consume 1.5 GB of disk space per hour using Hauppauge's SoftPVR for Windows XP and Media Center. High-definition TV recordings typically consume 5 GB of disk space per hour. Other features include a Dolby-TV stereo decoder for Dolby-quality audio, and a remote control that lets you control satellite and TV set top boxes for the ultimate in convenience. The WinTV-HVR-1950 is compatible with Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Media Center. What's in the Box WinTV-HVR-1950 USB 2.0 External Box, USB cable, Hauppauge Remote Control (with batteries), IR blaster cable, WinTV installation and utilities software CD-ROM, Ulead DVD Movie Factory Software on CD, and quick installation guide.

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Adaptec AVC-3610 Dual TV Tuner PVR Kit Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)=== Pros ===
Works well with Windows XP MCE, providing dual outboard TV tuners, FM tuners,and MCE remote that all work well under XP MCE. TV tuners also work well under Vista (but not FM).
=== Cons ===
No Adaptec support, support page, or drivers to download. Almost no 3rd party "geek forum" support, either. Drivers can be difficult to load in XP and Vista. FM sound completely unusable under Vista (possible driver problem). Product is like the once-famous Intel Pocket Concert music player: Excellent, ahead of its time, then mysteriously not supported shortly after its release.
=== Under XP ===
I bought the Adaptec AVC 3610 (Dual TV Tuner w/FM) 18 month ago from Dell in Jan-2006 to go with my then new XPS600 with XP MCE. The FM tuner was an added bonus. Though skeptical of the video quality capable from an external USB device, I was pleasantly surprised.
The TV picture quality was excellent and there was no discernable distortion, hesitation, or jerkiness on my Dell 24" wide screen LCD main monitor nor on my 17" CRT 2nd monitor. Loading the drivers was a little problematic at first but a few un-installs and automatic reloads seemed to fix it.
=== Under Vista ===
Problems occurred when I loaded the XPS 600 with Vista Ultimate a few months ago as a 2nd partition using dual boot. As with XP the 3610's drivers didn't load right at first and I had to uninstall them, let Vista find them again, and so on.
HOWEVER, although the TV tuners seem to work just as well as they did under XP, the FM radio terribly distorted - like a weak or very badly tuned station with lots of noise and distortion. I thought I lost my FM antenna connection. I rebooted XP and all was fine. I boot back to Vista and still terrible!
Contrary to reports I've seen from others, the remote control that came with it works fine for me under both XP MCE and Vista MCE. Obviously, you have have the 3610 situated in line-of-sight and point the remote at it for it to work. I initially was guilty of that DUH! when I mounted the unit on a shelf so my remote could not receive its IR signal.
=== Other things ===
I was a little disappointed in that the package does not come with much but, then again, not much else is needed. You get the main unit, the remote, some cables, and a CD. But the CD doesn't seem to have much other than documentation. The drivers are provided by Windows. I expected at least some kind of utility to test the unit and/or tune the TV/radio stations for fun or testing outside of Windows MCE.
Thus, it is important to note that you MUST have already Windows Media Center or some other compatible tuner software to use the unit at all. Some graphics and video editor programs that an import from Windows drivers might also be able to capture images from it but that's not a method usable for normal TV viewing or Radio listening.
Lastly, although the product is listed here as "PVR 3610", it's chassis label states the model number as "AVC 3610". Stranger still, Adaptec doesn't use model numbers to refer to it in the rare places it shows up on its web site. It states the model simply as "Dual TV Tuner". Did Adaptec move to China?
All fog aside, it is simply a dual TV tuner with FM radio tuner that does NOT intrinsically provide any PVR (personal video recorder) functionality. PVR functions are provided solely by Windows Media Center or other software that you must already have.
I give it 4 stars for XP because Adaptec does not seem to support the product even though it is one of their models and otherwise works great!
I give it 2 stars for Vista since the FM radio doesn't work, there are no drivers available, and there is no support.
I give it 3 stars as an total rating, to average the above findings.


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ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Combo PC TV Tuner Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I decided to upgrade my tuner to get HDTV on my computer (Win XP sp2) so I purchased this tuner but was stopped right from the begining. Hardware installation was easy, then came the software. Software installation is a major problem with this device. The installation fails to completely install the parental controls and locks up. After the three finger salute (ctl-alt-del) to cancel the task, the software finishes the process. After rebooting the computer the software is installed. I go through the ati software setup but ati's own software doesn't recognize its own tuner installed. I tried installing the software updates from ati's own web site which also failed. No tv signals are received at all with the catalyst media center. When I shut the computer down I get an error message stating a catalyst dll initialization error. After calling tech support, they told me to use a third party software with the tuner and that a software update will be coming out soon. The tuner itself works and is recognized by the windows media center, which is what I was trying to get away from.
The picture quality is much improved over the old haupauge wintv tuner. It is unfortunate the software doesn't work properly. The only reason for the second star is for the working tuner seen with third party software.

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