Hi,

I am a linux newbie currently working on my PVR using Knoppmyth; hardware listed below. I can't seem to figure out which tv tuner card would be the best choice so I came here for some help.

I have Comcast analog cable in New Jersey and don't know if I also receive HD signals.

I've come across the following cards:
Hauppauge PVR 350
Hauppauge PVR 500
PCHDTV 5500

Can someone make any recommendations as to which card I should try? I looking for ease of installation, as well as, best picture quality.

I heard that the PCHDTV card works for both analog and digital, but not at the same time. Is this true?

I know that the Hauppauge 500 allows PIP but what is the picture quality like? Is this card better than the PVR 350?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hardware:
P4 Sony Vaio 2.6GHZ
1.5GB DDR PC2700 RAM
Nvidia FX5200
Creative Labs Audigy 2 Platinum
DVDRW
ACK-571 Mini IR Keyboard, 573, 580, 581 (Don't have it yet. Any recommendations?)

Thanks,

Rocky

Yes.

No. With the latest drivers they're very close but the 250/350 family (same capture design) still looks just a hair better than the 150/500 family. Both are quite acceptable.

I've got the 571, works great, battery life is excellent, range is good, nice and compact while remaining usable, builtin pointing device is just OK.

Oh, and if you haven't seen them already take a look at the hardware pages on the wiki. http://www.knoppmythwiki.org/index.php?page=HardwareConfigs

Hey thanks for the response and the suggestions, I really do appreciate it.

Ok so since the PVR-350 is the better card, I think I'll go with that.
Question though, will the remote that comes with the PVR-350 fully control mythtv?

Also, if I wanted to configure my box at a later time for digital cable or satelite, would it be as easy as just adding a second tuner card in there that supports digital cable or satelite?

I want to have a simple setup and I would love to control all the features of mythtv using one remote.

I will also go ahead and get the ack-571. I read on the wiki that this IR keyboard seems to be the best one for mythtv as opposed to the RF keyboards.

If you have any other suggestions, please let me know.

Thanks,

Rocky.

Any remote that you use is essentially a surrogate for a keyboard. It controls the application (e.g. - the MythTV front end) which in turn controls all the other devices.

Well, since I wrote that too, you should probably expect it to express roughly the same opinion.

BTW - I'd urge you to spend some more time reading about the capture cards. The 350 is a good card, and it's TV output is the best for SDTV content going to TV via S-Video. However those are also it's limits. If you have a HDTV now, or want to do HDTV later, you might be better off with a PVR-250 (same capture quality) and a video card with multiple output options.

It seems to me that the only difference between the 250 and 350 is the FM radio and MPEG2 decoding on the 350.
Wouldn't that make it the better card?

I like the idea of having the HDTV option and my tv is HDTV ready, however, I don't the additonal HDTV box for my Tv. Also, my tv accepts standard 800x600 60htz vga input.

If you're saying that the 250 is the better card and more capable of HDTV output, then I will get that one instead.

Please voice your opinion.

Thanks,

Rocky

the 350 included video output that only supports standard def. If you are not planning on using the 350's output, the 250 makes more sense.

_________________
R5F1 - Dell P4 2.4Ghz 500MB - PVR250 x 2 - GeForce FX 5200 - Onboard sound/NIC 80GB ATA/250GB ATA/400GB SATA

Ok so i've checked out the details on both card and came to the conclusion that the PVR 250 has the composite in but no s/video out and the PVR 350 has the s/video out but no composite in. Is this correct?

Also, I read on this forum that the PVR 250 can be used with a Digital cable box via composite input to playback HDTV signal on a TV. Is this correct? If so then I guess that is the advantage because the PVR 350 cannot accept composite input.

However, If i do choose to go with the PVR 350, because of the RM radio, would it be possible for me to add a HDTV card at a later time for HDTV playback? Is the reception for the PVR 350 FM great?

Is VGA output quality better than s/video output quality? If vga is, then that is what I'm gonna use since my TV supports it.

Thanks,

Rocky

couple thoughts

both the 250 and 350 have s-video input. I would guess that your digitial cable has s-video out. There are ways to get composite into the svid port if you need

mythtv doesnt support the FM input at the moment...no idea if there are future plans

neither the 250 or the 350 can handle HD, that requires an HD ready capture card.

_________________
R5F1 - Dell P4 2.4Ghz 500MB - PVR250 x 2 - GeForce FX 5200 - Onboard sound/NIC 80GB ATA/250GB ATA/400GB SATA

So you're telling me that the FM radio part of the PVR 350 card doesn't work under knoppmyth? That suck..lol

I'm not really concerned about digital cable rite now and really don't have any plans to upgrade to digital anytime soon. When I do decide to upgrade however, I will definitely get a HDTV card and probably a faster pc.

Anyway, I think i'll go ahead and purchase the PVR 250 now. One last question though. Do I purchase the PVR 250 regular or the PVR 250 MCE and does both type come with a remote and ir sensor?

Thanks for the advice.

Rocky

BTW, standard-definition video (like S-video or composite) is (effectively) 640x480. Your 800x600 VGA obviously beats that. Moreover, if your TV really is HDTV ready, it's probably capable of an even-better widescreen resolution. What make/model?

Its a RCA Proscan but I don't remember the model off hand. Its a bit old but I do remember the specs saying its HDTV ready.

Actually, if I do remember correctly, one of those VGA input is a regular 800x600 input and the other is a Digital TV input.

By the way, should i get the regular PVR 250 or the MCE edition?

Can't help you with the MCE vs non-MCE question... I'd search the forum and the wiki and see what you can find out.

If it's a 4:3 CRT (tube) TV, then 800x600 might be your limit.

mbox -

- Either a 250 or 350 will work the same for SDTV capture. Neither does HDTV anything.

- In addtion the 350 will also do SDTV output, however, you need a video card for HDTV output.

- If you're planning on doing HDTV, you need a video card for output, (and either an HDTV capture card or a firewire capable cable box for HDTV capture, but that is aside from my main point) which means you won't generally use for the 350's video output.

- Since the 350 costs extra, and you won't be using it's extra features, it's effectively a waste of money.

It's not that the PVR-250 is better, just that it may be a better choice.

What would be the advantage of using a Creative Labs Audigy 2 Platinum card vs. a standard AC97 on-board sound card with S/PDIF output?