PC Combo HD setup?

trekkypj

Hi folks,

I am building a new PC and I want to incorporate a TV tuner to pick up both Saorview and Freesat HD.

I'd prefer a combi card that can also do PVR when watching other channels without any issues.

What's the best option that's reasonably future-proof? I don't mind spending up to €120 or so on the card if it works properly and does what I want.

Also, should I wait a few months since saorview is only launched today? I don't strictly need it atm, but would like to have it at some stage.

Gerry Wicklow

Check this out. I'm waiting for them to come on the market because I'm within UK range. They already do a 3620 model which is DVB-T and DVB-S2

http://shop.blackgold.tv/epages/BT3159.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3159/Products/BGT3630

watty

Better to get separate tuners for Satellite and Terrestrial.

mossym

watty wrote: »

Better to get separate tuners for Satellite and Terrestrial.

any reason you say that? if the all in one card works well, which the one links to does, then having multiple tuners takes up more slots, have more drivers that can cause problems, more likelihood of hibernation/wake issues in a htpc scenario, and better chance of all tuners not being supported.

the blackgold stuff, although expensive, is the bets all in one solution. seperates may get you cheaper, but introduce a whole other set of issues

liamf

The main thing to check with combi cards, apart from driver support for you preferred platform, is whether (or not) all the frontends can be used at the same time.

i.e. the card might well have different tuners on it, but you might only be able to use either the DVB-T or the DVB-S/S2, but not both, at the same time.

And that isn't a dealbreaker either, except that some software might not understand that concept and you'd get problems. For example, TVHeadend does not understand that notion properly, so only the first frontend on the card can be used without some messing, and even then not used 100% properly.

Windows you'd imaging might handle that properly, since the manufacturers would have supplied the drivers. Personally I do not use Windows media center anything. In my experience you need a very powerful PC to run it nicely.

In my setup I use a literally rescued-from-skip Pentium P4 running Linux as the tuning/recording backend running mythtv and tvheadend, and a small form factor dual-core Atom (also Linux) running XBMC as a frontend.

This setup works well, but it requires you to be very expert to get it running properly, unless you find a setup which someone else has done and duplicate is precisely (down to the card firmware versions, versions of Linux and kernel used, etc).

Of course for me, getting it running was > half of the fun. I hardly watch any TV at all :-)

watty

People DO have problems with combi cards,esp. Blackgold. You can use dual DVB-S2 (one slot) and Dual DTT tuner DTT stick (one socket). Far cheaper and more reliable.

Given power consumption of Satellite systems there are arguements for 2 separate DVB-S2 cards. Cheaper to repair if one input fails. Possibly cheaper. More choice.

The Blackgold is a slightly flakey single source inflexible expensive solution.

mossym

i've done the multiple cards, if you use your pc as a true pvr and want it to wake up and hibernate around recordings automatically, then multiple cards are more points of potential problems, especially USB sticks. i'd stayed away from Blackgold in the past due to their driver issues, but the latest releases have been solid.

and regarding power consumption, pci/pci-e use a shared power bus on all connectors don't they? so power draw on two separate slots will be the same as using one slot,probably slightly more as you have to power two cards as well. i'll take the rest of your points but that sounds a dodgy one

watty

The power limit per slot is lower than limit per bus.

Gerry Wicklow

Blackgold go to great pains to explain that their new card is developed in conjunction with Microsoft especially with regard to WMC integration, and multiple simultanious viewing/recording options. I already have various DTT and DVB-S tuners but this new card seems a nice neat all-in-one solution to my needs. Other options may suit other users.
I should also explain that I have no connection with Blackgold

mossym

watty wrote: »

The power limit per slot is lower than limit per bus.

if they are on a common bus it's only a paper limit, but i see your point

trekkypj

Hi folks thanks for the replies so far - I'll most likely hold off for a few weeks - the build won't be done for a while.

I will be building a high spec workstation with an Intel Xeon W3520 chip and 12gb to start with. It's going in a massive Antec 1200 case so gives me plenty of flexibility.

Since it's intended to be used for some A/V work I'll probably add a good Nvidia card - probably the 1gb 560.

I'm buying the component one at a time so not likely to be done till September anyhow. The new BG card looks interesting but I'll see how the reviews go on release before deciding.

The build has to do gaming, video and DTT/Freesat viewing. And unlikely I'll be building another for a long time so investing in best gear I can afford.

Am in Mt. Leinster area about 24 km from mast. There's one or two small hills between us and the mast but we pick up analogue RTE ok. TV3 and TG4 reception rubbish though. We may need a new aerial...

Also, possibly daft Q but since I could be off to Uk at any stage, Irish compatible kit works with Uk specs?