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Tv tuner card help

  • 04-11-2013 6:30pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 275 ✭✭


    Hi All ,
    I am planning on getting rid of sky.Im looking for some recommendations for a tv tuner card for my HTPC. Currently I am running windows 7 and XBMC. Preferably i would like the one card that will be able to revieve all the saorview channels as well as the freeview channels(bbc, itv etc). I would also like to be able to record one channel while watching another , so any suggestions would be appreciated.
    cheers


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 275 ✭✭tonyfillony


    doing a bit more googling
    Am i correct in saying that i need a DVB-S2 card for freeview and a DVB-T2 card for saorview?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Tea 1000


    I don't think you need a T2 card for Irish channels, I think a T card will do. But the DVB-S2 card is needed for most of the HD free-to-air channels, so that's worthwhile.
    I have a BlackGold card with two S2 tuners and 2 T tuners. Works well. You can get the RTE channels via satellite, but you'd need two LNB's at the dish. If you had that done, you'll get away with only an S2 card in the PC. But I don't think TV3 is available via satellite yet. It's called Saorsat as opposed to Saorview.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 275 ✭✭tonyfillony


    Tea 1000 wrote: »
    I don't think you need a T2 card for Irish channels, I think a T card will do. But the DVB-S2 card is needed for most of the HD free-to-air channels, so that's worthwhile.
    I have a BlackGold card with two S2 tuners and 2 T tuners. Works well. You can get the RTE channels via satellite, but you'd need two LNB's at the dish. If you had that done, you'll get away with only an S2 card in the PC. But I don't think TV3 is available via satellite yet. It's called Saorsat as opposed to Saorview.
    Is this what you ave?
    http://shop.blackgold.tv/epages/BT3159.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT3159/Products/BGT3602


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Tea 1000


    I have it's predecessor, the BGT3600, which is the same except for the T2 part.
    It works well, I had a Pinnacle card before that which was also good, but the Black Gold is quicker at changing channels.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,039 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    I use TBS cards ...... TBS6280 for DTT and TBS6981 for Sat.

    Drivers are available for both Win and Lin, so using either OS the cards should work.

    Also the cards are capable of making the full content of the mux/transponder available ...... which means that for me, with a twin DTT card all Saorview channels are available at the same time to multiple clients (probably depends on the back end in use).

    In the case of the Sat ...... the full contents of the two tuned transponders are available to all clients.

    I believe such functions are available on the Blackgold cards also ...... but last time I checked there were no Linux drivers for the 3600 despite many many promises. In fact that card was my first choice.

    I am in the process of moving the cards to a Linux based server at present, so am very happy that I went for the TBS cards for compatibility.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 275 ✭✭tonyfillony


    Cheers lads, can you tell me is there any advantage in using cards instead of one?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,039 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Cheers lads, can you tell me is there any advantage in using cards instead of one?

    all eggs not in one basket?

    I do suggest if using multiple cards that you consider sticking to one manufacturer ..... much easier to manage drivers etc without concerns about one interfering with another.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 275 ✭✭tonyfillony


    going to have to go down the single card route, I oly have yon pci -e on my motherboard , looks like i'll prob be getting BGT3602


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 275 ✭✭tonyfillony


    a part from the bgt3602 is there any other card that offers both dual dvb-t2 and dvb-s2


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,039 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    a part from the bgt3602 is there any other card that offers both dual dvb-t2 and dvb-s2

    Not that I found ..... but I did not do exhaustive searches.

    There is an option for USB connected tuner/s such as the Qbox from TBS ...... and no I am not pushing for TBS :) just mentioning the only other options I considered ;)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep


    going to have to go down the single card route, I oly have yon pci -e on my motherboard , looks like i'll prob be getting BGT3602

    I use the Octopus /DuoFlex system from Digital Devices and this might suit your needs;

    http://www.digitaldevices.de/english/Octopus_PCIe_Bridge.html

    It's a single PCIe card that allows you plug in up to 4x tuner cards, each with twin tuners. This means you can have a maximum of 8 tuners in your system on a single slot.

    You can also mix and match the expansion cards to have DVB-S2 or DVD-T tuners combined.

    I use these in a windows 8 pc with MediaPortal and find it to be rock solid for Freesat and Saorview.

    I've ended up with MediaPortal having spent may years with a variety of systems including SageTV, JRiver Media Centre, Plex and XBMC.

    MP is the only one I've found that integrates live tv with all the usual videos/movies/music playback and allows me multiple synched clients etc. I've been using it for about 6 months now and am planning to ditch SKY at the end of this year.

    See my blog here for a bit more detail: http://mediaserver8.blogspot.ie


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,039 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    meep wrote: »
    I use the Octopus /DuoFlex system from Digital Devices and this might suit your needs;

    http://www.digitaldevices.de/english/Octopus_PCIe_Bridge.html

    .....

    See my blog here for a bit more detail: http://mediaserver8.blogspot.ie

    I had a quick read of some of your blog ..... interesting and informative ;)

    I have a related question which I hope you can help with .... I quote:
    Obviously, you can't view more live channels than you have physical tuners, but it's progress.

    The present set up I use allows multiple clients to view any/all channel/s on the tuned transponder/mux.

    The above quote appears to imply that your set up allows only one channel to be available from each transponder/mux that is tuned.

    I would be grateful if you could clarify, thank you ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep


    I had a quick read of some of your blog ..... interesting and informative ;)

    I have a related question which I hope you can help with .... I quote:


    The present set up I use allows multiple clients to view any/all channel/s on the tuned transponder/mux.

    The above quote appears to imply that your set up allows one one channel to be available from each transponder/mux that is tuned.

    I would be grateful if you could clarify, thank you ;)

    Hi

    Unfortunately, I don't know the definitive answer to this. I've always assumed that all clients can access all transponder channels put I've never really pushed the system to its limits.

    I'll set up a few simultaneous recordings this evening to see what happens.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep



    I have a related question which I hope you can help with .... I quote:


    The present set up I use allows multiple clients to view any/all channel/s on the tuned transponder/mux.

    The above quote appears to imply that your set up allows only one channel to be available from each transponder/mux that is tuned.

    I would be grateful if you could clarify, thank you ;)


    So I did a test last night.

    Through MediaPortal, I set up simultaneous recordings on RTE Two HD, TV3 and 3e while watching TG4. All of these are on Saorview Multiplex 1 so I can confirm the card supports multiple channel access when they are on the same transponder/mux.

    Hope that helps

    Peter


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,039 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    meep wrote: »
    So I did a test last night.

    Through MediaPortal, I set up simultaneous recordings on RTE Two HD, TV3 and 3e while watching TG4. All of these are on Saorview Multiplex 1 so I can confirm the card supports multiple channel access when they are on the same transponder/mux.

    Hope that helps

    Peter

    Thank you for taking the trouble to check!

    Yes that clarifies things for me.

    Thanks again ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭hernie


    meep wrote: »
    I use the Octopus /DuoFlex system from Digital Devices and this might suit your needs;

    http://www.digitaldevices.de/english/Octopus_PCIe_Bridge.html

    It's a single PCIe card that allows you plug in up to 4x tuner cards, each with twin tuners. This means you can have a maximum of 8 tuners in your system on a single slot.

    You can also mix and match the expansion cards to have DVB-S2 or DVD-T tuners combined.


    I'm just building a HTPC for the first time. If you were to pair the Octopus Duo with a DVB-S2 and a DVB-T2 how many physical PCI slots would you need in the case? Two, maybe three?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep


    Hi

    The octopus card itself is a half-height PCIe x1 card and will occupy one slot.

    You can then connect up to 4x tuner cards to this. These additional cards DO NOT require to be connected to PCie slots - they tether to the the octopus with a ribbon cable and require a power connector.

    Each card is half height and they come with full-height rackets that allow you stack two together.

    Therefore, in your scenario, the octopus base card would be plugged into a PCIe slot and, say, the DVB-S2 card could be stacked on top, still occupying one slot.

    The DVB-T2 would then be positioned in another nearby slot but does not require physical attachment to the motherboard. So, if you had an mATX MB in an ATX chassis, you could have bracket mounts that are not associated with PCIe or PCI slots - these would be ideal.

    Make sense?


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭hernie


    meep wrote: »

    Make sense?

    Yes that makes it clearer thanks. I was thinking combining these 2 together which would just take up 1 slot:

    Cine S2 DVB-S/S2 Dual Tuner

    DuoFlex C/T Twin Tuner

    Looks like they should work together but not sure. What type of power connectors do they need?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep


    Yes, looks like the would work but like you, not sure. Might be worth sending them an email?

    The power connecters are the 'floppy' ones - the small plugs that you usually find alongside Molex ones.


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭hernie


    Yeah I'll find out before buying. They are a bit pricey compared to other makes like DVDSky and TBS though.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    Hi Meep,
    where did you buy the digital devices tuners from?
    Their own online store or elsewhere, I'm looking to buy Cine 2 + duoflex dvb-t\c\t2 bundle

    Thanks
    C


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep


    Ordered it from digital devices directly.

    Good luck with the project.


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭hernie


    I ended up buying DVBSky tuners from Amazon. I'm using them with a trial version of TV Source from DVBlogic to stream live tv around the house.

    Would anyone recommend any other good backend for Kodi? I've heard NextPVR is supposed to good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭Bogger77


    meep wrote: »
    Ordered it from digital devices directly.

    Good luck with the project.
    I've everything but the tuners ordered

    asrocks mini-itx board from amazon
    i5-5675C chip via work
    Raven case and psu from silverstone coming from overclockers
    ram, ssd and M.2 card from memoryc.com
    blu-ray drive from amazon

    :-)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,291 ✭✭✭meep


    hernie wrote: »
    I ended up buying DVBSky tuners from Amazon. I'm using them with a trial version of TV Source from DVBlogic to stream live tv around the house.

    Would anyone recommend any other good backend for Kodi? I've heard NextPVR is supposed to good.


    I've been through a few of them (NextPVR, MediaPortal etc.)

    The best I've found is ArgusTV, though it supports series record, this is not yet implemented in Kodi.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,039 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    hernie wrote: »
    I ended up buying DVBSky tuners from Amazon. I'm using them with a trial version of TV Source from DVBlogic to stream live tv around the house.

    Would anyone recommend any other good backend for Kodi? I've heard NextPVR is supposed to good.

    I use the tvheadend backend exclusively. Very solid.

    I can stream on any device on the LAN from it using VLC + HTSP plugin, or a local Kodi install.

    tvheadend is not simple to set up initially ...... be warned :)


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