TV Tuner in an HTPC

[at0m]

Do any of you have homebuilt DVR boxes with tuner cards in them? Or have recommendations on what to use? I'm looking to snag one thats got FM and HDTV capability as well as backwards-compatibility to record regular cable (NTSC?). I don't need a remote because the case I've already got has a receiver and I already own an MCE remote that works great. I've done some research of my own but I'm curious what you guys think.

[edit] This is the main one I've been considering: ASUS TV Tuner Card w/Low Profile Brackets My Cinema-PE9400 Combo PCI-Express x1 Interface - Retail [/edit]

[Fail Medic]

I can't recommend one.  The Angel dual tuner card that came with my OEM Dell (shut up caff)... either that card or the Media Center windows services are total trucks of fail.  Regularly I would have TV programs not record, partially record and then complain about signal loss problems, and general unreliability.  I'm interested in the suggestions that this thread will yield.

[Ceceil Felias]

To be honest, the only tuner card I'd care for is something with Component in, because I don't watch TV and don't really have a use for one otherwise.

Overall I'd mainly use an HTPC to watch fansubs, if I built one.

In all honesty it wouldn't take much for new parts to build one. A socket 754 motherboard, maybe a gig of RAM, and a case/power supply. Everything else I've got covered.

[at0m]

To be honest, the only tuner card I'd care for is something with Component in, because I don't watch TV and don't really have a use for one otherwise.

Overall I'd mainly use an HTPC to watch fansubs, if I built one.

In all honesty it wouldn't take much for new parts to build one. A socket 754 motherboard, maybe a gig of RAM, and a case/power supply. Everything else I've got covered.

I've got the box built & working already. Most of the parts are listed here, plus a Powercolor Radeon HD 3450 512MB PCI-E graphics card, a 750GB SATA-II Seagate HDD, and an ancient 80GB Seagate IDE HDD. All I need to make the whole setup perfect is a decent tuner card and a Microsoft Entertainment 7000 bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo, both of which are slated for purchase after I get my next paycheck.

[jdub28]

lol i came here to ask about making an htpc.thanks for the link

[zaneyard]

i didnt read any of your post, but only because all i was thinking about was what the brand name was that i was looking at
haupage
or something
some dude made a PVR "how to" with one of those.
so i figured it was worth mentioning

[at0m]

i didnt read any of your post, but only because all i was thinking about was what the brand name was that i was looking at
haupage
or something
some dude made a PVR "how to" with one of those.
so i figured it was worth mentioning

Hauppage is one of the few brand names that has made its name with tuner and capture cards. They're also usually really expensive :/ I'm primarily looking for some first-hand experience from someone who owns a tuner expansion card, so that I know what lemons to avoid or nice ones to go for

[El_Fajitas]

Hauppage is really expensive now?  I bought a lil' something many, many years ago from them and it was good and relatively cheap....

In any case, HTPC's scare me (even though my computer is almost one).

[at0m]

Hauppage is really expensive now?  I bought a lil' something many, many years ago from them and it was good and relatively cheap....

In any case, HTPC's scare me (even though my computer is almost one).

Well in the narrow set of requirements I have, they're only $10-20 more than most of the other brands on NewEgg. The thing is, Hauppage pushes retail pretty hardcore, and their tuners in a brick-and-mortar store are usually $150-200+. So when I made my expensive comment I was mainly using my memory as reference