Hauppauge Regular vs MCE confusion

[EAO]

Now that I have everything working perfectly using a Winfast 2000, I'm thinking about losing having to transcode.

All I want to do is capture TV with a scheduler to mpeg2. I'd like to be able to continue using TMPGenc DVD author for menus and basic editing.

I'm looking at the Hauppauge 150 or 250. I think the pvr150 meets my limited needs. I don't need a remote, and everything I've read suggests that the pvr150 should produce the same quality mpeg2 as the pvr250.

But the MCE version sells for less and I am confused about the benefits or disadvantages of the MCE version vs the regular version. (I'm not quite sure what the MCE stands for.) I also think the PVR150 version may have a different chip - regular vs MCE. THAT would be an issue. Am I limited in software options if I choose the MCE version over the regular version? Why is the MCE version cheaper than the reguar?

My system is robust enough to handle most anything. AMD 3500+ with 1 gig of ram. Windows XP pro, and a 256mb 6800GT. I also have 2 hard drives.

[lordsmurf]

MCE = Windows Media Center Edition

[EAO]

Thanks.

Besides my questions above...

1. Can you use the MCE version with other software?
2. Will the MCE version work with XP pro right out of the box or do you have to buy more stuff to make it work?
3. Can you buy the MCE version but use it without the MCE ...ie Use it like the regular version?

But mostly... what would be the advantages of one over the other?

[lordsmurf]

No. MCE needs MCE, period.

[AlecWest]

No. MCE needs MCE, period.

This raises an interesting question since I'm waiting for my own PVR150 to arrive (2 days from now). I elected to get the regular PVR150 vs. the MCE version, primarily because I did want a remote control for the video tuner. I, too, had no idea what MCE stood for but didn't want to order it because it lacked the remote.

So the question ... what can the PVR cards do with MCE that cannot be done without it? Or (more importantly), since the MCE cards are cheaper, what limitations do they impose on users that are not imposed on users of the non-MCE cards?

[lordsmurf]

I don't know. I want the LSI card, but it too needed MCE, and people that tested it outside MCE got no cooperation.

MCE is not "Windows" any more than CE or PE or even Macintosh, to some degree.

[BrainStorm69]

Apparently, Windows XP users can use the MCE version....they just have to use a third party app like BeyondTV or SageTV to watch TV. It looks like you don't get a remote with the MCE version because you already get a remote with MCE PCs, and that is used for the PVR-150. Other than that, it looks like the PVR-150 MCE version allows you to listen to FM radio also. Here's a comparison chart from Hauppauge's web site as well as a link to the PVR-150 MCE page.



http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_pvr150mce.html

****EDIT****

One other thng that appears to be different is that the PVR-150 MCE has rca type audio connections....it's hard to tell, but the PVR-150 appears to have a 1/8" mini stereo jack audio input.

[EAO]

Couple more questions about this.

1. Can you get the MCE version and install the regular pvr150 drivers and turn it into a regular unit? If so, then what 3rd party software would you use to capture and does it have a scheduler? if not, then I wouldn't want to be limited into only using MCE with that version.

2. Still not clear if the 2 versions use the same chipset.

3. I have WinXP. DOes that mean that the MCE version does work 'out of the box', or do I need more software? Does MCE let you schedule captures?

[vhelp]

@ EAO

Have you considered the DVD Xpress (by ADS) - Wal-Mart carries them for
$77 dollars (or less) ..and you can go higher in bitrate.. to 15bits/s vs. 12bits/s
for even greater quality (for those that "transcode") though you said that you
wanted (or having plans to) eliminate this process. Anyways.

In any case, just courious.. what are you capturing (tv; cable; vhs) ??

FWIW.. I have the PVR-USB2 - - Model 941 but this requires Win98SE
(which I don't have) to use it's software with.

(
.. I didn't realize it at the time I bought it. I picked it up, brought it home,
.. got too busy with other matters, and before you knew it, my "return" time
.. ran out, and I was stuck with it. Something along those lines. Anyways.
)

So, as you can see, I haven't tested it. But I do have thd Xpress, and so far,
I have no complaints (yet - - too busy with my other video endeavors to
fully test)

-vhelp

[EAO]

Capturing mostly TV.

The WinFast product is excellent for avi captures. Absolutely no complaints. My only consideration is whether or not to eliminate having to transcode.... assuming the picture quality is just as good.

The rep of Hauppauge stands out and now the confusion of MCE vs reg version became an issue during research.

[vhelp]

I have the Winfast too. Mine is the TV2000 XP "Expert" model.

But, I mostly use my Firewire and ADVC-100 / TRV22 for most my needs,
so the Winfast is not connected. Anyways.
.
The last time I tried it's MPEG capture, it was not to my liking.
The quality was not acceptable to me. Plus, it's real-time
capture to MPEG. It's not Hardware (which is better than real-time)

I've seen only a few pics from the Hauppauge Hardware MPEG card/devices,
(though not from the PVR-USB2 model, which I have,
but not used / connected yet) .. but the pics that I did see from the
pvr-250 looked pretty good. Although, they were from Digital Satellite
or Digital Cable (which I don't care for very much, because of the pixels
and blocks this source medium is plauged with) Anyways.

Since I'm experience w/ the DVD Xpress, I found that the quality was very
good. So, I'm going by my actual experience with this device, and I thought
that I would share it with you and blurt it out here (as a suggestion)

I have nothing against Hauppauge. I've used them in the past.

-vhelp

[AlecWest]

One other thng that appears to be different is that the PVR-150 MCE has rca type audio connections....it's hard to tell, but the PVR-150 appears to have a 1/8" mini stereo jack audio input.

I'll know for sure on Wednesday but suspect you're right. I also noticed that the MCE card had two coax ports while the regular card had only one ... and suspect that may be a "flow-through" for MCE card users ... into the card, out to a TV. If true, this means MCE card users can watch their programming on TV simultaneous to on their monitors ... complete with pauses and instant replays ... whereas non-MCE users cannot. To me, that's not a factor. For my purposes, it'll be CAPTURE, EDIT, BURN ... hopefully, all simple procedures.

[BrainStorm69]

I think the other coax connector is actually for the FM antenna.

[LRD]

I have the 150 retail, and it works great with its own software or the free GB PVR. I like the latter more. It does not have FM radio, but I don't use my computer as a radio. There is nothing wrong with the mpeg2 real time capture--it looks excellent. I would stay away from the mce edition, unless you want to pay another $70 for Sage TV, Beyond TV etc. (It escapes me why the software costs as much or more than the hardware, especially when such good freeware exists). You might get an mce to work with GB PVR or CT PVR. Check out tv-cards.com: http://www.tv-cards.com

LRD

[EAO]

So...

Are these the differences:

1. MCE PVR comes with no software to make it run?
2. MCE PVR will install on an XP o/s, but then you have are limited to sing MCE or... ?????
3. You cannot install the 'regular' drivers to make the unit funtion like the 'non MCE' version.

Is that about it?