best pvr software?

[manthing]

if this has been asked before, i apologise. i did do a quick search for this topic but didn't quite find a comprehensive guide.

so, what is the "best" pvr software out there? and what capture card runs best with it?

or is the software secondary to the hardware?

[SHS]

Depent on what you want
BeyondTV
GB-PVR
Meedio
Media Portal
SageTV

There alway Windows XP Media Center Edition but keep mind your not in Control as long it still support DRM carp.

And best card is WinTV-PVR card.

[manthing]

ta for that SHS. a follow up if i may ...

so assuming WinTV-PVR is good tv capture card, which of the above pvr software is good with it? whoch one do you use?

which software gives most flexibility? and which is most robust/updated regularly?

i don't mind initial headaches to setup the software/hardware combo as long as i have manoeuvrability and support.

[lordsmurf]

I like ATI AIW card with ATI MMC, but some people have systems, sometimes, that refuse to allow it to work. I've never really had issues with mine, though I never trust it 100% ever. It failed on me once out of the 50 times I used it some years ago, but once was enough to hack me off a bit.

Hauppauge PVR-350 card has a tuner and works well with PVR software written for it. SHS is your man for info on those. I still hear of PVR timer failures, but not quite as many as the ATI.

[SHS]

My server box has SageTV and BeyondTV on this setup for testing
Intel 1.6GHz
Intel motherbaord
512MB
nVidia GF MX 4000
(3) 250GB drive
WinTV-PVR 500MCE
PCI A/V bracket for PVR-500
USB-UIRT
old 14" monitor and Mid tower case
(2) Digital Cable Box
Also have (2) MediaMVP with SageTV UI being display
(2) SageTV Client and (1) BeyondTV Link

Here are a few observations, though SageTV vs BeyondTV:

1) If you want to save money by buying Sage, because 'DVD', 'Music' and Picture' are integrated.

2) If you like your PVR find and record stuff for you that you might like - SageTV has that in store for you know as Intelligent Recording.

3) If you want to manage your server using a browser - BTV has something out of the box and Sage has an excellent addon.

4) If you plan on keeping lots of shows available and like browsing through the EPG quickly - then Sage is better, much better. There's a reason for that, actually.

5) If you like to look at a more polished UI, I find BTV has the better end here. No question for me base UI but there still some cool thing that SageTV has with going to add-on STV.

6) Want to manage everything using one interface? Sage. BTV wants you to use this 'webadmin' thing as well.

Some other plus with SageTV:
Unlimited Tuner with out paying more $$ per tuner and Multi-Server with 3.0 or Network Encoders with SageTV Recorder and PVR 250/350 and I think USB2 only, Channel TV Logo and support Hardware Decoder card like the REALmagic Xcard (Note best use for it TVoutput and OSD but it 256 color only), NetStream 2000(No OSD output), NetStream 4000 (No OSD output), NetStream 2000TV (The best both worlds which you also see the Windows Dasktop to on TV output but very high cost and very hard to get) and the WinTV-PVR 350 TV output with OSD working on 350 but keep inmind the OSD and some don't get along.
The major plus features is a fully customize Audio/Video setting and Prefiltering settings giving more control.

Don't get wrong BeyondTV is catch up.

Now when come to GB-PVR it just lack Ture integrated EPG like SageTV or BeyondTV and a PC Client software but dose have build-in support for the MediaMVP and Support for the Same Hardware Decoder as SageTV and dose have a good number of add-on Plugins and few a UI Skins.

I have not test
Meedio
Media Portal