need video/capture card...please help!!

[superfast]

OK...I'm a newbie to this stuff, so please bear with me!

I'm looking for a card that will be able to record straight off Cable TV (no DigiBox) + have FM Radio (not important but nice!) and possibly in the future transfer VHS to computer.

The one question I have that I can't find an answer to is:

If the Cable TV Coax is hooked up to the card....can a PVR software change the channels automatically to record on separate channels at different times?? With the current setup we have (DigiBox)...we can't automatically change the channels obviously as we are recording to VCR...so if a software can control the TV Card...possibly it can automatically change the channels when recording, Correct??

I rather get a separate TV Tuner Card (lower cost), but I have seen some posts that recommend an All-in-One (Wonder) because of the delay in the time for the video to come in on the card and out of the graphics card. Is this really true???

Anyway...There are so many options out there and I'm getting confused...what do I really need?

Appreciate any advice.
sf

[thecoalman]

Capture cards such as the AIW require an analog signal. When you say digibox I'm assuming it's digital signal that it's receiving which it then converts to analog. You can't connect the cable directly to the AIW or similar analog capture cards. It has to go through the digital receiver first to be converted to analog.

Where I live the same cable provides internet, analog cable and digital cable. The capture card can see the 70+ channels of analog signal but can't see the 130+ digital channels. If your cable provider has a similar setup you can change the analog channels using the software.

If your looking for a cheap card to try get a Leadtek2000xp. Accepts composite/s-video/coax/fm signals, remote, antenae, good software. It has everthing you need to get started. You can't go wrong for the price. I saw a post where someone mentioned they saw it for $35 U.S.

Edit: The AIW is a good choice too, most of the price for this card is on the graphics end. I will have to say from experience that capturing home VHS movies with it can be quite a hassle if they are older or not in good shape. The TV capture works superb.

[BogieV]

I have the Leadtek WinFast 200XP Express and it's connected to an analog cable TV.
If you buy a splitter and lead the cable to both your cable box and PC there is problem though as the coded chanels will be not decoded form the PC card. You'll be able to change channels independendly though.

You can record such channels using the RCA or S-video in using av cable to connect your cable decoder and the card. In such menaing you cant change channles while recording on the PC.

[MOHA-HUN]

Hi!

I think i can give you or somebody else some good tips. If you listen to me, buy a Hauppauge PVR-350 capture card. It can do much things: capture to any format (AVI/MPEGx...), view TV on computer, listen FM radio,etc... This is a good card for studing the basics and the advanced chapters of the video capturing. I recommend use WinXP with this card.

MOHA.