choosing a HAUPPAUGE card

[npereira]

Hi all,

I need some help in choosing a HAUPPAUGE card.

First off I run Windows Vista Ultimate. Have a intel dual core 2.0GB processor on a P35-DS3L Gigabyte board with 2gb of ram and a Asus EAH3850 ATI Radeon based video card.

Here is what I want to do:

I want to be able to record TV shows (SpeedTV) that come in on my digital cable set-top box direct to HDD. I also want the ability to record DVD's directly to HDD. I want to be able to do this via either standard RCA (Audio and Video) and/or S-Video. My digital set-top box has S-Video out as well as Standard RCA Video/audio out with Digital audio out also. So this needs to connect to the HAUPPAUGE card for sheduled recording.

Which of the HAUPPAUGE card should I get or which one do you recommend.

I don't require a remote control with the HAUPPAUGE card as I have a Logitech Harmony 880 remote that controls all my audio/video equipment. My PC is connected to my sound system for audio and HDMI to the LCD tv via the ATI Radeo card which makes a great setup.

I also have a Panasonic DMR-25S dvd recorder that I have been using to record my shows although makes it very combersome to take the DVD-RAM out and put it in the PC and transfer the VRO to MPG. Lately I have been receiving an IO error from transfering the VRO file hence the reason I want an HAUPPAUGE and my Girlfriend wants to buy it for me for my birthday comming up, so will make for a great gift.

So there you go, now I just need to know what I should get (model of card) from HAUPPAUGE

Thanks for the help.

[jman98]

I would recommend the PVR-250 for you. I have the PVR-350 and it's a great card, but the only difference between it and the 250 is that the 350 has TV out. You probably don't need that and if not, buy the 250 and save some money.

I don't recommend the PVR-150 card as it uses a completely different chipset from the 250/350 models. The PVR-150 will either work perfectly for you out of the box or you will nothing but problems. Apparently it doesn't work very well, if at all, on certain PCs and nobody seems to have yet figured out why it works great on some and is useless on others. Unless you feel like gambling, avoid the 150 card.

I will spare you my negative comments on DVD-RAM and simply say you are wise to avoid it. A couple of quick tips on Hauppauge cards. The record "bottom field first" EVERYTIME but their software has a bug in it and it incorrectly reports "top field first" to any program you use to examine the video with. Trust me when I tell you that it is ALWAYS "bottom field first" and if you want to re-encode a video to a lower bit rate (I do that sometimes), you'll get the best results by setting your encoding software to use "bottom field first" even if the software thinks it should use "top field first". Again, this is a bug in Hauppauge's software that reports the wrong field order. The other tip is to look at:
http://www.cask-of-amontillado.com/htpc.html
after you get your card. There are some registry settings you can fool with that may be of use to you with your Hauppauge card.

[SmokieStover]

I don't believe you will find VISTA drivers for the PVR 250 or 350.

I would try the HVR 1600.

SHS has a forum. He's the most knowledgeable man regarding Hauppauge cards.

http://www.shspvr.com/smf/

[hudsonf]

I don't believe you will find VISTA drivers for the PVR 250 or 350.

I would try the HVR 1600.

SHS has a forum. He's the most knowledgeable man regarding Hauppauge cards.

http://www.shspvr.com/smf/

My PVR 250 and PVR USB2 work great on my Vista system.

[vpaul]

May I ask here, what will happen to these older cards when the DTV in Feb 2009 is the only broadcast? I have 2 of the UBB2-PVR's and just think thye are the greatest. Will I need to replace or update something? Also I like my Win2K, seems like everything requires WinXP or newer now.

[DarrellS]

what will happen to these older cards when the DTV in Feb 2009 is the only broadcast? I have 2 of the UBB2-PVR's and just think thye are the greatest. Will I need to replace or update something? Also I like my Win2K, seems like everything requires WinXP or newer now.

Analog cards will be worthless for anything but VHS capture without a digital converter box in front of the card.

Another reason the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 would be a better choice. The SHS forum has drivers for Windows 2000.

The card I'd like to get is the M.I.T MyHD MDP-130 . It works with Windows 2000 also.

[vpaul]

Thanks for the reply Darrell. I like the USB versions and have since seen where Hauppauge will have a new model in Feb 2008. I guess they are late. I beleive it is the 1950. I am hoping it is a good one, I will take 2.

[edDV]

....
Analog cards will be worthless for anything but VHS capture without a digital converter box in front of the card.
....

Most cable systems will continue to have analog channels for several more years.

[DarrellS]

I'm curious about the USB2 capture devices. I had an old Belkin USB Videobus that wasn't very good at all. It would only capture at 320x240 so I got an ATI All-In-Wonder that served me well until my motherboard burnt up. If I can't afford a new capture card before football season then I'll put the ATI in this one and turn off the onboard graphics.

[edDV]

USB2 cards don't do uncompressed without resorting to tricks (e.g. much reduced colorspace). The good ones have hardware MPeg encoders so the output is in the 4-25Mb/s range rather than the 125-240Mb/s range needed for uncompressed SD capture.

[SmokieStover]

I don't believe you will find VISTA drivers for the PVR 250 or 350.

I would try the HVR 1600.

SHS has a forum. He's the most knowledgeable man regarding Hauppauge cards.

http://www.shspvr.com/smf/

My PVR 250 and PVR USB2 work great on my Vista system.

Another posted a question about what card he should buy to replace his PVR 250 on his soon-to-be VISTA PC. You gave the same response then. But when he made this post, no one tried to help:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic346003.html

[npereira]

thanks for the help.

now, will the 250 work 0n my vista box?

will I be able to change channels directly from the pc instead of changing from the digital set-top box[digital cable]? and why would I need the 350 compared to the 250?

I would recommend the PVR-250 for you. I have the PVR-350 and it's a great card, but the only difference between it and the 250 is that the 350 has TV out. You probably don't need that and if not, buy the 250 and save some money.

I don't recommend the PVR-150 card as it uses a completely different chipset from the 250/350 models. The PVR-150 will either work perfectly for you out of the box or you will nothing but problems. Apparently it doesn't work very well, if at all, on certain PCs and nobody seems to have yet figured out why it works great on some and is useless on others. Unless you feel like gambling, avoid the 150 card.

I will spare you my negative comments on DVD-RAM and simply say you are wise to avoid it. A couple of quick tips on Hauppauge cards. The record "bottom field first" EVERYTIME but their software has a bug in it and it incorrectly reports "top field first" to any program you use to examine the video with. Trust me when I tell you that it is ALWAYS "bottom field first" and if you want to re-encode a video to a lower bit rate (I do that sometimes), you'll get the best results by setting your encoding software to use "bottom field first" even if the software thinks it should use "top field first". Again, this is a bug in Hauppauge's software that reports the wrong field order. The other tip is to look at:
http://www.cask-of-amontillado.com/htpc.html
after you get your card. There are some registry settings you can fool with that may be of use to you with your Hauppauge card.

[jman98]

I went to the Hauppauge website and they don't say anything about the card working or not working on Vista. Their drivers do not explicitly support Vista. hudsonf says it works. I use 32 bit XP.

No, you can't change channels on the PC if you are feeding the output of a set-top box to the card. You have to change the channel on the set-top box. If you feed cable TV directly to the card and bypass the set-top box, yes, you can change channels on the PC.

I told you why I think you don't need the 350. Read my post again.

[pinetop]

A couple of quick tips on Hauppauge cards. The record "bottom field first" EVERYTIME but their software has a bug in it and it incorrectly reports "top field first" to any program you use to examine the video with. Trust me when I tell you that it is ALWAYS "bottom field first" and if you want to re-encode a video to a lower bit rate (I do that sometimes), you'll get the best results by setting your encoding software to use "bottom field first" even if the software thinks it should use "top field first". Again, this is a bug in Hauppauge's software that reports the wrong field order. The other tip is to look at:
http://www.cask-of-amontillado.com/htpc.html
after you get your card. There are some registry settings you can fool with that may be of use to you with your Hauppauge card.

What does top or bottom field first mean?

[Abond]

https://www.videohelp.com/glossary?F#Field
https://www.videohelp.com/glossary?I#Interlace,%20Interlaced,%20Interlacing,%20non-progressive
https://www.videohelp.com/glossary?F#Frame
Top field are even scanlines, bottom are odd.
Top field first mean that even scanlines are displayed first.

[npereira]

So I just purchased the 350 for 135$cad...
Will get it tomorow.
Figured i'd get the 350 just in cas I need to output for something later on. You never know... and I always tend to buy more then what I need NOW, so that later on, im not screwed... Plus the good price so...


So I looked at BeyondTV and they talk about an IR blaster that connects the Card to the digital Set-Top box to change channels... Hmmm... does anyone have that setup?

[jagabo]

Each frame of interlaced video contains two half pictures called fields. The Two pictures need to be displayed one at a time and in the correct order. The field order flags tell the player which of the two fields to display first.

I don't know why on jman98's computer the flags say TFF but the MPEG video is really BFF. On all my PVR-250 captures the flags and video are TFF.

[jman98]

I found out the hard way that my PVR-350 records BFF, which is why I mentioned it. Many won't care as they won't re-encode, so my info was just meant to help those who do care about that. I re-encoded a capture down to a lower bit rate using CCE and my first attempt had all the normal field order problems - motion looking wrong and so on. I used TFF, which is what various MPEG analyzing programs reported the video as using. I changed it to BFF on the next try at encoding and the end result was correct and didn't have the field order issues. It might just be an issue with the PVR-350 then.

[SHS]

npereira will you be using MCE or some other 3rdparty PVR apps?
If yes to MCE I say if you have any free 1x PCIe slot get the HVR-1800 and Microsoft certified Media Center remote control or the Full MCE Kit if not then HVR-1600 MCE Kit will do or reg Retail HVR-1600 non MCE which support QAM.
Note that any Retail PVR, USB, HVR, etc with an onboard IR Blaster are not Compatible with MCE you still have get the Microsoft certified Media Center remote control for any set-top box.
Reason being you have Cable and in most case's your cable system may ready have some open QAM channel how ever do keep in mind that MCE dosen't support QAM rigth now so there for you need used SageTV, GB-PVR or WinTV app.
Note QAM is not going give you all of the digital channel so there for you have to use the cable set-top box and due keep in mind that cable set-top boxs DON'T power them self back on like Satellite set-top boxs do so that something you have keep eye on.
Do keep in mind that you also need MCE IR Blaster for change channels unless you plan on doing this manual so there for you need to order the Microsoft certified Media Center remote control if go with MCE other then that with 3rdparty PVR apps you want get the USB-UIRT depend which HVR you go with how ever if it a Retail HVR-1600 then use it on board IR blaster.
Also do keep in mind that MCE dosen't record in MPG file it use a wapper dvr-ms file.
The 250"Some frist model"/350 with CX23415 chip run's really hot and it really an old design going on 8+ years old so there for I do not recommend it nor do I recommend with newer motherboard like you have.

[npereira]

thanks...

I dont think ill be using MCE, will probebly use a freeware WinTV capture or something... For now, I only want to record some shows off SpeedTV which only shows up on Digital Illico service here in Gatineau QC... or Satellite...

[jagabo]

Note that you can get an IR blaster that will let the PVR-250/350 control your cable box or satellite receiver.

[npereira]

hmmm... how? which one?

[jagabo]

They used to sell the IR blaster alone but I only see it bundled with the remote control for MCE now:

http://registration.hauppauge.com/webstore/hardware2.asp?product=mce_remote

[npereira]

The thing is I dont realy need the remote itself, as long as I can use my Logitech Harmony 880 to control MC, then I'm fine with that....

Damn... strating to wonder if I made the correct choic on the PVR-350...

Hauppauge has so many products that it's hard to pic the one you need....

But now come to thnink about it, being able to watch TV and record via MC would be nice, but I dont want a second remote...


Is there an off the shelf IR receiver I could hook up to the PC in order to controll MCE, apart from buying the Microsoft remote package?

[npereira]

Also, the IR Blaster, do you connect it to the Hauppauge card or to the PC via USB or something?

[SHS]

Keep in mind that 250 and 350 do not have build-in IR Blaster and have no chosse but used MCE with a Media Center certified remote control or 3rdparty like SageTV or GB-PVR with a USB-UIRT.
If had gotting a startrad PVR-150 or HVR-1600 it IR plug in to card it self and small eye IR Blaster gose to set-top box where stick it to front of the set-top box where other one is big round IR eye it for Remote Control input.
model 01178: WinTV-HVR-1600 with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, on-board IR receiver and blaster, and English manual
model 01181: WinTV-HVR-1600 with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, on-board IR receiver and blaster, and French/Englsh manual
model 01045: WinTV-PVR-150 with Hauppauge remote control, IR Blaster and NTSC tuner
model 01047: WinTV-PVR-150 with Hauppauge remote control, IR Blaster and NTSC tuner with French/Englsh manual

If you had gotting the one label as MCE or MCE Kit
model 01101: WinTV-HVR-1600 MC board only with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, without Media Center certified remote control, with FM radio
model 01183: WinTV-HVR-1600 MC-Kit with NSTC/ATSC/QAM support, Media Center certified remote control receiver/blaster and FM radio

Is there an off the shelf IR receiver I could hook up to the PC in order to controll MCE, apart from buying the Microsoft remote package?

Nope

[npereira]

what is this QAM and ATSC ?
I'm with illico digital cable from Videotron in Quebec, can't see to find what they use...

Im debating on the PVR-350 and HVR-1600 now.... DAMN ! I can't open the box when I get my 350 tomorow or else I can't return it anymore..... SHIT !

[edDV]

what is this QAM and ATSC ?
I'm with illico digital cable from Videotron in Quebec, can't see to find what they use...

Im debating on the PVR-350 and HVR-1600 now.... DAMN ! I can't open the box when I get my 350 tomorow or else I can't return it anymore..... SHIT !

ATSC is over the air digital
QAM is the way cable modulates digital channels.

Canada isn't moving as fast on these issues. NTSC broadcasting continues in Canada.

See this thread
https://forum.videohelp.com/topic347584.html#1824060

[disturbed1]

ATSC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATSC_Standards
NTSC High Def Television standard

QAM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrature_amplitude_modulation
More or less (in simple terms) what your cable provider uses to broadcast digital tv with.

Some providers do have the QAM channels unlocked. Meaning, with a QAM tuner you can tune in your speed channel and capture the direct digital stream. Don't get your hopes up on this, I believe Videotron has the QAM channel encrypted.

Your provider does broadcast the locals across the coax cable in HD.

You can use the firewire out on the HD reciever though http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=48146

In all honesty, if your final format will be mpeg2 for DVD, it may be easiest to get one of the $50 PVR150 models, or even the usb2PVR model. If you want to play with HD captures, snag the stream from the firewire output of the Set Top Box.

[npereira]

SHIT !

The more I read the more I see threads on the net of people trying to get the 350 to work with vista without success..... But I'm wondering, is it the OS that has no support for the drivers or is it the Media Center application? If it's the later, I could not care less, I'm fine just recording with 3rd party app to harddisk... as long as I can schedule it to record when im not at home...

So can someone tell me if they got the 350 to work with vista or not..?

If I un-seal that box tomorow, I wont be able to return it.

If I dont un-seal it i can return it and get something that WILL work with vista....


Please help !


Will the 1600 or 1800 work with vista?