OTA HD Question

[lcdguy]

Since i use a projection system my "TV" does not have an ATSC tuner. My question is do i get an ATSC tuner for my HTPC or do i just get a setop tuner or a network enabled ATSC tuner. They would all cost around the same price (130-170).

[MAK]

Originally Posted by lcdguy

Since i use a projection system my "TV" does not have an ATSC tuner. My question is do i get an ATSC tuner for my HTPC or do i just get a setop tuner or a network enabled ATSC tuner. They would all cost around the same price (130-170).

Good question. If you're going to use it for OTA signals, I'd go with the ATSC tuner for the HTPC. An average one would be something like the Hauppauge HVR 1600 or if you can get the dual tuner one (the 2250), you'd have two tuners (watch one while the other is recording).

I've used all three methods. The network enabled one (I have the Silicon Dust HD Homerun) seemed at the time to be the most flexible, but after connection issues I finally had to isolate the HDHomerun on its own little network which meant I needed two network cards in the htpc: one for data and Internet, and the other exclusively connected to the subnet containing the HD Homerun (video network). A pain, but now the HDHomerun (on one htpc) and the Hauppauge (on another) record equally well.

A set-top would be great if you are going to connect to a cable company (like Rogers) or sattelite (Bell), and I'd recommend just getting a good PVR that works for that and bypassing the htpc. But a set-top tuner for OTA HD signals is kind of a waste.. the other two solutions connect to your htpc and allow you use it as a PVR and record HD etc..

[lcdguy]

hmm. Has Hauppage's driver support improved any since i last used them I remember it being a pain when i did my first htpc which used a PVR-350 card.

Update:

I took a quick look at the HVR-1600 looks nice except i can't use it due to a lack of PCI slots. The mobo i have only has one Pci, one PCie x1, and One Pcie x16. Both the X16 and Regular pci are occupied so it will need to be a PCie Tuner. So since i am looking at a pc based tuner. Hauppage Something or other or Ati Theatre Series (BTW there is already an ATI 4350 in my HTPC)

[MAK]

If you need a PCI-E one, then the Hauppauge 1850 or the 2250 should do the job.

I remember having horrible issues with the first Hauppauge card I ever bought, the MCE-500. Drivers that didn't really work (I was told NOT to even try the ones on the CD but go download the newer one from their website... ) and in the end it turned out to be a conflict with the cheap mobo I had - the VIA chipset and the hauppauge didn't want to cooperate.

Haven't had issues since then... maybe I bought better equipment, or maybe their drivers improved.

[artistpavel]

Using one in the sig for PCI-E, no problem.

[lcdguy]

ok it looks like i am looking at eithe the 1800 or 2250. One more question. The other issue i have discovered is the HDD is making ALOT of noise so i would like replace it with a 30GB SSD so i can get a very silent pc (the VC is passively cooled.) and i am not sure which is the best bang for your buck since i really haven't looked into ssd's to much.

[TDA]

Best bang for buck now is Kingston's SSDNow 40gb. JUST the 40gb model, the others aren't so great.

[artistpavel]

I normally buy OCZ Vertex 30GB with firmware 1.4, it supports Windows 7 TRIM out of the box. Every friend and relative now has one.