TV Tuner Card Question
 

Hi hardware canucks I'm looking to purchase a TV tuner card to install via PCI-E.

I want to be able to connect the cord going into my Bell ExpressVu satellite box into this tv tuner card in order to watch/record TV on my PC.

I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions, as I'm a huge noob when it comes to tv tuner cards and viewing/recording TV on your PC.

I was looking at this as a start, but some reviews are questionable (Newegg.ca - Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 1850 (updated version of 1800) MCE Kit 1128 PCI-Express x1 Interface)

TV tuner seems to be fine, just so you know there is no difference if the tv tuner is on pci or pcie x1, as long as they are hardware encoding, like the one you selected. To record from the Bell receiver you will need to switch the channels from the receiver, while thie one will be connected with the rca cables to tv tuner

Can I plug the TV cord that goes into my TV directly into the back of the TV tuner card?

Do you want hidef? I'm not certain this card will work. Although it has Hidef capability it is via it's own ATSC tuner, there are no DVI or HDMI or component inputs so unless your receiver puts out a COAX ATSC hidef signal it will not do hidef but only low def via COAX, RCA or SVHS.

Technically you don't need a TV tuner, the receiver you have is the tuner. What you need is a video capture card. Newegg.ca - AVerMedia AVerTV HD DVR MTVHDDVRR PCI-Express x1 Interfacesomething like that as long as you have a hidef receiver with HDMI.

The tuner card will not be able to change channels on the Bell box.

I don't have Bell Expressvue, but you will need to make sure that you have something called an IR Blaster that transmits signals from your computer to the box (basically, the computer needs to act as a remote control, and transmit signals from the IR Blaster to the Bell box). Problem is, IR Blasters seem to be a PITA to setup.

I have bought one of these, that has not shown up yet: USB-UIRT Home This will allow me to control the channels on the digital box properly and reliably.

Next question is how does the Bell box display the video signal to the computer? In this case, you need to use coax or use a connector that is an output on the Bell box, and the same input on the tv tuner. I am not sure what options you have on your Bell box.

He will not get hi-def on the card he has selected with the Bell box. The ATSC tuner is not good, unless its over the air h-def he is going for.

He might need something like this: Newegg.ca - Hauppauge Colossus - Record your high definition video gameplay and TV programs using H.2601414 PCI-Express x1 Interface

I have no experience with this card, but I have been looking into it.

Yah, I'm fairly certain none of the Bell (or any other company) receivers can put out hidef over COAX (ATSC).

We're still waiting for some kind of CableCard to be made available in Canada. Until that time, the great majority of content being played through HTPC will end up being something downloaded from the internet, or ripped from purchased media. Of course... the content providers don't want to make them available for fear of losing a cash stream, but c'mon folks.... nobody is paying for content under current conditions, so open it up....... <Rant = Off>

I don't care about the quality and my TV is not HD its just regular satellite I just want to connect the TV-IN cord to my PC and view/record on my PC is that possible?

Heh there is still a few of us that use analog tuners in our HTPC's. But I agree, I thought about going to a "hi-def" solution then quickly realized how limited recording from a set-top box is. Now I just run analog to the htpc and hidef via my shaw box. That will have to work for now here in Canada for me.