Which HDTV Tuner card?

[gareth2061]

Hi

I want to buy two HDTV cards (internal) so I can record and view two HDTV UK freeview channels at once. I wont be using the provided software so thats not a problem.

I read somewhere that you need a beefy graphics card to record HDTV, is this true?

Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[leon2006]

Hauppage 2250 is the one of the best card on the market to date. It has 2 HDTV tuner. You can preview while the other one is recording. You can watch another TV channel while the other is recording.

It works well with Windows Media Center. Its own software also works great. I had mine running for close to a year on Vista-64 Ultimate.

Recorded video files can be played by any player such as Windows Media, Windows Media Center, PowerDVD...etc.

Make sure you have big drives for recording. The biggest recording i had is ~ 27Gbyte for a single >3hrs show in HD(one file).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116036

You don't need the TOP DOG video card to do this. I can't comment on actual performance experience for lower card since i always use the high end card(i.e. now crossfire 4890). TO EMPHASIZE YOU DON'T NEED HIGH END CARD FOR THIS.

 

[shortstuff_mt]

+1 to the Hauppauge HVR-2250. I use it in combination with a HVR-1600 so I can record 3 HD and 1 SD signal at the same time. The HVR-2250 is an excellent tuner.

Your graphics card has nothing to do with recording HD content. You don't need a very strong GPU to display HD content, either. I use a lowly 2600XT that I got for $5 after rebate in my HTPC and it works great with 1080 HD recordings.

 

[gareth2061]

that sounds good then , Im not sure its available in the UK, at least I havent seen it anywhere.