TV tuner card help

[jasonHoldEm]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get recommendations on a decent quality (PCI) TV tuner card. Not looking to pay a ton, but I don't want bottom of the barrel either. Recording and all that "extra" stuff is optional as I already have a DVR. As I'll explain in a minute essentially all I need the ability to tune in a specific channel.

Concerns...

My main concern is that I want to do this with a dish network line. I don't know if this is some sort of special signal or not (it currently works fine on a regular tv so I assume it's not special or doesn't matter).

I have the dual output box and currently the secondary line (the one I'll be using for the computer) just plugs into a TV, you put it on channel 73, and then use a radio frequency remote to change channels, etc (the signal goes to the box which is in another room).

So essentially all I need is a way to get picture and sound on channel 73 in a window on my desktop and I'm good to go....don't need to worry about recording since I can record them on my DVR (which is built into the dish network box) and then pipe them into my computer just like a regular signal.

Hope that makes sense, just want to make sure I buy the right thing.

Thanks,
J

EDIT: not sure if it matters, but I use dual CRT monitors.

I would think one of the Hauppage cards is what you are looking for. I have the PVR-350 and the 250 and am satisfied greatly with both. You could probably go with the PVR-150 to do what you need.

I second Hauppage. It's the preferred brand for linux a they have open source drivers. ATI has always rubbed me the wrong way with their driver support.

[BBill]

Just an FYI you'll get better quality, less choppy viewing if you get a tuner card that has hardware encoding.

The Hauppage cards that RakeC listed above are good.
I got a SAPPHIRE Theatrix Theatre 550Pro PCI TV Tuner Card which is slightly newer technology than the Hauppage cards listed.
If you happen to have an ASUS MB the 550pro could require a bios upgrade.

You should also have a quality video card that is directx9 compatible.

I'm not sure about the Dish and channel 73 item, but it should work, or you could split the line before it gets to the dual output box and run right to the TV tuner and it will be its own DVR.

[illogical]

Twinhan 102g from ebay for around $70 if you want to pirate the dishnetwork signal. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[sthief09]

get a Hauppauge board. that's my dad's company. support 2+2 /images/graemlins/tongue.gif