TV Tuner / Media Center PC

The big thing on tuners is the chipset. The industry standard is Brooktree AFAIK. I have on old card that I've used for years that uses the BT848, and it's been great. No FM tuner or stereo though. The BT878 has stereo output (got one of those to, K-World). I think Avermedia uses the 878. Re the All-In-Wonder, definitely a good choice if you're starting from scratch, but if you already have TV out and hardware DVD decoding you don't really need it. The only thing I might look for that this Avermedia card doesn't have is the ability to decode digital signal (that's my next upgrade, I hope). They start getting really expensive though.

OH, and surround sound output, but you only need that if you can decode digital signals.
 
VHS to DVD is overkill, unless you're trying to put the most possible hours on a single disc. Otherwise go VCD.

The problem with All-in-wonder product is preciselly that it is "all in one", thus if you later want to upgrade the video card you'll have to discard the whole thing. I would chose an independent solution on a PCI card, this way you can have whichever vid card you want and be able to capture.

chcr is right about the bt chips, many applications are developed to include support of those, ATI chips are also widely accepted but not as standard as the bt.
 
chcr said:
The big thing on tuners is the chipset. The industry standard is Brooktree AFAIK. I have on old card that I've used for years that uses the BT848, and it's been great. No FM tuner or stereo though. The BT878 has stereo output (got one of those to, K-World). I think Avermedia uses the 878. Re the All-In-Wonder, definitely a good choice if you're starting from scratch, but if you already have TV out and hardware DVD decoding you don't really need it. The only thing I might look for that this Avermedia card doesn't have is the ability to decode digital signal (that's my next upgrade, I hope). They start getting really expensive though.

OH, and surround sound output, but you only need that if you can decode digital signals.
Click to expand...
yep, I bought this kworld one a couple of months back.
I'm not real fond of the software it comes with, and I've tried Virtual VCR
with it too. It serves the purpose, but I think I need to fix my cable connection,
and get a booster for the fm. :confused:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-100-103&depa=1
 
It is just that I thought that he'd get the rig up and running and then want to do all the neat things you can do with video.

Thing about stuff that I buy I tend to keep it for entirely too long. The thing about video for me is that if I can't see it in nearly the same quality and resolution as it was originally delivered I get a bad case of the twitches.


http://www.sudhian.com/showdocs.cfm?aid=678
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16814160017

I've thought about the ATI option, but I really don't want to get an all in one. All in one's scare me, plus I've always like Nvidia better for vid cards, but that's an entirely different argument. I think I've decided on this one, it's got the software I need for transfering my vids to dvd, and it has stereo sound, the first one I looked at didn't.
 
That one seems to be more for XP Media Center Edition. I suppose I should have mentioned that I don't intend on going with that, but rather have a PC that also doubles as a Media Center.
 
Sorry I've been researching building a
"home theatre center" PC and have set up
two buddies PC's to "copy their Vid-Cam movies"
to DVD.

The issue that arises is video editing.

Also I'd like to watch my cable feed on my comp
and record programs for playback on the TV
as well as create DVD's from any video source.

I haven't decided on the proper capture\video card set-up yet.

I'd like to can this ABIT IC-7G socket 478 975 chipset motherboard and go PCI-Express too but what the heck.

Go on and spend the money for the right card as this will be the anchor for all that you try to do with video in this rig.
 
Linux is the devil?

No wait that might be Kool
finally a dual boot with a purpose?
 
Winky said:
Sorry I've been researching building a
"home theatre center" PC and have set up
two buddies PC's to "copy their Vid-Cam movies"
to DVD.

The issue that arises is video editing.

Also I'd like to watch my cable feed on my comp
and record programs for playback on the TV
as well as create DVD's from any video source.

I haven't decided on the proper capture\video card set-up yet.

I'd like to can this ABIT IC-7G socket 478 975 chipset motherboard and go PCI-Express too but what the heck.

Go on and spend the money for the right card as this will be the anchor for all that you try to do with video in this rig.
Click to expand...
I do want something that's going to last me for awhile, although I'm not sure I'll really use the whole capabilities of it either, I suppose I'll have to see how easy they are to use, and then see if the rest of the family is willing to point the remote at the PC instead of the cable box. The main features I'm looking at right now is the ability to record from VHS tapes, and the TIVO like functionality. The last card I posted has both.
 
Winky said:
Linux is the devil?

No wait that might be Kool
finally a dual boot with a purpose?
Click to expand...
[James Earl Jones]You don't understand the power...[/James Earl Jones]
 
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