USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

There's at least a half-dozen of them on the market now; would any
readers of this newsgroup care to comment on their experiences with
one or more of 'em?

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

Bert Hyman wrote:
There's at least a half-dozen of them on the market now; would any
readers of this newsgroup care to comment on their experiences with
one or more of 'em?


I have had this one for over a year and am happy with it:
http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/HDTV5usb.aspx

.....Fred

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

Bert Hyman wrote:
There's at least a half-dozen of them on the market now; would any
readers of this newsgroup care to comment on their experiences with
one or more of 'em?

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |

Boss bought one of these for his laptop. It works well and he's happy
with it.

http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/produ...ta_hvr950.html

GG

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:55:08 -0500 Fred Martin wrote:

| Bert Hyman wrote:
| There's at least a half-dozen of them on the market now; would any
| readers of this newsgroup care to comment on their experiences with
| one or more of 'em?
|
|
| I have had this one for over a year and am happy with it:
| http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/HDTV5usb.aspx

Does it require special software?

--
|---------------------------------------/----------------------------------|
| Phil Howard KA9WGN (ka9wgn.ham.org) / Do not send to the address below |
| first name lower case at ipal.net / |
|------------------------------------/-------------------------------------|

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

I chose the AutumnWave OnAir GT for use with my laptop and I'm very
pleased with it. Runs off USB power (no separate power lump), does
8VSB and clear QAM, fits easily in my laptop bag. Hardware and
supplied software seem solid.

Scheduling records with the original app was the pits, but they have
since added support for TitanTV scheduling. That requires an Internet
connection when you set the schedule, but it's a lot better than the
EPG from most stations. Not as good as the independently-produced
support for downloadable schedules for the MyHD and Fusion products,
but that may disappear soon anyway.

Like all USB digital tuners, it expects the CPU and maybe the video
system to do all the work of decoding and displaying MPEG2. That
pretty well maxes out my 1.7 GHz laptop. For a PC with PCI slots I'd
rather have a card with its own hardware decoding and display (which I
do, and it hardly taxes the computer at all). I might use a USB tuner
as a second tuner for record only. In that case I might favor the
OnAir Creator, which does require external power but which has a
hardware encoder for NTSC analog. But I don't do much with NTSC any
more. Amazing how fast a whole rack of video equipment became
obsolete.

One important selling point is that the company has a knowledgeable
tech who is active in the AutumnWave thread on AVS Forum. Questions
get answered, and good suggestions get back to people who can
implement them.

Del Mibbler

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

"Del Mibbler" [email protected] wrote in message
...
I chose the AutumnWave OnAir GT for use with my laptop and I'm
very
pleased with it. Runs off USB power (no separate power lump),
does
8VSB and clear QAM, fits easily in my laptop bag. Hardware
and
supplied software seem solid.

Scheduling records with the original app was the pits, but
they have
since added support for TitanTV scheduling. That requires an
Internet
connection when you set the schedule, but it's a lot better
than the
EPG from most stations. Not as good as the
independently-produced
support for downloadable schedules for the MyHD and Fusion
products,
but that may disappear soon anyway.

Like all USB digital tuners, it expects the CPU and maybe the
video
system to do all the work of decoding and displaying MPEG2.
That
pretty well maxes out my 1.7 GHz laptop. For a PC with PCI
slots I'd
rather have a card with its own hardware decoding and display
(which I
do, and it hardly taxes the computer at all). I might use a
USB tuner
as a second tuner for record only. In that case I might favor
the
OnAir Creator, which does require external power but which has
a
hardware encoder for NTSC analog. But I don't do much with
NTSC any
more. Amazing how fast a whole rack of video equipment became
obsolete.

One important selling point is that the company has a
knowledgeable
tech who is active in the AutumnWave thread on AVS Forum.
Questions
get answered, and good suggestions get back to people who can
implement them.

Del Mibbler

I'm very happy with the OnAir Creator
(http://www.autumnwave.com/Consumer/OnAir-Creator.html)
I had been using either Hauppauge 250 or USB2 capture devices
previously and wanted to retain that SD capability in the HDTV
capture device. The USB2 from AutumnWave does that and more.
Onboard NTSC to MPEG2 conversion results in no drain on the
CPUs, which vary between laptop (used exclusively for ATSC) and
towers (used for S-Video, NTSC, ATSC, and QAM). I seem to recall
that "time-shift," which I've no occasion to use, was oddly
implemented. I do, however, often happen to be watching
pre-recorded video or even editing video while captures are in
progress.

As you mentioned, the scheduler/TitanTV link makes scheduling
easy but maintenance of the schedule needs some improvements -
as well as some automation regarding schedule changes.

The documentation is quite skimpy and out of date to the latest
version of the software implementing the device. But I hasten to
add that, as an early adopter, the tech support via email was
prompt, courteous, and very knowledgeable. I've never visited
AVS forums. Thanks for mentioning it.

Tech support mentioned that they are working on an API - sounds
as if they are not presently supported by the likes of SageTV?
This would not be as desirable as Hauppauge's WinTV2000 capture
program, which accepts command-line instructions enabling even a
non-programmer to semi-automate its functions.

For those, like myself, who have both ATSC and QAM sources
available, the OnAir device supports both though has but a
single input, so switching between sources is necessary - making
it impossible to schedule unattended capture from both sources
back-to-back on the same device.

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

"Bill's News" wrote (in part):

I'm very happy with the OnAir Creator
(http://www.autumnwave.com/Consumer/OnAir-Creator.html)
.. . .
I seem to recall
that "time-shift," which I've no occasion to use, was oddly
implemented.

The GT doesn't have an MPEG2 encoder, so it won't timeshift NTSC. The
Creator will, and I expect its timeshifting is identical for analog or
digital inputs. But it could use some improvements. Turning it on
and off requires drilling down through some menus, unless I'm missing
something. It's possible that the remote could be programmed to do
it. Also, if you change channels while timeshifting it jumps to real
time. That is not the way I think most users want it to work. I want
to finish what I was watching up to the point where I changed the
channel, then watch that channel. I can get back where I was with
some effort, but it's annoying.

As you mentioned, the scheduler/TitanTV link makes scheduling
easy but maintenance of the schedule needs some improvements -
as well as some automation regarding schedule changes.

Agreed. I use CW_EPG with a MyHD card; it's an independently-produced
add-on that automates scheduling using downloadable data from Zap2It.
I tried to interest the developers in supporting the GT but they
didn't bite. And that project may end soon anyway because Zap2It has
announced that they are dropping the free downloads.

Tech support mentioned that they are working on an API - sounds
as if they are not presently supported by the likes of SageTV?
This would not be as desirable as Hauppauge's WinTV2000 capture
program, which accepts command-line instructions enabling even a
non-programmer to semi-automate its functions.

In this message:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&#post10993927
AutumnWave tech Ryan Pertusio says SageTV should work with the GT in
all modes, and BeyondTV should do all except QAM. I don't know about
the Creator.

For those, like myself, who have both ATSC and QAM sources
available, the OnAir device supports both though has but a
single input, so switching between sources is necessary - making
it impossible to schedule unattended capture from both sources
back-to-back on the same device.

Yes, two inputs would be handy. My other tuners have that. The LG
DVR has one for OTA, one for cable. Each of the MyHD card's inputs
can be configured for either, so you could connect both, or two
antennas (or two cable companies, if you had them).

Del Mibbler

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

Happague WinTV-HVR 950.Very nice, easy to setup with included software. No
problem receiving HDTV in Detroit Metro (40 mile) area or when used in
Atlanta, Ga.
Comes with telescopic antenna, a good outside antenna helps aquire marginal
signals.
Fair price for the item via online vendors and ocassionally on special via
B/B and C/C.
BTW: will not receive HD signals via local cable providers but does tune in
all analog and digital channels. OTA HD very good. Software provides for
signal level readings on HD channels.
"Del Mibbler" [email protected] wrote in message
...
"Bill's News" wrote (in part):

I'm very happy with the OnAir Creator
(http://www.autumnwave.com/Consumer/OnAir-Creator.html)
. . .
I seem to recall
that "time-shift," which I've no occasion to use, was oddly
implemented.

The GT doesn't have an MPEG2 encoder, so it won't timeshift NTSC. The
Creator will, and I expect its timeshifting is identical for analog or
digital inputs. But it could use some improvements. Turning it on
and off requires drilling down through some menus, unless I'm missing
something. It's possible that the remote could be programmed to do
it. Also, if you change channels while timeshifting it jumps to real
time. That is not the way I think most users want it to work. I want
to finish what I was watching up to the point where I changed the
channel, then watch that channel. I can get back where I was with
some effort, but it's annoying.

As you mentioned, the scheduler/TitanTV link makes scheduling
easy but maintenance of the schedule needs some improvements -
as well as some automation regarding schedule changes.

Agreed. I use CW_EPG with a MyHD card; it's an independently-produced
add-on that automates scheduling using downloadable data from Zap2It.
I tried to interest the developers in supporting the GT but they
didn't bite. And that project may end soon anyway because Zap2It has
announced that they are dropping the free downloads.

Tech support mentioned that they are working on an API - sounds
as if they are not presently supported by the likes of SageTV?
This would not be as desirable as Hauppauge's WinTV2000 capture
program, which accepts command-line instructions enabling even a
non-programmer to semi-automate its functions.

In this message:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&#post10993927
AutumnWave tech Ryan Pertusio says SageTV should work with the GT in
all modes, and BeyondTV should do all except QAM. I don't know about
the Creator.

For those, like myself, who have both ATSC and QAM sources
available, the OnAir device supports both though has but a
single input, so switching between sources is necessary - making
it impossible to schedule unattended capture from both sources
back-to-back on the same device.

Yes, two inputs would be handy. My other tuners have that. The LG
DVR has one for OTA, one for cable. Each of the MyHD card's inputs
can be configured for either, so you could connect both, or two
antennas (or two cable companies, if you had them).

Del Mibbler

USB HDTV tuners for PCs?
 

BTW: The software comes with the ability to digitally record the materials
to your hard drive and to later transfer those recordings to other media.
"AJ" wrote in message
. ..
Happague WinTV-HVR 950.Very nice, easy to setup with included software. No
problem receiving HDTV in Detroit Metro (40 mile) area or when used in
Atlanta, Ga.
Comes with telescopic antenna, a good outside antenna helps aquire
marginal signals.
Fair price for the item via online vendors and ocassionally on special via
B/B and C/C.
BTW: will not receive HD signals via local cable providers but does tune
in all analog and digital channels. OTA HD very good. Software provides
for signal level readings on HD channels.
"Del Mibbler" [email protected] wrote in message
...
"Bill's News" wrote (in part):

I'm very happy with the OnAir Creator
(http://www.autumnwave.com/Consumer/OnAir-Creator.html)
. . .
I seem to recall
that "time-shift," which I've no occasion to use, was oddly
implemented.

The GT doesn't have an MPEG2 encoder, so it won't timeshift NTSC. The
Creator will, and I expect its timeshifting is identical for analog or
digital inputs. But it could use some improvements. Turning it on
and off requires drilling down through some menus, unless I'm missing
something. It's possible that the remote could be programmed to do
it. Also, if you change channels while timeshifting it jumps to real
time. That is not the way I think most users want it to work. I want
to finish what I was watching up to the point where I changed the
channel, then watch that channel. I can get back where I was with
some effort, but it's annoying.

As you mentioned, the scheduler/TitanTV link makes scheduling
easy but maintenance of the schedule needs some improvements -
as well as some automation regarding schedule changes.

Agreed. I use CW_EPG with a MyHD card; it's an independently-produced
add-on that automates scheduling using downloadable data from Zap2It.
I tried to interest the developers in supporting the GT but they
didn't bite. And that project may end soon anyway because Zap2It has
announced that they are dropping the free downloads.

Tech support mentioned that they are working on an API - sounds
as if they are not presently supported by the likes of SageTV?
This would not be as desirable as Hauppauge's WinTV2000 capture
program, which accepts command-line instructions enabling even a
non-programmer to semi-automate its functions.

In this message:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&#post10993927
AutumnWave tech Ryan Pertusio says SageTV should work with the GT in
all modes, and BeyondTV should do all except QAM. I don't know about
the Creator.

For those, like myself, who have both ATSC and QAM sources
available, the OnAir device supports both though has but a
single input, so switching between sources is necessary - making
it impossible to schedule unattended capture from both sources
back-to-back on the same device.

Yes, two inputs would be handy. My other tuners have that. The LG
DVR has one for OTA, one for cable. Each of the MyHD card's inputs
can be configured for either, so you could connect both, or two
antennas (or two cable companies, if you had them).

Del Mibbler