CASTLECASCADE

Hey guyz

I am looking to get a tuner card for my computer. I have a satellite fta box which works fine. All I want is to take an output from it to a tuner card and watch and RECORD channels on my computer.

I already have a card that serves this function (a cheap one). But I want a better quality one. The one I have clips the video while I am recording it. That is, I cannot watch the video smoothly if I am recording it. But otherwise is fine.
So maybe I want a card with HARDWARE DECODER !!??

Now......I know there are two kinds of cards. One does NOT need a satellite receiver........u can plug right in to the card from the DISH. The other type need an output FROM A RECEIVER. I don't know what each kind are called. Do they correspond to digital VS analog (or DVB card vs TUNER card)? I need the latter kind............'coz I don't want a direct connection from the dish (i have tried it and find it complicating and don't think it is user friendly). Maybe the kind I want will be cheaper too....no?

So please................recommend a couple of the best cards to me.
Apart from that.......please ENLIGHTEN me on the difference between the two kinds of cards I mentioned. I want to know what they are called.

Cheers guyz........hope to hear from you

The_Other_One

Ok, you are quite close about hardware ENCODING(hehe, decoding would be output ) I can give you suggestions for basic capture cards, however, I don't know much about satellite ones. I have heard of some that worked as you mentioned, but I only know of ones with basic TV Tuners in them. I don't know if you'd need to get one with a satellite tuner from your provider or what(probably not, but I just have cable here so I wouldn't know )

If you just want a good standard def. tuner, the WinTV PVR 150 is about as good as they come. There is a bit of an annoying buffer lag, but capturing than burning to DVD yields almost lossless quality.

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CASTLECASCADE

Thanks bro..thanks for replying.

Yeah..........I want to know especially about satellite cards only.

Though I see some satellite (dvb) cards online.........none of them say if they actuall require an output from a sat reciever or can take output directly from the dish (in the latter case, a reciever is not needed).

I guess may be the cards online do mention this in some form. I simply lack the knowledge to understand what "techincal word" to look for over there.

I'm still confused about what to look, man.

No one here who knows about satellite capture cards?

CASTLECASCADE

I already have a satellite reciever and want a card that takes output from that reciever.

So maybe I am looking for the best ANALOG card out there. Is that true?
The reason I say this is 'coz I don't want my card to decode signals directly from the dish or from cable connection. All I want is it to accept RCA video/audio output from the reciever. That way the reciever does all the decoding job and the CARD only needs to PLAY and Record.

elitehacker

yeah if you already have the satellite receiver then get a card that has hardware encoder and also sport RCA ports. I think the lag would be most likely your computer and not the tuner card's fault. What spec computer do you have?

mattsprattuk

did you know... if you just say 'bump' in a second post, it makes the thread go to the top of the list??
remember that next time before PMing everyone on here

CASTLECASCADE

Thanks mattsprattuk........didn't now that. But for sure...next time

And Elitehacker............thanks. I have a Pentium 4; 3.00Ghz; 512 mb Ram. Think that is good enough..no?
I understand that I need a card which takes in RCA and also which has a hardware encoder. But tell me plz............do I need a digital card......or analog is good enough?

Thank you.

DCIScouts

Analog would be ok, but digital is always better... Plus, if you can afford another 512 of RAM that also may be contributing to your problems. I don't think you really need anything all that fancy, but try some more RAM and if that doesn't work, then see about upgrading the converter.

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CASTLECASCADE

Thanks man