Please help me choose new tuner card...

[royphil345]

Hi,

I'm still using SAGEtv version 5 with analog basic cable and a Hauppauge PVR-250 TV card. I'm in the USA (NTSC) and my OS is XP Pro.

Over the last year, I've been getting some blank recordings (black screen with vertical lines). It seems to be a problem when the tuner card changes or selects a channel sometimes. I think it's a hardware problem because I've never had this problem before. I've reinstalled my whole OS and all the software a couple times since this started and it still occurs. My system seems to be fine otherwise.

So... Looks like maybe a new TV card might be what I need? The PVR-250 is pretty old. I thought picking up a cheap, outdated PVR-150 would meet my needs. But, they aren't selling for that cheap... Is there anything I could pick up for not too much more money that would still work with my current setup, but might be more future-proof in case I go hi-def or cable goes all digital or something? Or... is there any other decent but outdated analog only card I might be able to pick up dirt cheap instead?

Thanks much for any advice!

[cslatt]

Originally Posted by royphil345

So... Looks like maybe a new TV card might be what I need? The PVR-250 is pretty old. I thought picking up a cheap, outdated PVR-150 would meet my needs. But, they aren't selling for that cheap...

PVR-150s are actually quite cheap on eBay - $30 range last I checked.

[royphil345]

Originally Posted by cslatt

PVR-150s are actually quite cheap on eBay - $30 range last I checked.

It's more like $50.00 after shipping... and that's either used (I want new) or the MCE edition I can't use my remote with.

I see the newer cards for like $90.00. I'd be willing to spend it if it would work for me now and also give me some room to grow later. Also, I'm considering giving up cable and going with over the air digital. Time shifting would sure come in handy then. Slim pickins' lol. I don't know what newer digital cards are most reliable and work with SAGEtv these days though.

Also, could I watch and record digital TV in a non-HD format? Neither my main system nor my client nor my wireless G network would be capable of HD at the moment...

Wasn't there a less expensive analog only card that worked with SAGEtv and people seemed to like as well as the PVR-150? What was that? I can't remember...


Many thanks again for any guidance!


EDIT: Just lost auction for a new PVR-150 non MCE version on eBay... Someone paid $67.00 shipped. Did some more research and it looks like I'll try a Hauppauge 1600 for just a few more $.