Better tuner (ATSC) than the HDHR v2?

[stanger89]

OK, so I'm feeling lazy and my quick search didn't bring up anything recent.

Anybody know a better tuner than the HDHR v2 (the second version with the revised tuner/demod)?

Anyway I was debugging some stuff (unrelated) and I brought up the HDHR's QuickTV app on my desktop to catch the weather. It was quite pixelated and other such issues. Now it is snowing a bit so it's not entirely unexpected. But this gave me the opportunity to bring up the same channel, on my Samsung B6000 TV in the living room. So same antenna, same channel, same cable runs except for a bit longer one to the Samsung actually.

And you know what, the Samsung's picture was smooth as silk, no blockiness, no pixelation, no indication of any reception trouble whatsoever.

So I guess now I have "proof" if you will that the HDHR is at least contributing to my reception issues. So now it's on, I'm looking for a (ideally dual) tuner with better reception capabilities, ideally again as good or better than my Samsung, thoughts?

I have it in my head that maybe the Hauppauge 2250 is better, or maybe one of the Avermedias?

[jerryt]

amplify the signal with the HDHR as the first attached device. You want to see 100% signal strength at the HDHR

[HelenWeathers]

If you decide to move away from the HDHR, I've used both the Hauppauge 2250s and the AverMedias.

In my Sage servers now I only use the AverMedias. They are every bit as good as the Hauppauges (maybe better it seems to me), they are less money and (because I use HD PVRs) I avoid all the Hauppauge HD PVR driver uninstall/clear/reinstall messing with my OTA tuners.

My 2 cents.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by jerryt

amplify the signal with the HDHR as the first attached device. You want to see 100% signal strength at the HDHR

I really don't thinking signal strength is the problem, I've got it connected to a 120" V/UHF antenna running through a CM7777 preamp. And I've been chasing this problem for years and nothing really seems to have made a difference, different antenna (had an Antennas Direct DB4 for a while), doesn't matter if it's the only thing on the line.

And on top of that TV Fool seems to think I'd be fine with an indoor antenna.

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

If you decide to move away from the HDHR, I've used both the Hauppauge 2250s and the AverMedias.

In my Sage servers now I only use the AverMedias. They are every bit as good as the Hauppauges (maybe better it seems to me)...

You're talking the Duet right? Have you ever compared them to anything else? HDHR, your TV's tuner?

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You're talking the Duet right? Have you ever compared them to anything else? HDHR, your TV's tuner?

Yes, AverTVHD Duet. Never used the HDHR, but Aver tuners pick up all the same stations (and sub channels) as my Samsung 1 to 3 year old TVs do with their internal ATSC tuners.

I live in Miami and am in line of sight to the antenna farm (15 mi away). No mountains to deal with - just a few tall buildings.

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I really don't thinking signal strength is the problem, I've got it connected to a 120" V/UHF antenna running through a CM7777 preamp. And I've been chasing this problem for years and nothing really seems to have made a difference, different antenna (had an Antennas Direct DB4 for a while), doesn't matter if it's the only thing on the line.

Just stating what worked for me.

All the TV's would tune each channel perfectly but the PCI cards and HDHR's would have tuning problems on the weak channels.

I bought an adjustable amplifier http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-TA-36-Pi...item2563f61ebe and with the HDHR's as close as possible to the source (Antenna), I adjusted the amp until I had 100% signal strength on SiliconDust's software.

http://www.amazon.com/Pico-Macom-Amp...DateDescending

[david1234]

I'm not sure about that one, but the HDHR I've got has in built in splitter, and that gives me problems. I see the same problem with my hp2250. I have one channel that just won't tune well except on my hp1250. The neighbor tells me it's a multi-path problem, and that could be, but the internal splitters kill me.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by HelenWeathers

Yes, AverTVHD Duet. Never used the HDHR, but Aver tuners pick up all the same stations (and sub channels) as my Samsung 1 to 3 year old TVs do with their internal ATSC tuners.

I live in Miami and am in line of sight to the antenna farm (15 mi away). No mountains to deal with - just a few tall buildings.

Sounds promising, you get the same sort of signal "quality" with the Aver?

I just hope I've got a free PCI-e slot in my server (I rebuilt it off my retired HTPC which has a GA-MA78GM-S2H in it so there's only the x16 and x1 slots. I don't think I'm using both, hopefully the Duet or Colossus are happy in a PEG slot.

Originally Posted by jerryt

Just stating what worked for me.

All the TV's would tune each channel perfectly but the PCI cards and HDHR's would have tuning problems on the weak channels.

I bought an adjustable amplifier http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-TA-36-Pi...item2563f61ebe and with the HDHR's as close as possible to the source (Antenna), I adjusted the amp until I had 100% signal strength on SiliconDust's software.

See that's just the problem for me, "Signal Strength" is 100% for all these channels, to the best of my knowledge it always has been (well at least since all the stations got their "permanent" equipment in place), but the "Signal Quality" in the HDHR Config app is all over the map, one second it's 100% and the next it's in the 80's.

This leads me to believe it's a demodulation issue, something like multipath to an extent the HDHR can't deal with reliably. Yet the tuner in my TV handles it just fine even when the HDHR is choking on it...

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by david1234

I'm not sure about that one, but the HDHR I've got has in built in splitter, and that gives me problems. I see the same problem with my hp2250. I have one channel that just won't tune well except on my hp1250. The neighbor tells me it's a multi-path problem, and that could be, but the internal splitters kill me.

Well that sounds to me like a signal strength issue, since it works on one tuner without a splitter, but not on another that goes through one. The tuner gets a bit less than half the signal power out of a 2-way splitter. I'm guessing an amp would help you.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Sounds promising, you get the same sort of signal "quality" with the Aver?

Yes.

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by stanger89

the "Signal Quality" in the HDHR Config app is all over the map, one second it's 100% and the next it's in the 80's.

Yes, this is exactly what I see, but it works fine. (I am also in Miami, but have a 144" antenna mounted in attic. TV's worked with 60" antenna but the HDHR's did not.)

[Steve52]

I bought a new HDHR a couple mounts ago, the new black dual tuner model, and it just would not work for me. I sent it back. I live about 65 miles from the broadcast antennas and have multipath issues. I am still looking for a good replacement for my vbox PCi cards.

[simonen]

I use the AVermedia Duet for OTA with the CM7777 preamp. My stations are quite far (30 - 70 miles). It does a good job; much better than my HDHR (1st gen).

[hemicuda]

I have an attic mounted U/VHF flat-type antenna. Can't remember the make/model. Signal strength on HDHR is peaked (electroline amp & about 15ft total of coax), but signal/symbol quality regularly dips into the 80's. I'm going to try to re-aim the thing when I get a chance and see if that helps. I get pixelation and freezing in the recordings regularly on both the HDHR and the 1800. Very annoying.

[stanger89]

Well I ordered the Duet, so we'll see how it works.

[drewg]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Anybody know a better tuner than the HDHR v2 (the second version with the revised tuner/demod)?

The HDHR's tuner/demod design is optimized for low power, and not ATSC TV reception. So, really, any other tuner on the market will out-perform the HDHR if you have reception issues due to multipath (ie, what used to be "ghosting" back in the analog days). Typical multipath symptoms as you view the signal via the HDHR gui are "bouncing" signal quality, but good (>85%) signal strength, with Symbol Quality occasionally dropping to 0.

I have Samsung S5H1409 and S5H1411 PCI & USB based Pinnacle tuners, as well as a USB LGDT 3304 based Kworld UB435Q that all run circles around my Gen2 HDHR.

Drew

[stanger89]

Well, we'll find out since I've got a Duet on order that will hopefully (if Amazon comes through in typical fashion) be here tomorrow.

[drewg]

According to some recent traffic on the linux driver mailing list, that card is based around LGDT3304 demods, so I think you should get much better reception (assuming it is a multipath issue).

Drew

[sacrament055]

Completely agree about the avermedia duet being best. Ive run several hauppage and hdhr as well as fusion 5 and 7 cards and I give the avermedia the edge.

[stanger89]

Well it showed up and I installed it. Can't really say anything conclusive, but so far I haven't noticed any glitches with my Duet recordings.