Question from Newbie

[kevthor]

Just about to start out and build a sage TV box. Was going to use a competitors product but I've heard great things about Sage and its Windows based. I love windows. hehe

Anyway my big question is quality. I have DirectTV which is a digital signal and pretty good quality. I want the recorded show's qulaity to be not even noticable between live signal and recorded. Is this possible with Sage and if so what does it depend on? Capture card, or Video out card or both? And what is recommened.

Looking at buying a PVR250 and another video out card or would it be better to buy a PVR350 with TV out?

Thanks for your input.

[grot]

Hey! I think I can actually answer all these!

1: I have a PVR250 running in a P4 box. I use Svideo in and Svideo out (on a Gforce4 ti 4200, not the best tvout card, but it's what I had).

I default record everything at "great 3mbps" and then set some favorites (like kids shows) to record at 1.5.

At 1.5 you can tell. At 3, you can't. Simple as that.


PVR350 TV-out is only sortakinda supported. Yes, you can get the TV signal out, but you can't use the overlay over the video, nor, I think, can you have it be your only monitor. For most of HTPC builders I've talked to, this kills its utility.

Unless you are running on a REALLY old machine, you should be fine using software decoding with the PVR250. I had it working fine on a P3733 until I upgraded.

[kevthor]

So what would be a good TV out card then if you advise not to use the PVR 350.

Thanks

[grot]

I have heard that the mid-level ATI Radeon's are the best deal - like the 9600 and the 7500.

Check out www.avsforum.com and look in the HTPC section, this is a topic heavily debated...

The point is, even if you have a 350, you still need SOME sort of video just to get the machine to boot - so you might as well save 100 bucks and get the 250, and put the difference into a good TVout video card.

[kevthor]

I would like to hear some real life examples of what people are running for video out cards and capture cards. Including the manufacturer. And what their results are for picture quality.

Thanks

[grot]

Well, I imagine 99% of the people here are running the Hauppauge PVR250 - its basically the "standard".

My Output, like I said, is the Nvidia Ti4200 (PNY), and the quality is excellent - its just not as customizable as I'd like. I would like very fine control over overscan, but I sort of only have "yes/no" overscan control with it. But the picture QUALITY is superb. As good as anything I can make my Sony XBR render from a DVD source.

[JJarmoc]

I'm using the PVR250, with an Nforce2 MB's integrated video out through component converter into a Sony 34XBR800. The quality is at least as good as my source digital cable. With the Dscalar plugin support, I'd say it's even a little better. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's DVD quality, and it depends a bit on the source (some channels are better than others).

[dkardatzke]

Originally posted by kevthor
I would like to hear some real life examples of what people are running for video out cards and capture cards. Including the manufacturer. And what their results are for picture quality.

Thanks

Keep in mind that your decision depends on what display you are using. I use a GeForce MX420 card to a 32" TV and it's perfect. I also believe you can pick similar cards up for around $50 right now.

[Mark Lamutt]

I'm using the PVR350 with my 51" HDTV connected via component input through a transcoder directly to my ATI Radeon 7200. Not really an option for you, but I thought I'd chime in anyway and say that my Sage recorded programming looks almost identical to the source from my Dish receivers.

[-LD]

aside from FM tuning, what are the benefits/differences between the 350 and the 250?

i have a DVCR and it's nice, but everyone raves about the 250 and it seems to be a bit better based on what i've been reading so when i build a PVR server that is what i'm leaning towards

[Mark Lamutt]

Not much other than the hardware decoder and the price. I went with the 350 because I ended up getting it cheaper than a 250 would have been.