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 Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 01:00 Post subject: TV Tuner question |
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I'm getting kinda confused. I want a tv tuner card that can receive/show all channels, analog, digital and in both mpeg2 and mpeg4 format. Because in the future it's all gonna be mpeg4 here.
What does the DVB stuff mean ?
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| Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 01:10 Post subject: |
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Digital Video Broadcast. DVB-T is Terrestial, satellite. DVB-C is cable, digital signal over cable. Depending on your situation, you'll have to go for T or C. Most sophisticated tuners offer both. If you're buying one for a HTPC or such, a dual or twin tuner is a must.
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| Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 01:33 Post subject: |
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But will it play digital mpeg4 encoded channels ?
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| Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 02:05 Post subject: |
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The MPEG2/MPEG4 thing is purely software. There are some tuners which do HW decoding of the stream, those obviously won't have the HW power to decode MPEG4 streams when teh HW is designed for MPEG2. These are mainly used in STB's. Other tuners though decode the stream using external software. This puts a load on the CPU, but you're not bound to the chips put on the tuner itself. Basically, a tuner will pull any stream it gets, the decoding is what matters. I have no idea which tuners do HW decoding and which ones do SW decoding, but I'd check very carefully before purchase. SW decoding has the preference, unless you have a crappy PC. Most manufacturers are nice enough not to provide this info, so you'll have to sift through forums and such. The EyeTV 310 for example does SW decoding, so they added MPWG4 support by simply releasing new software.
DVB-S is satellite btw.
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Werelds
Special Little Man
Posts: 15098
Location: 0100111001001100
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| Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 12:00 Post subject: |
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If by "encoded" you mean "encrypted" - then no, not just any TV tuner will do. You need one that supports CAM/CI+. The CAM module holds your smartcard, the CAM module goes into the CI or CI+ and that's connected to your TV tuner.
As far as hardware decoding goes: good luck finding a TV tuner that decodes MPEG4 in hardware. To my knowledge there are none - there are some that can do MPEG2 but they're old and went out of production several years ago. That's fine though, as your videocard can handle that.
To give you an idea of what you're looking for: http://www.terratec.net/en/products/Cinergy_C_PCI_HD_CI_1612.html
That's a bundle of the TV Tuner and a CI module together. Which CAM module you would need depends on your TV provider, that differs a lot. SMiT and Alphacrypt Classic are the most common ones these days 
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| Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 16:02 Post subject: |
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I don't think I need any decrypting, I'm talking about non-sumscription channels.
Channels that any TV with mpeg4 decoding can show.
So, do I get a DVB-C and connect my antenna cable to that ? Then the included software has to handle the rest ?
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Werelds
Special Little Man
Posts: 15098
Location: 0100111001001100
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| Posted: Sat, 21st Aug 2010 16:11 Post subject: |
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Yep, pretty much. I do recommend using other software than the crap that comes with it though, most of that is fucking horrible. Not sure if it's still around, but DScaler used to be good. Nowadays I use Mediaportal, because the TV Tuner is installed in my HTPC (although it's not used atm).
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| Posted: Wed, 25th Aug 2010 04:53 Post subject: |
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just a side note, stick with hauppauge when it comes to tuners.
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| Posted: Wed, 25th Aug 2010 10:09 Post subject: |
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Don't use pinnacle... It's rubbish...
"Quantum mechanics is actually, contrary to it's reputation, unbeliveably simple, once you take the physics out."
Scott Aaronson | chiv wrote: | | thats true you know. newton didnt discover gravity. the apple told him about it, and then he killed it. the core was never found. |
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