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I need a cheap mode to record / watch multiple TV channel at the same time on a single PC.
Can anyone recommend me any solution(TV Tuner, Application) that can help me solve this problem?
mxg
Posted 2010-03-11T14:47:06.480
Reputation: 310
TV Tuner to record / show multiple channels at the same time
Answers
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I'd recommend SilconDust's HDHomeRun. It's slightly more expensive in comparison to internal PC cards, however it's an external tuner that you can hook up to your network via ethernet. It also has two tuners built in. It's extremely easy and simple to hook up. If you use something like Windows Media Center or MythTV, they both work directly with the HDHomeRun. I've only used WMC with the HDHomeRun and it was an absolute breeze to setup.
osij2is
Posted 2010-03-11T14:47:06.480
Reputation: 1 937
I'm missing something or it doesn't allow to watch multiple TV at the same time. – mxg – 2010-03-12T08:16:22.740
I'm not sure what you're trying to ask, but I use it to record one channel and watch TV on another channel. Hence the two tuners. The one big advantage I see with the HDHomeRun is the fact that you can add multiple tuners upon tuners as long as you have enough ethernet ports into your network. So without having to sacrifice resources and I/O on any computer of yours, you can continually add more and more tuners available to all the computers on your network without sacrificing a computer to do all the work. – osij2is – 2010-03-12T15:47:11.763
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You will need a card with twin tuners to be able to watch/record multiple channels.
Hauppauge do a wide range of products including twin tuner and are fairly reasonable on price. I have had 4 different cards of theirs over the years and always been happy.
Shevek
Posted 2010-03-11T14:47:06.480
Reputation: 15 408
I've had serious reliability issues with the two hauppauge tuners I had in the past. The first was an external model that only half of my computers would detect at all. The second was an PCI card that periodically would stop being detected and required a multiple reboot driver removal/reinstall process to get working again.
A few years ago I replaced that one with an ATI PCIe1x card that's been entirely problem free. – Dan is Fiddling by Firelight – 2010-03-11T19:14:40.280
I've never had a problem with any of mine. – Shevek – 2010-03-12T08:39:50.157
Doesn't need to be a double-tuner card. Perhaps 2 tuner cards are cheaper, depending on the model. – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2010-08-04T08:36:25.160
@torbengb - if you have 2 cards you will have to have 2 aerial feeds. Single card will only need one aerial – Shevek – 2010-08-04T14:58:33.673
Shevek, you seem to assume that each tuner requires its own aerial. My HTPC has 2 tuner cards (because I had one extra lying around) and the antenna cable ends in a splitter to provide the same feed to both cards. So my comment assumed not using aerials but an antenna cable... – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2010-08-04T18:12:12.093
@torbengb - antenna = aerial, same difference. Using a splitter like that will degrade the signal, for me that's not good, however small the difference is. (And yes, I know that a single feed, twin tuner card will split it internally anyway, but it will be less degrading than an external coax splitter) – Shevek – 2010-08-04T19:13:45.357
My analog TV is poor anyway so there is no discernible difference, and the digital remains perfect by definition, so I'm happy with my cheap splitter :) – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2010-08-04T20:00:00.400
@torbengb - I can be too much of a perfectionist at times :) – Shevek – 2010-08-04T20:51:30.870
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You will have to buy a TV tuner with more than only one tuner. You cannot record from more than one channel with only one tuner.
This is like what you'd need:
Also, take a look at this card, it's a good price and good reviews. Fits perfectly your needs
r0ca
Posted 2010-03-11T14:47:06.480
Reputation: 5 474
Doesn't need to be a double-tuner card. Perhaps 2 tuner cards are cheaper, depending on the model. – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2010-08-04T08:38:34.000
Ok... can you change my buck for 4 quaters... – r0ca – 2010-08-04T21:05:00.313
Which TV type do you want? Analogue, DVB-S, DVB-T, etc? – Shevek – 2010-03-11T14:52:31.320
@Shevek, Any digital type. – mxg – 2010-03-11T14:56:01.470