TV Tuners

[Omnius]

I've done the research and it sounds like the Elgatto EyeTV Hybrid is the best general tv tuner.

However, I'm curious about other people's opinions. What is the best tv tuner? Why do you like it? Why is it better than others?

What software options are out there? Is there something amazing that I just don't know about?

 

[eRondeau]

My friend's Onkyo home theatre amp has a built-in TV tuner that feeds his projector. Works very well for him. Watched the Superbowl on it (off-air) and it looked amazing.

 

[Peace]

I've been using Hauppauge products for a few years. If you have cable TV service they work great with Elgato's EyeTV software.

http://hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr2.html

 

[cdavis11]

I have had very good luck with the silicon dust had homerun dual.

Works very well with EyeTv. So well I bought a 2nd unit for a total of 4 tuners.

 

[blueroom]

I have had very good luck with the silicon dust had homerun dual.

Works very well with EyeTv. So well I bought a 2nd unit for a total of 4 tuners.

HDHomeRun dual is superior to the Eye TV hybrid (runs hot, single tuner) unless USB is your thing.

I've got a pair running on WMC7, Eye TV couldn't use two different antenna sources, plus a $20 yr guide data subscription.

 

[waw74]

HDhomerun will get you unencrypted channels, in my case (time warner, new york city) i only get the local channels (in HD)

silicone dust also makes a multi-tuner with a cable card slot, but time warner has the copy flags turned on, so i wouldn't be able to record, (I use mythtv on linux) i believe only windows media center can record channels that have the copy flag set. not sure on the state of things for mac, but check it out, also not all providers have these set, so you may be ok.
check out Copy Control Information

if you can wait a few months they are releasing a quad tuner with hardware h.264 encoding, so the copy protection will not be a problem as it will be removed during the conversion.

 

[Omnius]

HDhomerun will get you unencrypted channels, in my case (time warner, new york city) i only get the local channels (in HD)

silicone dust also makes a multi-tuner with a cable card slot, but time warner has the copy flags turned on, so i wouldn't be able to record, (I use mythtv on linux) i believe only windows media center can record channels that have the copy flag set. not sure on the state of things for mac, but check it out, also not all providers have these set, so you may be ok.
check out Copy Control Information

if you can wait a few months they are releasing a quad tuner with hardware h.264 encoding, so the copy protection will not be a problem as it will be removed during the conversion.

I could certainly wait.

 

[richfromroch]

TV Tuners

I replaced my Elgato eyeTV Hybrid with HD HomeRun. The Hybrid hangs off the back of your computer just like a thumb drive, however, your cable hangs off the back of the Hybrid and eventually the pin holding the cable broke. Since I already owned the eyeTV software, I picked up the HD HomeRun on Amazon for $79 bucks or so. If you also purchase the eyeTV software, it's a bit expensive. That said, HD Home Run was plug-and-play with the eyeTV software and you get a dual channel device. Go with the HD Home Run.

Rich
Rochester, NY

 

[GarrettL1979]

I could certainly wait.

I'm planning to

 

[GPap]

Hauppauge HDPVR 2 can allow me to watch TV or only record the screen ?
It is DVB-T/T2 or DVB-S/S2 ?

 

[mcnallym]

That only allows you to record what you are displaying to the box. There is no TV Tuner in that box it simply records what is input to it.