Advice on PCI Digital TV Cards - looking for one with DVB Subtitles

xlt_hunter

Having sorted out the aerial problems and got my new Goodmans HDTV from the Goodmans Direct via hotdeals (what a bargin - hence mine has a fault which I hope it sorted out in the morning)

Anyway - I am now one step away.

I need a PCI DVB-T card to go into the pc to allow me to watch Digital TV on the pc. And in effect turn my pc into a PVR as well.

But I don't know which one to get - the card I am after "must" have DVB subtitles and can support the new screen max size . The reason of the must of the subs is that I am have deafness and every little helps, and as I don't want to cause any more problems with my next door after the "drilling a hole in the wall problem on my house at 19:40pm!" :rolleyes: as the TV is on the party wall

Any recommdations out there? Ideally I don't want to be spending £££'s where I can the same feature on a cheaper brand (I don't do brand snobby thing)

Tx's

fwor

It depends what OS and what PVR software you want to run.

If you're going with something like MythTV (Linux) or GB-PVR (Windows) then Hauppauge is a good make to go with, as their hardware is generally good and well supported with "open source" drivers.

If you want to use the card supplier's software, then Hauppauge is probably best avoided, as their software is (in my fairly extensive experience) often hard to use and bug-ridden.

xlt_hunter

thanks fwor

I am using WinXP SP2 - so it doesn't matter wether I use open source software as I use that sort on the Humax 9200T of mine (which is downstairs btw)

Now did I hear right that "open source" drivers can be used on the 4000 model with the DVB-S singal (I got a spare sky dish up in the loft that I can put to some use) that allows me to access Sky sat network?

ormus

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/products/data_novatpci.html

think this one should do the job.
ive got the older cheaper version. had it yrs now. no problems at all.

xlt_hunter

ormus wrote: »

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/products/data_novatpci.html

think this one should do the job.
ive got the older cheaper version. had it yrs now. no problems at all.

Excellent and only £25 squid from ebuyer as well

I can see the multi colour buttons, but does it have subtitle function?

fwor

Yes - it supports MHEG (if I've got the name right...), so digital Teletext works fine with the right application. I had a lot of trouble getting that feature working with Hauppauge's software, but it works fine under MythTV.

Incidentally the card works very well, as Ormus already said, but it is quite a large board, and I found it very difficult to fit into a SFF PC (an Asus Pundit).

xlt_hunter

Sorry I got confused with the teletext bit - it is in fact subtitles (I want the bit at the bottom to read during the TV shows not all of the black and white mess for holiday deals )

I am reading up their forums now on the subject.. looking good at the moment,

fwor

Yes - subtitles work fine (at least under MythTV).

For a few extra quid you might prefer the dual-tuner version (the Nova-T 500?) so your PVR can record something else while you watch.