looking for a HDTV TV Tuner

[X-Caliber]

Hey,

I am in the market for a new toy, and want to grab a new video card and TV tuner. Right now I have a G200 + RRG, which I am happy with, but I would like to get a faster video card with dual monitor support. One thing I like about this setup is that there is no passthrough cable - ie: I don't have to run a cable from the output of the video card to the input of the TV tuner card. Doing so kills video quality (especially when you run at 1600x1200). As I have been looking around the web, I decided to get an HDTV card. I know HDTV tuner cards are still in their infancy stage, but since I was planning on getting a TV tuner card, I thought "what the hell." I was looking at www.digitalconnection.com - and all the cards they have require the use of a passthrough cable. Does anyone know of any solution which does not require this cable? I am also in the market for a highend video card to compliment the TV tuner, and I want a good dualhead display. I have looked at the ATI8500 setup, the DV card does not allow you to use dual monitors. Also, I have the sneaking suspicion that Matrox's dual head system is still better than ATI's system, which amongst other things does not support a "DVDMAX" style output. I am also waiting for ATI's R300 series of cards set to come out in Februrary, but I don't know much about this thing.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

-X-

[miya]

I think you are mistaken. I have never seen a tuner card that requires a vga loopthrough. You should look at the Hauppauge WinTV line.

[X-Caliber]

http://digitalconnection.com/Support/cliffnotes_14.htm

Take a look at the above thread

-X-

[Greebe]

Still think you should consider looking at Hauppauge's HDTV cards... no passthrough needed

[X-Caliber]

I have been looking at the Happauge HDTV line of cards, but I haven't been able to gather much information. Do you have the WinTV-HD card? I think it is limited to i480 output, and does require a pass-through cable:

http://hauppauge.lightpath.net/manuals/qi-hd-v12-eng.pdf

See Step 5 in the pdf file, page 1

[Greebe]

First off I don't have one... but... I'd bet the passthrough is for standard VGA cards that don't support dual monitor use.

Hauppauge use to have links to a few other users sites which did have the HD. Tho sadly now they've pulled them from there site (will look through my bookmarks to see if I still have a few of the links and will report back if I find them)

note: contacting Hauppauge tech support in the US (NY) is a joke... seems the users are far more upto date with what is going on than they are