Recommandation of a TV/Radio card?

[az]

Yes, MoreTV is the IrfanView of TV software

Whereas WinTV is like... I don't know, maybe Winamp3, only slower

AZ

[az]

Oh, and the Bt 8x8 get phased out AFAIK, the philips chips are the future.. I guess we'll see more free- and shareware for the philips chips in the future.. though I don't think as many as for the Bt8x8.

AZ

[mutz]

Now I can say this after my own experience.

I now have the newest Pinnacle PCTV Pro with the newest 5.5 software.

Now that it is installed on a clean, fully updated XP, it works very well. The quality is as good or better than the others I have had/seen. I'd recommend it.

BUT:

Buy only the newest PCTV Pro and after installing a Pinnacle "driver" MS put up on Windows Update to correct an earlier "multimedia" Windows Update Hotfix that screwed TV card installations of many brands around the world. MS Knowledge Base Article - 811777. (pricks)

I had the previous PCTV Pro which was fine, though simpler, until MS and Pinnacle got into a driver mess.

I had a Terratec before that whcih was ok, but very basic. Don't know what the latest are like.

If you want a third party software for many TV cards, try Chris TV. It's freeware. It is very good and supports dual monitors, which most don't. Impressive for such a little program.

[Kooldino]

The Leadtek card I mentioned before has a remote, etc as well.

[Maggi]

Hi Chaoliang,

considering that analog TV broadcasting will completely cease over the next 2 or 3 years here in Germany, I'd clearly stay away from all analog TV cards !

Instead, I'd recommend to get a satellite dish and the Nexus DVB-s card from Hauppauge as Lambo-Fan already suggested.

Not only, you'd be/stay future proof, but you cannot imagine how many programms are povided by Astra and Hotbird, just to name the two most popular ones ...

On top, if you happen to own a DVD burner, you have everything you need for a complete digital VCR.

[bsdgeek]

I'd caution against the ATi TV Wonder (VE). Everyone that I know who has had one said it's a PITA to work with because of the drivers.

[chaoliang]

Originally posted by Maggi
Hi Chaoliang,

considering that analog TV broadcasting will completely cease over the next 2 or 3 years here in Germany, I'd clearly stay away from all analog TV cards !

Instead, I'd recommend to get a satellite dish and the Nexus DVB-s card from Hauppauge as Lambo-Fan already suggested.

Not only, you'd be/stay future proof, but you cannot imagine how many programms are povided by Astra and Hotbird, just to name the two most popular ones ...

On top, if you happen to own a DVD burner, you have everything you need for a complete digital VCR.

Well, Maggi, but I don't want to invest so much on any TV devices. Actually I only watch news on TV.

[az]

You WILL need to buy a digital decoder box in a few years anyway, as analog terrestrial (Antenne) will be shut down. Dunno how cable will be affected.

AZ