brucerobinson
Standard Member
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- Nov 23, 2006
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Hello,
I'm building my first HTPC: Silverstone GD01-MXR (ATX) case using included Remote (iMON), GByte MA78G-DS3H (ATX) MoBo, AMD AM2 5050E CPU, 4Gb GeiL PC-6400 RAM, Vista Home Premium/VMC.
Have scoured AVForums and others, & feel comfortable giving 64bit Vista a try as being most appropriate platform for 64bit CPU and 4Gb RAM, on the basis that the only other hardware for now will be DVB-T TV Tuner (no graphics or sound card anticipated), aim to use VMC by default whenever possible to 'keep it simple/wife-freindly', and other software I'll need is readily available 64bit or if not 32bit runs on 64bit Vista without issues (e.g. browser, antivirus etc). I don't envisage Photoshop, video editing etc on HTPC.
So, if/when I want to do more (most likely next step DVB-S2 for free satellite for free HD channels, and I have spare Mobo slots to add another card for this, but...I've read about problems in VMC with 2 cards installed....) the hardware/software required will have 'caught up' in 64bit.
So, my question is advice on DVB-T Dual Tuner for use with Vista 64bit that will work using Media Center and can be controlled (including wake from sleep timer record) using the Remote supplied with the Silverstone GD01-MXR? Seems like a simple question that I've found very difficult to answer! I've looked at (findings/conclusions in brackets):
- Pinnacle 7070i (read long thread on here - not comforting and card seems obsolete/discontinued now anyhow)
- Compro E700
- Peak Dual DVB-T (Peak website says card can handle HD, posts say Peak software (I guess HyperMedia Center?, that's what's on their download page) is poor; don't know if Peak s/w is/will run in 64bit Vista (even if is 32bit) or if don't use Peak s/w whether card will work well using VMC? There is a drivers exe but doesn't say if includes 64bit drivers. So: will Peak card work with 64bit Vista, and, preferably, with VMC?)
- KWorld PC160-2T (KWorld website 'boxshot' says Media Center Record A/Watch B - does that mean the card works OK with Vista MC software? Anyone any experience? And, same as above - with 64bit Vista? Website says compatible with Vista but not whether 64bit Vista? Software says HyperMedia Center -so is this the same as Peak? Doesn't say if runs on 64bit Vista? Doesn't say Digital Radio but I guess TV cards that say 'Digital FM radio stations' mean those available on free-to-air digital terrestrial, which I guess means these are transmitted on UHF/VHF frequencies so guess this card will have the range required to pick those up? I think I saw a packshot that said H.264 on it but can't find it now!)
- Hauppauge WinTV Nova 500 T (not sure if need TD 'D' for Diversity, something to do with Linux?)
- Blackgold 6in1 (long post about various problems (albeit many of them Sat problems, not DVB-T, and poor tech support response)
Wish-list:
Watch A/Record B using VMC
Card must be able to wake PC from sleep for timer recording when PC put into sleep mode using Silverstone GD01-MXR Remote/iMON
Free-to-view digital terrestrial HD as channels become available and believe will need additional software for this (i.e. VMC doesn't cater for HD; need 'TV Pack' or other software/H.264 codec), in which case what works 64bit?
Add BD player in due course (which would also therefore have to work in 64bit OS - either 64bit drivers or 32bit driver that works in 64bit Vista) and similarly need player software 64bit or 32bit that runs OK - PowerDVD?.
My summary conclusions from research are:
- most new hardware (for my needs TV Tuner card now, Sat card and BD player envisaged) comes with 64bit drivers or the 32bit drivers work in 64bit Vista - but I can't see much specifically about the DVB-T cards listed above)
- VMC doesn't support UK HD, so have to have TV Pack or 3rd party software, and same with BD - I know that's a different thread, but does the same player do both? in which case what to use for 64bit Vista?
- I don't want to overcomplicate with DVB-S(2?) on same card at this point, one step at a time, but at the same time if there are likely to be issues as a result of having 2 cards (i.e. adding a sat card later) might I be better off getting a card that does both DVB-T and -S(2) now, even though I would 'ignore' the sat part for the time being?
Confused! What a mess - or seems so to me, a simple soul.
Thanks
I'm building my first HTPC: Silverstone GD01-MXR (ATX) case using included Remote (iMON), GByte MA78G-DS3H (ATX) MoBo, AMD AM2 5050E CPU, 4Gb GeiL PC-6400 RAM, Vista Home Premium/VMC.
Have scoured AVForums and others, & feel comfortable giving 64bit Vista a try as being most appropriate platform for 64bit CPU and 4Gb RAM, on the basis that the only other hardware for now will be DVB-T TV Tuner (no graphics or sound card anticipated), aim to use VMC by default whenever possible to 'keep it simple/wife-freindly', and other software I'll need is readily available 64bit or if not 32bit runs on 64bit Vista without issues (e.g. browser, antivirus etc). I don't envisage Photoshop, video editing etc on HTPC.
So, if/when I want to do more (most likely next step DVB-S2 for free satellite for free HD channels, and I have spare Mobo slots to add another card for this, but...I've read about problems in VMC with 2 cards installed....) the hardware/software required will have 'caught up' in 64bit.
So, my question is advice on DVB-T Dual Tuner for use with Vista 64bit that will work using Media Center and can be controlled (including wake from sleep timer record) using the Remote supplied with the Silverstone GD01-MXR? Seems like a simple question that I've found very difficult to answer! I've looked at (findings/conclusions in brackets):
- Pinnacle 7070i (read long thread on here - not comforting and card seems obsolete/discontinued now anyhow)
- Compro E700
- Peak Dual DVB-T (Peak website says card can handle HD, posts say Peak software (I guess HyperMedia Center?, that's what's on their download page) is poor; don't know if Peak s/w is/will run in 64bit Vista (even if is 32bit) or if don't use Peak s/w whether card will work well using VMC? There is a drivers exe but doesn't say if includes 64bit drivers. So: will Peak card work with 64bit Vista, and, preferably, with VMC?)
- KWorld PC160-2T (KWorld website 'boxshot' says Media Center Record A/Watch B - does that mean the card works OK with Vista MC software? Anyone any experience? And, same as above - with 64bit Vista? Website says compatible with Vista but not whether 64bit Vista? Software says HyperMedia Center -so is this the same as Peak? Doesn't say if runs on 64bit Vista? Doesn't say Digital Radio but I guess TV cards that say 'Digital FM radio stations' mean those available on free-to-air digital terrestrial, which I guess means these are transmitted on UHF/VHF frequencies so guess this card will have the range required to pick those up? I think I saw a packshot that said H.264 on it but can't find it now!)
- Hauppauge WinTV Nova 500 T (not sure if need TD 'D' for Diversity, something to do with Linux?)
- Blackgold 6in1 (long post about various problems (albeit many of them Sat problems, not DVB-T, and poor tech support response)
Wish-list:
Watch A/Record B using VMC
Card must be able to wake PC from sleep for timer recording when PC put into sleep mode using Silverstone GD01-MXR Remote/iMON
Free-to-view digital terrestrial HD as channels become available and believe will need additional software for this (i.e. VMC doesn't cater for HD; need 'TV Pack' or other software/H.264 codec), in which case what works 64bit?
Add BD player in due course (which would also therefore have to work in 64bit OS - either 64bit drivers or 32bit driver that works in 64bit Vista) and similarly need player software 64bit or 32bit that runs OK - PowerDVD?.
My summary conclusions from research are:
- most new hardware (for my needs TV Tuner card now, Sat card and BD player envisaged) comes with 64bit drivers or the 32bit drivers work in 64bit Vista - but I can't see much specifically about the DVB-T cards listed above)
- VMC doesn't support UK HD, so have to have TV Pack or 3rd party software, and same with BD - I know that's a different thread, but does the same player do both? in which case what to use for 64bit Vista?
- I don't want to overcomplicate with DVB-S(2?) on same card at this point, one step at a time, but at the same time if there are likely to be issues as a result of having 2 cards (i.e. adding a sat card later) might I be better off getting a card that does both DVB-T and -S(2) now, even though I would 'ignore' the sat part for the time being?
Confused! What a mess - or seems so to me, a simple soul.
Thanks