Want HD Cable box input for Windows Media Center

Help with tuners from ATI, Hauppauge, AverMedia and more.
Post Reply
Ohmster

Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:46 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

Want HD Cable box input for Windows Media Center

#1

Post by Ohmster » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:52 pm

I am pretty good at searching but for the life of me, I cannot get a simple answer from someone who knows about this for squat. Time to call in the experts (you).

I just built my dream machine and have installed a WinTV HVR-1600 so that I can watch TV on the PC, specifically Windows Media Center. It has an analog and digital tuner inside. I now have an analog channel 3 converter from Comcast to watch TV on channel 3, I use the small Comcast remote to change channels and a Green Button remote for everything else. But I want to see HDTV, this NTSC stuff is just not cutting it on a kick ass computer with a native 1920x1080 screen. I am using the analog cable connector to do this, but there is a digital cable tuner and connector for it. I have not tried connecting the cable to the digital cable connector, even though the cable is digital. The reason is that Comcast has this notion that if you want HDTV, you rent and use our programmable cable box, period. The box does provide HDMI as well as component video and L+R audio outputs. The WinTV does accept composite video but that will not give me HDTV.

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X79-UP4
Video Card: MSI GeForce 670 N670 PE 2GD5/OC
TV Tuner Card: WinTV HVR-1600

Is there any sort of HDMI or Component (Color-stream RGB) input card that I can use with this computer to get actual HDTV into this machine so that I can watch it, preferably on Windows Media Center? Everything I find is not compatible with Media Center or is a capture card and so far as I know, WMC does not display input external video and audio. I trust you guys and have never been steered wrong from this website. So I feel like I am at the right place.

Is there anyway I can actually watch HDTV on my PC without having to switch the monitor to HDMI and then lose my PC screen while watching? I like to do both, use the PC and watch TV, I have dual monitors. Anybody? Someone? ...please?

~Ohmster

mdavej

Posts: 1477
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:52 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#2

Post by mdavej » Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:27 am

That may have been the correct approach 20 years ago, but not today. You need to forget about capture devices, get a cable card tuner and get rid of that cable box.

slowbiscuit

Posts: 386
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:52 pm
Location: In the ATL

HTPC Specs: Show details

#3

Post by slowbiscuit » Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:06 pm

If you're on Comcast get the HD Homerun Prime tuner (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 345006&Tpk), then go back to their office and swap your box for a cable card. After you install the tuner and get it setup in WMC, call the number Comcast gives you with the card to get it paired with your tuner. You'll get all your subscribed channels in glorious HD!

Sorry, but your WinTV tuner and cheapo DTA box have to go...

Sammy2

Posts: 1708
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:35 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#4

Post by Sammy2 » Wed Jul 24, 2013 3:59 pm

What they said.

erkotz

Posts: 1378
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:23 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#5

Post by erkotz » Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:31 pm

As others have mentioned, you really want a CableCARD tuner. Another poster has mentioned one, my employer, Ceton, makes the InfiniTV, which is another, and comes in both 4 and 6 tuner variants.
Quality Assurance Manager, Ceton Corporation

blueiedgod

Posts: 726
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:02 pm
Location: Amherst, NY

HTPC Specs: Show details

#6

Post by blueiedgod » Wed Jul 24, 2013 4:39 pm

I second Ceton. More tuners per CableCard rental fee is better. :-)

Ohmster

Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:46 pm
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#7

Post by Ohmster » Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:45 am

mdavej wrote:That may have been the correct approach 20 years ago, but not today. You need to forget about capture devices, get a cable card tuner and get rid of that cable box.
I got a WinTV HVR-1600, PCI. You got a cable card tuner in your PC? What kind do you have? How much is it? Does it work good with WMC and do you like it? Do tell!

richard1980

Posts: 2623
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:15 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#8

Post by richard1980 » Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:04 pm

You're a few years behind the times! :lol:

6 Tuners
Ceton InfiniTV6 ETH - $298.99

4 Tuners
Ceton InfiniTV4 PCIe - $199.99
Ceton InfiniTV4 USB - $199.00

Continued in next post...
Last edited by richard1980 on Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

richard1980

Posts: 2623
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:15 am
Location:

HTPC Specs: Show details

#9

Post by richard1980 » Thu Jul 25, 2013 12:04 pm

3 Tuners
SiliconDust HDHomeRun Prime - $149.99

2 Tuners
Hauppauge DCR-2650 - $99.99

slowbiscuit

Posts: 386
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:52 pm
Location: In the ATL

HTPC Specs: Show details

#10

Post by slowbiscuit » Thu Jul 25, 2013 1:06 pm

Ohmster wrote:
mdavej wrote:That may have been the correct approach 20 years ago, but not today. You need to forget about capture devices, get a cable card tuner and get rid of that cable box.
I got a WinTV HVR-1600, PCI. You got a cable card tuner in your PC? What kind do you have? How much is it? Does it work good with WMC and do you like it? Do tell!
Are you even reading any of these posts? Kinda wondering why we bothered now...

blueiedgod

Posts: 726
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:02 pm
Location: Amherst, NY

HTPC Specs: Show details

#11

Post by blueiedgod » Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:21 pm

Ohmster wrote:
mdavej wrote:That may have been the correct approach 20 years ago, but not today. You need to forget about capture devices, get a cable card tuner and get rid of that cable box.
I got a WinTV HVR-1600, PCI. You got a cable card tuner in your PC? What kind do you have? How much is it? Does it work good with WMC and do you like it? Do tell!

Either there is a language barrier, or lack of understanding.

HVR-1600 is not a CableCard tuner, and is not capable of decrypting encyrpted cable.

Richard posted the tuner models that you need to make it all work.

slowbiscuit

Posts: 386
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:52 pm
Location: In the ATL

HTPC Specs: Show details

#12

Post by slowbiscuit » Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:23 pm

Figures, another hit-and-run driver. I'm not going to bother responding to one post wonders anymore until they show real participation in their thread(s).

blueiedgod

Posts: 726
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:02 pm
Location: Amherst, NY

HTPC Specs: Show details

#13

Post by blueiedgod » Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:44 pm

slowbiscuit wrote:Figures, another hit-and-run driver. I'm not going to bother responding to one post wonders anymore until they show real participation in their thread(s).

OP is probably not happy with the answers, and went elsewhere.

Sometimes, people are hell bent on "making it work" because they already have some part in their posession, even though an easier and better solution is available.

Post Reply