Leadtek Winfast PVR 2000

Hauppauge PCI WinTV-PVR250

I'm considering buying one of the above, anybody have any experiences with TV Tuners, I definitely want a hardware mpg encoder as from what I've read will give the better quality. Will I need to buy a additional sound card for the audio input or should the onboard one on my mobo be ok? I have a Asus A7N8X-E delux mobo, hdd space isn't a issue as I've got nearly 500gb with 4 hdd's.

I thought that TV-tuners/video capture devices required an "external" sound card, but I could be wrong. I have an ATI TV Wonder Pro and it works great, though I also have a Sound Blaster Audigy that I use with it. I don't even know if it would work with my onboard sound but I could be wrong. Just look at each product's requirements and make sure you can meet them.

My ATI All in Wonder Radeon 8500DV or whatever is fine with my onboard sound card. Since it is a few years old now, and the capture is built into the video card, it may work differently than a dedicated TV tuner card. I've been wanting to buy one or two of them for my boy's computers but haven't had the money to. I don't think you should have any problems.

Gone for the leadtek, so see what happens next monday when it arrives. Hopefully I'll be able to get our wedding video onto DVD.

Did you get a TV Card just to transfer video onto DVD?

If, as Arctic Wolf asked, the primary use for the TV card is to bring in already recorded video, then perhaps you might want to consider an item like the Canopus ADVC 100 or 300. I've the 300 and it worked wonders on my 14 year old wedding video...

If that was the case I would recommend:

Dazzle Digital Video Creator 80

I used it to tansfer VHS to PC to DVD without a problem.

I do want it to transfer vid to dvd, but depending on what the reception is like with a TV ariel in I might use my PC to record live TV. As I live in a dip I can only get about 3/5 of the normal TV channels, even then reception can be very flakey.

I do have Sat TV so we have got over 300+ channels and still find nothing to watch

From the reviews I read it should do the job and is within my budget, I didn't see any of the canopus cards but there software isn't cheap and probably wouldn't have fit my budget.

I'll just see what happens when the card arrives, my uncle has a software based one and has had problems, but I think that's more down to his PC and the fact he insists on using software that's very resource intensive in the background which is causing his card to lock the PC needing a reboot.

I rarely used the tuner part of my card, but understand it's an ATI all-in-wonder. There are RCA connectors and a S-Video connector also. When I originally bought it I had DirecTv, so I bought 25 foot RCA audio and a S-Video cables to run in my basement from my TV to PC in the other room. Kinda sucked because I couldn't change channels with the remote (that came with the card), since it hooked up that way. However DTV pissed me off about a year ago and I switched to local cable. It was pretty cool, I spliced the line and had the basic channels on my PC via the tuner. Changed the channels on my PC with the remote, etc. But they pissed me off and had higher prices so I'm back to DTV.

Ever since Christmas, the boys got an Xbox, the TV has been occupied with something else so I can watch tv on my pc.....what I want to watch, not cartoons.

I hope to eventually buy an extra box just for my PC so I can have my own remote and change the channel without having to get up.

Just installed the leadtek that I bought. First go thought I'd got a conflict as couldn't log into windows, then released I was working with Homer and got the mouse and keyboard the wrong way round Once I got them connected the right way round it all install perfectly.

As I thought very fuzzy picture, damm being in a dip.

Tomorrow I'll try connecting the video up......

Awesome! Have fun with it, I sure do! Recorded the Steelers game the other night, hoping they go all the way and win the Super Bowl. Then in a few years if they start to suck again I can watch their playoff games when they kicked ass. I can't wait until Sunday, they better beat NE again!!!!!!!!

Will be annoying the wife today, as I'm going to try the video connected to it, find out what the saved picture quality is like.

I just need to get another cable for the sound.

A little off topic, but if you want to record live TV, I strongly recommend using the PowerVCR II software from Cyberlink. I am using it since january last year and it works great! Just give it a try, download the trial and post your impresions.