Ok I've tried everything to make this card synch correctly but
nothing works. My question is which card out there works?
Lets say price is not an issue. Which card can give me high quality
video, no synching issues, works with windows 2000 and hopefully
has decent software included.
What do you mean by synching? Sound and video out of sync?
Most people dont seem to have problems with the 150 Hauppauge its a
very popular card.
The other popular one which Im going to get hopefully someday are the
cards based on the ATI 550 chip.
ATI as usual has their own ELITE package which usually is the most
expensive. Tons of other companies like Sapphire, Powercolor,
Visiontek, MSI etc have their own 550 based cards. Generally speaking
they seem identical.
So getting a MSI etc which I tend to see for 70-80 at newegg and other
places when on sale maybe a good deal depending on what you want.
Where they differ is the package. These are good deals for the retail
package -- software and remote. The problem is --- most of them come
with Power Cinema which most reviewers seem to really dislike. One
reviewer says it gets no scheduling info from a server.
The other thing is -- what kind of remote comes with it? The ATI I
think is RF while the others are IR -- have to be in line of sight.
Additionally some are MCE compatible and others arent.
You can get the FREE GB PVR for both the 150 hauppauge AND the 550
based cards and its a very good program. Looks slick and gets its
scheduling info (or did when I used it) from the free server ZAP2it.
On paper it looks like the most advanced TV tuiner card - non HDTV of
course. Some consumers have claimed it seems to get hot though and
turning the channels --- theres a slight lag. It doesnt require a loop
back plug for your sound card ---- and the claim is it avoids a lot of
sound and video out of sync problems.
People have reported problems with all brands of cards though so who
knows if this is the card for you or if you can fix the Hauppauge
issues due to some software or hardware problem in your system.
Ive yet to test one in my system since Ive ordered TWO of them and one
the MSI came with a part missing off the circuit board - a cap was
rolling around the bag. The second one a PCI express version --- Power
color has a PCI express version. It wont fit on my motherboard!
Ive decided to take a break and wait maybe the prices will come down
on them in the summer and i have a cheapo TV tuner card that actually
works OK and I think Im buying a music recording card instead this
month.
Newegg has some cheap prices but if you have a problem ---- Amazon
(UGH) does have similar prices on the MSI and has free shipping too.
They also have free shipping back IF its defective. If it isnt they
will charge you shipping back I think.
My recent experience with Amazon after they acted like weenies on a
mistake they posted on a Audigy ( advertising a rebated price with
rebate that doesnt apply to the item they were selling !) and selling
me a defective MSI card ---- nothing but problems recently , has been
good about taking the returns I have to admit. But then they accepted
ZERO blame for the mistake. Newegg then sold me the card that wouldnt
fit on my board and I had to threaten to dispute it with my CC firm to
not pay a restocking fee. Still had to pay shipping from and back for
nothing $26 shipping both ways for a $65 card I returned - so Amazon
still is bit better I guess for me.
