Computer based VCR?

[Snooper]

Folks,

I am about tired of dealing with VCRs and video tape. I think it is about time to setup my computer so it can take over this function from my VCRs. But truthfully, I haven't really paid this part of the business a whole lot of attention so I need some advice. First, what is the best NON AGP TV encoder/decoder card out there? I do NOT what an integrated TV tuner/video card solution as I want to be able to upgrade my video card on the normal cycle without stuck trying to find another top of the line video card with tv tuner. That is too limiting. Needless to say, it has to work properly with my existing (and future) video cards in the AGP slot. I would also LOVE to be able to get my hands on the API that controls the the TV tuner so I can write my own custom VCR software that could run in the background and not have to deal with all the extra crap that commercial developers through in there to impress the morons at Best Buy or Circuit City.

So, anyone have an suggestions or maybe some great URLs to check out? Thanks for the help!

Snooper

 

[Confused]

How about a Hauppauge WinTV PVR, this is a PCI based TV decoder card, which has the following:


<LI>125 channel cable ready TV tuner
<LI>Composite/s-video input to connect to VCR or camcorders
<LI>High quality MPEG2 video and audio encoder
<LI>dbx-TV stereo decoder
<LI>FM stereo radio receiver
<LI>IR remote control

this can record to MPEG1 or MPEG2 out of the box

another option is one of these and SnapStream PVS, which allows you to schedule and record live TV (however there are some problems with WinTV cards, SnapStream and WindowsXP not recording the audio) with this setup.

hope this helps you make a decision

ConfusedBW

 

[Looney]

Have you actually used that card? I have a Radeon AIW that i used in the past, and it just wasn't worth it. Quality and playback were not up to par with Tivo, and i had lots of software problem (such as it freezing on me, or it not properly downloading the guide, and other problems)... and no remote just sucks.

I'll like to see somebody with one of these set up and who also has experience with a Tivo to compare the two.

 

[Confused]

i've used the WinTV PCI and Snapstream when i had my Duron 700 and Windows 9x, and the quality is good, not great, not poor. i have yet to get it to work properly with Windows XP, on my Athlon.

i have not had any personal experience with TiVo tho

ConfusedBW