How to get Audio from USB TV Tuner in Windows 2000?

[GizmoFreak]

I currently have a Leadtek USB TV tuner that only supports audio through USB in Windows XP. Unfortunately I have Windows 2000 and only get video input via USB from the tuner box. Are there any other USB TV tuners out there that will allow me to get video AND audio via USB? The ATI TV Wonder USB does not even support Win2k. I was looking at the Hauppauge USB tuner but there doesn't seem to be any info on this.

I'm stuck with Win2k but I do have USB 2.0 ports. And this is for a laptop so only USB solutions will work here.

 

[housecat]

I have dabbled in most brands of tv tuners and I would not recommend a USB version of any of them.

The best brand (in my experience) is Hauppauge. They work the best with the largest variety of GPUs and have the best software/driver support by far.

I have not used a USB Hauppauge though. If any of them are going to work under 2000, it will be them.

Stay away from ATIs standalone tuners, they like to drop support on them and like you said.. there is no Win2K support anyway.

I've used most all tuners, expensive and cheap.. and the best one overall has been this $30 Hauppauge WinTV-Go! Hauppauge integrated DScaler deinterlacing algorithms into their software about a year ago.. so they all have exceptional image quality now regardless of hardware chips they use.

Dscaler is the premier deinterlacing software available, and it can be used on any tuner, but the UI is horrible.. it just sucks to use compared to native Hauppauge tuning software or ATI's. Even the $20-30 WinTV Go PCI blows away the ATI standalone tuners on image quality due to these algorithms.

I say give the Hauppauge a shot. Its your best shot and probably only chance at getting a working solution in Win2K. They support their stuff well, when XP was released they had drivers the same day and they were stable/exceptional.
Leadtek and others make tuners that have great hardware, but can lack in software support and since tuners arent really there interest area mainly dont expect any kind of longterm support from those guys who just dabble in it.

If ATI doesnt support their stuff well, those guys probably arent either. I waited and waited for ATI to fix my tuner issues (there were many, not just the tuner software crashing) but they eventually completely dropped support on me and released the current "Pro" version. I was not alone, check the Rage3D archives

I'd blindly order a Hauppauge, but give them a call first!
Good luck, and I hope you PM or post your results here. I'm interested.

This is the ticket. Its even pretty new and USB2. Hey! Even 98SE/ME support? Stuff that in your asspipe and smoke it ATI! This guy looks pretty sleek too.
I'd get one of those two, probably the 2nd one (no external power required unlike the first one).

 

[GizmoFreak]

Hey housecat, thanks for your informative post. Yeah, I'm not thrilled about being limited to USB tuners but as I said, this is for a laptop.

I think I might try that first suggestion you made. The second one does not support Win 2k it appears.

I'll post my results here, but it'll probably be awhile. (Sell my exisitng tuner, order new one, wait, install, try, etc etc)