Media Centre Setup Questions

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MongooseMan

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Hi

Just starting the setup of my media center and trying to decide which remote to purchase.
What would you recommend:
The Hauppauge
or
The Microsoft

I'll need to use it to control my DSTV decoder using the IR beams. (If that's applicable :))

OK, next question:
What TV Card to get. I want to get a USB one and am looking at this one:
Compro U750f

I know the Hauppauge ones are better, but they're also at least double the price.
The main difference I can see between them is that the Compro doesn't offer hardware mpeg encoding.
How much of a tangible difference will that make if my computer is anything approaching decent and only being used for Media Center?
It claims to work with Media Center and Windows 7 on their website, yet this post claims Media Centre won't accept cards without hardware encoding. Not sure if that was only older versions of MC.

Thoughts?

Thanks
Graeme
 
Hardware encoding makes a big difference. I'd even go so far as to say don't buy anything that can't do mpeg4 encoding.
 
I'd recommend that you get the Hauppauge PVR 150 MCE kit. This kit includes the TV capture card, the Remote control, the IR receiver and the IR transmitter beans. I bought this for a friend of mine for about R900 a few months ago.

Definately get a card with hardware encoding.
 
Anyone out there got a software encoding card which they're using with Windows 7 Media Center?
If so, what is the performance like?
 
If you're gonna go with media center then use Hauppauge, I have had good experiences
 
Is the Hauppauge PVR 150 MCE supported under Windows 7? Also does anyone have experience with DSTV HD content and recording to MCE?
 
I'd go with a Harmony remote - then you can control your media center, and everything else.

I'm running a PVR500 in Win7
 
BTW - I had the PCE150, if you have DSTV, I'd recommend a dual tuner, or two tuners - I ended up replacing my single tuner after a couple of weeks.
 
xrapidx said:
BTW - I had the PCE150, if you have DSTV, I'd recommend a dual tuner, or two tuners - I ended up replacing my single tuner after a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

I see your point.
How does a dual tuner work? (What cable from decoder to tuner, etc?)

What card do you have now?

Thanks
G
 
Cool. Does anyone know where I can get hold of a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR 150 Media center kit?
Note that I'd like the KIT as it comes with the remote and IR beams.
I can't seem to find anyone is SA selling it for less than R1k.

Any leads?
 
smtgra011 said:
Cool. Does anyone know where I can get hold of a Hauppauge WinTV-PVR 150 Media center kit?
Note that I'd like the KIT as it comes with the remote and IR beams.
I can't seem to find anyone is SA selling it for less than R1k.

Any leads?
Click to expand...

I see you're in CPT. Unfortunately, the only place I know is in Pretoria (Centurion). I bought this kit in July for R780 (excl) from Centurion Technology (012 663 7836)
 
Anyone else know of anywhere? I looked on Centurion Tech's website and couldn't find it. I emailed them, but no reply as yet...
 
Dan C said:
PVR 150 MCE is supported under Windows 7. Mine working just fine.
Click to expand...

I have this card, does not work well on 64bit with more than 4GB of ram, also a little unstable. With 4GB of ram you need to reduce the ram to use it that's how I have mine working.

I'm getting the USB haupauge HVR900HD to replace it this week, want to see how it performs. But it's mac compatible also so I might set up an OSX media center.
 
Last edited:
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