Tv Tuner Dilemma - PVR500

[Phantom87]

Ok so here is the situation.
I currently own a Hauppauge HVR1600 and watching tv through my analog basic cable and Over The Air HD. But I can give up on the HD cuz i'm not watching it much really eventhough i receive 10 crispy clear channels. So I am willing to sell it to get a tv tuner that works on Ubuntu because i have tried to install the beta tuner on 4 occassions now and i just couldnt get it to work and i really wanna switch to Ubuntu fully but the tv tuner is holding me back.

I have considered the PVR-500 but it says on their website
"This Hauppauge WinTV product has only an analog broadcast tuner and will require a converter box after February 17, 2009 to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna in the United States because of the transition to digital broadcasting in North America. Analog only TV receivers will continue to work as before with cable TV and satellite TV receivers, plus other video devices such as camcorders and VCRs."

Does it mean that i wont be able to watch Basic cable anymore with that tuner?

Also, The card does not come with a remote. Do you have any alternative for this? because i have the remote that came with the HVR1600 but it uses an irblaster, and from the pictures on the same website the pvr500 does not have a port for it.

[tgm4883]

All analog tuners will require a converter box after that date. If you have a TV without a digital tuner it will require a converter box too.

You can get a remote like the MCEUSB2 which on some models has dual IR Blasters which will change the channel on the box.

Your other option would be to get a digital tuner such as the pcHDTV 5500 and use multirec to record multiple simultanious shows on a single tuner.

[Phantom87]

All analog tuners will require a converter box after that date. If you have a TV without a digital tuner it will require a converter box too.

You can get a remote like the MCEUSB2 which on some models has dual IR Blasters which will change the channel on the box.

Your other option would be to get a digital tuner such as the pcHDTV 5500 and use multirec to record multiple simultanious shows on a single tuner.

thanks alot But u said all analog tuners would need a converter?
even if you are watching through analog basic cable?

also about the remote, does it work without using a Windows Media Center OS or can use it on my windows XP home edition?

I already know the remote works on Ubuntu.

[tgm4883]

thanks alot But u said all analog tuners would need a converter?
even if you are watching through analog basic cable?

also about the remote, does it work without using a Windows Media Center OS or can use it on my windows XP home edition?

I already know the remote works on Ubuntu.

Yes, to clarify. In the United States after February 17, 2009 analog cable will cease to exist. Cable companies will be prohibited from broadcasting an analog signal. The FCC is forcing the cable companies to do this for multiple reasons. Mostly though, it clears up a lot of wave space for other uses.

So in conclusion you will NOT have analog cable after February 17, 2009. Not basic, expanded or otherwise, cause it will all be digital

[Phantom87]

Yes, to clarify. In the United States after February 17, 2009 analog cable will cease to exist. Cable companies will be prohibited from broadcasting an analog signal. The FCC is forcing the cable companies to do this for multiple reasons. Mostly though, it clears up a lot of wave space for other uses.

So in conclusion you will NOT have analog cable after February 17, 2009. Not basic, expanded or otherwise, cause it will all be digital

Hmm, So i should be looking forward to a digital tuner then and forget about the PVR500 since it wont be able to use it for less than a year?

[tgm4883]

Hmm, So i should be looking forward to a digital tuner then and forget about the PVR500 since it wont be able to use it for less than a year?

Correct. Now there are other instances where you may want to use it (providing you already own it, don't buy a new one). For instance, I have directv and a pvr-500 and use the composite in to get the signal.

[dleifer]

Yes, to clarify. In the United States after February 17, 2009 analog cable will cease to exist. Cable companies will be prohibited from broadcasting an analog signal. The FCC is forcing the cable companies to do this for multiple reasons. Mostly though, it clears up a lot of wave space for other uses.

So in conclusion you will NOT have analog cable after February 17, 2009. Not basic, expanded or otherwise, cause it will all be digital

This is *not* my understanding. As of Feb. 2009 analog _broadcast_ will cease to exist. Cable/Satellite is not affected. FCC is not forcing this.

My cable company says so ...
http://www.timewarnercable.com/CustomerService/FAQ/TWCFaqs.ashx?faqMap=31854&MarketID=23
I don't trust them farther than I can throw them but that is what they say.

Dave

[driven1]

Cable will not be affected since it is not broadcast. The new rules only apply to broadcast signals. Since cable comes in , well on a cable, it will continue to work, even though it is an analogue signal. An additional converter box is only required for those people wanting over-the-air digital broadcasts for TVs with analogue tuners.

dvt.gov faq (http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#faq15)

[tgm4883]

Cable will not be affected since it is not broadcast. The new rules only apply to broadcast signals. Since cable comes in , well on a cable, it will continue to work, even though it is an analogue signal. An additional converter box is only required for those people wanting over-the-air digital broadcasts for TVs with analogue tuners.

dvt.gov faq (http://www.dtv.gov/consumercorner.html#faq15)

driven1 is correct, I was hunting but couldn't find that. The original draft was for both but it appears that they have pushed back the cable analog date to 2012. That 2012 date is neither a hard date, nor a date when analog must stop. It just requires them to give you local broadcast channels in analog as long as they offer any analog service.

So your PVR-500 will continue to work.

Shame though that the requirement isn't for all analog to cease to exist. :(