Latest on USB TV cards/hardware?

[scauffiel]

Looking to hook up a DirecTV receiver (receiver, not recorder) to my computer so I can watch while working. Currently running dual Radeon x1300/x1550 series video cards supporting four monitors - just want to add a simple USB style dongle to this rig to watch some Discovery/NatGeo while working. Is there anything out there yet that's worth a flip for something like this? Did a few searches via Google and nothing later than 2006 really shows up. Appreciate the help,

S.

 

[ViRGE]

Do you want HD or not? That's going to be the deciding factor.

For SD, there are a ton of cards that take composite video + audio. For HD you need something that takes component video, and your only choice for that is really Hauppauge's HD-PVR.

 

[scauffiel]

HD on my computer doesn't really factor in there for me; 50" plasma yes, 21" monitor I'm watching offhandedly while working, no. I appreciate the help - looks like Hauppauge is the primary game in town for this sort of thing then. Okay, very cool, I guess I'll start looking to see if anyone's reviewed these things then - thanks a bunch!

 

[MagickMan]

I have the HD-PVR, been using it for more than a year and I recommend it. It's really good hardware... BUT the software pretty much sucks ass, and getting everything up and running right with WMC is kinda like putting a model plane together with only part of the instructions. Be prepared to pay for DVBLink. All that aside, it does make some really great HD recordings.