TV Capture Cards Options for 'SFF' PCs

[DoC hEx]

I’m looking to build a ‘small-form factor PC’ to stream a TV signal around the house using wireless, or Gigabit, if the wireless is not up to the task. Since this isn’t your normal PC I’m looking for advice on what TV Capture Cards would be a good fit both in terms of size and capabilities as I’d like to do full screen resolution capture and streaming. I don’t know how possible that would be? As the streaming is going to be done real-time from the Capture card. (As I want to send it to things like my PC/Laptop and PSP but that will have to be a lower res).

Software wise I was thing VLC as I already use it to playback most of my AVI and MPEG2 files and have gotten used to its interface. Unless there’s another app that’s good at streaming video content?


So to the direct questions:

* Should I go USB or Internal Capture Card?

* Based on the choice above what would be the options?

* Since I’m limited to buying within europe, here is the site I get my stuff from: Are any of the card below up to the task?

USB: http://www.komplett.ie/k/kl.asp?bn=10420
PCI: http://www.komplett.ie/k/kl.asp?bn=10419

Any advice on what I should chose from that list or should I really look to source a better card from somewhere else?

[DoC hEx]

From reading around the follow card seems to be getting good reviews.

Hauppauge! WinTV-PVR-350 – From reading around this looks like a good video capture card.

What do people think? Is this card out of date? Is there a better one?

[swordheart]

Hi the avermedia hybrid thats in the second link in your first post won a test that included a hauppage card and others in Micro Mart, and next week i will be buying that very same pci card to go in my shuttle pc the card is half height so should make internal cooling a little better than a full size, i seem to remember that in the review of the hauppage card it said that the drivers were not so good hope this helps.

[DoC hEx]

@swordheart
Do you still have the link to that review as I can't find any good information about those cards online. Also from a compatability point of view I don't see it supported under MythTV?

[swordheart]

Hi Doc Micro Mart is a respected weekly computer magazine in UK, the review would be about 2 3 months ago, i looked on their website to put a link in my first post but couldn't find one :confused: , I have used a hauppage card ( still have it but i don't use it, cause i had to use US drivers to get it to work properly ? have a look at the drivers available on the hauppage site and see if they are up to date ) sorry i can't be much more help

[swordheart]

Hi its your lucky day i have found the review i cut it out of the mag and saved it :)


ill try and put the scan in thhis post f i can't do u want me to email it to u ? its 99meg if i reduce it anymore u wont be able to read it

[DoC hEx]

Cheers, but that's one big review!