DVB-S2 HDTV PCI Card - Favorite features

[Tron]

Since many people have notebooks and therefore must use USB, and others have PCI-E desktops, perhaps both versions would be a prudent choice. Newer notebooks also have ExpressCard bus...

 

[updatelee]

If it has trellis support and is less then 500$ ill preorder. If its more then 500$ ill still probably buy it, just have to hum and haw a little more lol. All contingent on tsreader support.

 

[brentb636]

I know of the DCII mux of YES network on AMC 1, it has YES HD, but I don't know if it's mpeg2 or mpeg4. Was this a wild feed?

Yep, it was a wild feed, and great video. My cpu was really cranking, though. Since then I beefed it up some.

 

[pendragon]

I would vote for USB. There are USB chipsets capable of handling stream rates we're likely to see for quite some time. The convenience of USB for troubleshooting and the ease of adding multiple units (up to say four) to a server is quite handy. It's also convenient for me to locate these units away from a tower and avoid the rat's nest of coax behind.

PCIe would be a distant second. I do not want any HW decoding. I prefer to separate that function out to a capable graphics card or a dedicated STB, both which likely have better support, more current capabilities and lower cost than one could expect out of the relatively small FTA receiver market.

HW blind-scanning would be nearly essential for me to switch from my current units. A loop-through doesn't hurt, but I prefer to have each tuner go to independent switch ports. Linux drivers would be very nice. I would expect a new unit to offer more future-looking capabilities in terms of modulations, SRs, tuning range and Ka capabilities. P. Smith's list would be fine, but I could live with a lot less

In many ways a simple and cost-effective solution would be the best, as all of our operational FTA programming is already distributed by a media server from multiple receiver boxes.

 

[digiblur]

I see people are mentioning 4:2:2, HD, different resolutions, etc...that's all software and not done by a tuner card.

 

[vfrjim]

I see people are mentioning 4:2:2, HD, different resolutions, etc...that's all software and not done by a tuner card.

As of now it is software, but it COULD be done in hardware with the addition of a MPEG decoding chip, same thing as blindscan, it would be a hardware thing that would be responsible for it. This would take all the CPU load away and any 1 gig or so CPU could handle it then. Another thing is USALS, many software writers that are not commercial writers cannot do USALS with a BDA driver without doing some weird coding to make it work. Once a hardware feature, it is simple with the software side.

 

[digiblur]

As of now it is software, but it COULD be done in hardware with the addition of a MPEG decoding chip, same thing as blindscan, it would be a hardware thing that would be responsible for it. This would take all the CPU load away and any 1 gig or so CPU could handle it then. Another thing is USALS, many software writers that are not commercial writers cannot do USALS with a BDA driver without doing some weird coding to make it work. Once a hardware feature, it is simple with the software side.

If there was such a card as this, I can bet it would only work with their frontend. Throw TSReader out the window. Prime example? Look at the MyHD-130 card. Very nice card for ATSC/QAM tuning but it only works with their frontend.

 

[vfrjim]

If there was such a card as this, I can bet it would only work with their frontend. Throw TSReader out the window. Prime example? Look at the MyHD-130 card. Very nice card for ATSC/QAM tuning but it only works with their frontend.

I would be ok with that, as long as they support the card with bug-free software.(I own the MyHD card and liked it).

It would be nice to work with TSReader, but would not be a deal killer if it did not. For example, Rod does not seem to be rushing to support BDA driver DVB cards it seems and all the newer cards are using BDA drivers, so unless you use a card Rod supports in a OS that is supported my TSReader, your out of luck anyways.

 

[updatelee]

If it don't work with tsreader I'm not interested. I don't watch tv on my laptop I watch it on my tv. If I wana watch it I stream it from tsreader to my dreambox.

 

[updatelee]

Edit: sorry repost

 

[digiblur]

I would be ok with that, as long as they support the card with bug-free software.(I own the MyHD card and liked it).

It would be nice to work with TSReader, but would not be a deal killer if it did not. For example, Rod does not seem to be rushing to support BDA driver DVB cards it seems and all the newer cards are using BDA drivers, so unless you use a card Rod supports in a OS that is supported my TSReader, your out of luck anyways.

The MyHD card is decent. But once I moved to the HDHomeRun and could use it with a variety of apps like TSReader and BeyondTV, there's no way I could back to using the MyHD full time like I used to.

If it don't work with tsreader I'm not interested. I don't watch tv on my laptop I watch it on my tv. If I wana watch it I stream it from tsreader to my dreambox.

Exactly! No point in being stuck with just one frontend. I love TSReader for my 4:2:2 and HD viewing. Takes a few seconds to punch in the frequency and SR into TSReader from the couch instead of trying to figure out how to make the satellite app scan the transponder once you add it. PITA!

 

[scottc98]

The MyHD card is decent. But once I moved to the HDHomeRun and could use it with a variety of apps like TSReader and BeyondTV, there's no way I could back to using the MyHD full time like I used to.



Exactly! No point in being stuck with just one frontend. I love TSReader for my 4:2:2 and HD viewing. Takes a few seconds to punch in the frequency and SR into TSReader from the couch instead of trying to figure out how to make the satellite app scan the transponder once you add it. PITA!

Actually one of the advantages of the MYHD card was the hardware decoder. That only required a PII 500 to view and a PII 800 to record ATSC channels. It could also view 4.2.2 material (atleast SD; never tried 4.2.2 HD). Plus it had its own video out (RGB, Component, or DVI)

Bringing up that card as an example for what a DVB card with a MPEG2/4 hardware decoder would enable.

That would be cool but not a requirement IMO. I would like to see a card (PCI or PCIe) with a ATSC tuner built in. A loop out is a must, especially if there is no blind scan.

IF you can get a card with a blind scan chip like the skystar 2.3, then that will top anything.

If you think about comparing a HTPC and a standalone reciever, Blind scan capabilities is the one thing that is lacking. On a HTPC, you can always upgrade video cards, codecs, memory, processor, etc.....but you can never get around the lack of Blind scan.

 

[scottc98]

I'd also think it would be cool to have a card that can output a ATSC channel.

Pick up a live HD feed and reformat to a 8VSB channel. Would eliminate video processing and able to connect it to your house coax, enabling every TV with a ATSC tuner to pick up the feed

 

[digiblur]

Never tried 4:2:2 SD with it....interesting. I had no issues playing 4:2:2 SD with my video card, so I never tried. I used to take 4:2:0 HD and get it recording via TSReader to the hard drive. Then play the file with MyHD. Kind or pain but I was able to watch the HD feeds...it would choke on the 4:2:2 HD though.

Back on the new card subject... my big plus I would look for is DVB-S2 blind scanning and TSReader support (yes, I know it wouldn't blindscan in TSReader).

 

[scottc98]

This might be a tad off subject, but I would be nice to see a standalone reciever that can stream a transport stream via ethernet.

Besides the Quali, standalones can't handle a 4.2.2 feed. If you could lock the signal and stream it out to a PC, then your PC can decode. Would also be more likely to see a good DVB-S2 blindscan on a reciever that a PC card.

The receiver could also accept a TS stream for playback and that opens all kinds of doors

In all reality, give me a reciever that can stream in/out via ethernet and I don't need a PCI/PCIe/USB device

 

[gillham]

This might be a tad off subject, but I would be nice to see a standalone reciever that can stream a transport stream via ethernet.

The Dreambox units are supposed to be able to do this with "streamts" and there are commercial oriented units that do it. Check this link.

Besides the Quali, standalones can't handle a 4.2.2 feed. If you could lock the signal and stream it out to a PC, then your PC can decode. Would also be more likely to see a good DVB-S2 blindscan on a reciever that a PC card.

I would be happy with USB Ethernet support on newer PVR units. They should be able to multicast the TS easily.

As far as DVB-S2 adapter features, any new products need to have advantages over existing DVB-S2 adapters. Either price or features, otherwise there isn't much of a market. So I think the key would be to determine what are the features current products are missing. Then supporting all existing features & add "bonus" features and you have a differentiated product.

My required wishlist: (in addition to existing DVB-S/S2 features)
Hardware accelerated blindscan of DVB-S & DVB-S2.
TSReader support.
PCIe x1 preferred, PCI would be ok.
low power consumption (for 24x7 operation)
Linux v4l-dvb drivers.

Christmas wishlist:
Dual tuners.
Replaceable tuner modules.
Spectrum analyzer hardware feature ala BLSA.
Integrated switching of two ports. One tuner, but two LNB IN ports that can support a chain of motor, 22k, DiSEQc, on each port. (basically a 0/12V switch?)

 

[updatelee]

ive streamed from my dreambox many times, I select the vpid and apid and it'll stream it. I havent tried streaming the entire mux, i'll look into it.

 

[49studebaker]

I vote hardware blind scan and pci-e. Hardware decoding would be nice but it is not a high priority for me since computers are getting faster and less expensive. I really would not want to spend $500 on a tuner card that is kind of expensive. I built a nice htpc which handles high definition nicely for around $400. If the card was priced around $100 then I would buy it. I do not need a ATSC tuner since I use a hvr-1600 for watching/recording digital antenna tv and the video input/IR blaster to watch/record subcription channels.

I would just prefer hardware blind scan, pci-e, and other features that members suggested relating to satellite. Like support for TSreader, high symbol rates, and different modulations. While a "it does everything" pci/pcie/usb tuner would be nice I could imagine it would be too expensive.

 

[scottc98]

Never tried 4:2:2 SD with it....interesting. I had no issues playing 4:2:2 SD with my video card, so I never tried. I used to take 4:2:0 HD and get it recording via TSReader to the hard drive. Then play the file with MyHD. Kind or pain but I was able to watch the HD feeds...it would choke on the 4:2:2 HD though.

Just tried again on a 4.2.2 SD feed and MYHD plays it perfectly. Had to deselect "force PIDS to be ATSC compatible" in TSreader for the file to play flawless.

 

[Sadoun]

Wow, there are some great suggestions here. A lot of features are listed. Your input is very valuable.


Can someone please summarize all these features? This will make it easier to track, so that we don't miss an important feature.