HTPC USB Tuner - Any Recommendations?

I fancy getting a DVB-t TV tuner for my shuttle which is currently being used as a HTPC. Unfortunately due to the fact that I somehow knackered the onboard NIC, I need an external tuner (I.e USB). Now, are the USB tuners any good? I have an old PCI WinTV aaaages ago and it was terrible. Crashed all the time and gave crap pictures, but that was about 4 years ago and I expect things have moved on. Does USB really have the bandwidth to deal with fullscreen video?

Anywho, what should I be looking for in a TV tuner? I will be using MediaPortal and XP Pro, so it must be compatible with that. I think most are, but there's a list HERE anyway. Anyone got any recommendations or warnings about particular tuners?

I *think* that by using MediaPortal I negate the need for decent software, as MediaPortal will take care of all the interface and recording duties. So I just need something with bomb-proof drivers and doesn't crash.

 

LOL Mediaportal is not bomb proof, it's rather prone to crash in my experience. But I would look at the hauppauge nova-t usb2 or maybe the nova-t on a stick which is still too new to know how well it works yet. Avoid the £25 dvb-t usb sticks as my experience with them is unless you have a very good signal they tend to be poor.

 

Well yes, Media Portal isn't bombproof, but that is not the issue here

 

I use the nova-t usb2 in my pvr and have done so for the last 8-9 months without hassles. It has one of the better tuners on the market but you pay for the hauppauge name with roughly a £10 premium over other cards.

 

Cool, well I think I will spend that extra £10 so I can be on the safe side when it comes to this. I'm really only buying it so I can record TV programs from the TV guide in Media Portal. However I think it's going to be a total bitch to get it to work...

 

If all you want to do is record and don't want pvr functions I suggest websceduler.

 

PVR as in pausing live TV and stuff? I hadn't really considered that but that would be good. Can you do that within MediaPortal?

Hopefully when I've installed this card it will all fall into place. Here's fingers crossed. Gonna buy a Nova2 USB tonight and I'll let you know how I get on

 

Yes that what mediaportal can do, you should be able to get the nova-t usb2 for approx £50 (my tesco do it for £59) make sure its the usb2 version and not the usb version.

 

Phew, you had me worried there. Didn't realise there were two different versions. I just bought one from Microdirect (£41 inc VAT) and I've just checked and it is the USB2 version. So I'll give it a whirl tonight

 

I just checked the micro direct site is it http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=13776&GroupID=387, if so that is not the nova-t usb2 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=178484), that is the newer usb nova-t stick. I've not seen any reviews of this but going by hauppauge you should still be fine, not sure if mediaportal supports it out of the box. You might have to make a post on the forum and someone should be able to help you.

 

Oh ffs.

How was I supposed to know that this was a newer version? It works fine in the WinTV2000 program, but MediaPortal refuses to recognise it. Argghhh. Any ideas?

Actually, I'll make that other post. Thanks for the help so far anyway.