Hauppauge 2250 - anyone with experience?

How is this card for a new HTPC? I plan on purchasing this for my HTPC. Good start.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16815116036

Comcast issues? I don't have Comcast, but from what I have read, Comcast is phasing out Clear QAM channels to just a handful, mostly local broadcast, to try to get you to move to digital cable and a STB. If you are going to use a STB, then I would look into a Hauppauge HD-PVR (note: It is a single tuner) or use the 2250 for NTSC or OTA ATSC

Software? I'll be using Windows 7 as OS. According to the newegg.com product page, Hauppauge support Windows 7. Not sure if SageTV is working under Windows 7 or not. Might check SageTV forums.

SageTV? According to this page, SageTV officially supports the 2250.

IR receiver/transmitter... It doesn't seem to show up in the online manual. Can this be used for other purposes like the USB-UIRT? If memory serves me correctly, SageTV supports the MCE receiver, but only with the MCE remote. You couldn't get a Harmony remote and assign the Sage HD Theater Remote as a device and use it with the MCE receiver, which would be the most native to the SageTV setup. I could be completely wrong though. I personally would buy the system builder option (just the card) and not the MCE option and buy a USB-UIRT. It is more versatile with SageTV and usually supported by most all software-based DVRs
 
Maybe changing the topic of my own post, but, after a bit of slogging thru online slush, now I'm wondering whether a cablecard card, which seems to be coming in a month or two, would be a better option. We watch about 50% network tv, the other 50% is mostly Food, Science, Discovery, HGTV etc. from Comcast but we prefer the HD feeds on everything.

I'm not sure exactly what the Clear QAM channels are. Is that the HD feeds or everything above channel (110 or whatever)?

The stuff I read about CableCards is all over the place, good, bad, red headed stepchild.
Even if the rules are changing, I'm not sure if anyone really wants to support it.

I ordered a bunch of stuff for a HTPC build yesterday. My first build of any kind.
For now, I'm holding on the tuner card, but I'll have to do something real soon.

Sonny
 
QAM is the type of digital broadcast that cable companies use. When encrypted, only your cable company supplied STB or cable card can decode the stream so you can view or record it. ClearQAM are the channels that the cable company does not encrypt. You can view these stations with any QAM tuner (like those built into most HD TVs). You can also record those ClearQAM channels with a QAM tuner (like the HDHomeRun). You simply plug the coaxial cable feed into the TV or tuner.

The problem is that most cable companies encrypt 98% of their digital channels. Generally speaking, only your local HD networks are broadcast uncrypted. But it does vary from market to market.

You can use this channel finder from the makers of the HDHR to see watch OTA ATSC and ClearQAM stations you get in your area. Simply put in your zip code. There is a drop down menu at the upper left after that which allows you to switch from OTA to QAM stations (it isn't very intuitive the first time you see it).

The Cable Card Tuners will allow a person to record the encrypted cable broadcasts by using a cable company supplied cable card.
 
You most likely will not find HD feeds except for your local broadcast in clear QAM. Most likely all you will find is standard def channels in digital (clear QAM) rather than analog and few and far between at that. You still have the NTSC tuners that you can use. If you have a flat panel television that is somewhat newer, you can plug the cable into the antenna jack and run a "Digital TV" add channel scan to see what comes in clear QAM before your purchase.

With the 2250, you will still be able to get local broadcast in HD via Comcast's clear QAM. I have read on another forum that the FCC has required cable companies to send local broadcast in clear QAM always, but that was just someone else saying that. If you get rid of Comcast, you still will be able to get ATSC albeit, most likely, with an antenna.

The last that I read on CableCard tuners was that there was a tuner card from overseas that they piecemeal-ed together to get to work. To hear that they are finally on the horizon is good, but I still won't hold my breath. I had read some time ago that the cable companies are required by the FCC to provide cable cards. I will see if I can find something on the FCC's website to see if that is true along with clear QAM broadcast required.

If I were you, I would go with the 2250 for your 50% broadcast (and cable -- non-HD) and add a CableCard tuner later for your 50% cable. Note: The 2250 did have an issue where you could only use two ATSC ---or-- two NTSC tuners at one time. You couldn't mix-and-match or all at the same time. This may have changed with a driver update or DVR change.

Edit: If you require absolute HD and you can't get clear QAM on the channels you want (highly unlikely), then your only options are that I can think of: 1. wait for CableCard tuner (will they support HD? I would think, but not sure) 2. Get a HD-PVR and use it with a STB 3. Rent the HD DVR from Comcast
 
I had a friend that went to some major hoops to get a cablecard from Comcast for his Tivo box. In FL I saw an adverstisment from a new cable company offering basic HD packages in clear QAM. I don't believe we will see that too soon with Comcast.

Unrelated to this post I noticed also with FIOS (Motorola box) that their HDMI connection didn't work and I had to use separate component cables / audio cables for HD. I kind of made an issue out of this with the installer who tried four different cable boxes all with the same issues. I did a quick G search and noticed a "few" folks with similar issues.
 
What about a component or HDMI output from a Comcast STB to a computer card with IR channel control?
I like the 2250, but I wonder if they have component input breakout available?
This IR receiver/ transmitter looks an awful lot like a USB-UIRT. This type, with the USB input is not in their on-line manual.

http://images.tigerdirect.com/SkuImages/ga...H56-2114-05.jpg
http://images.tigerdirect.com/SkuImages/ga...H56-2114-06.jpg

That makes me wonder if I would be able to make use of some HA IR abilities as well.

Sonny
 
What about a component or HDMI output from a Comcast STB to a computer card with IR channel control? Your best is Hauppauge HD-PVR for component. You can buy HDMI tuner cards; however, last time I looked they all had HDCP which is probably implemented on the STB thus stopping recording. With component, you will get HD (720 and up) due to the analog loophole. Not digital, but it is the best you will get via STB output.

I like the 2250, but I wonder if they have component input breakout available? No sir, coax, composite, S-Video input only on the 2250 -- see HD-PVR

This IR receiver/ transmitter looks an awful lot like a USB-UIRT. This type, with the USB input is not in their on-line manual. It does look like the USB-UIRT, probably a clone. Personally, I would go with the USB-UIRT. The guy that developed it did it to fill a need in the HTPC DIY market, so I like to support him.

Edit: Added additional inputs (composite & s-video)
 
TXFlatLander said:
What about a component or HDMI output from a Comcast STB to a computer card with IR channel control? Your best is Hauppauge HD-PVR for component. You can buy HDMI tuner cards; however, last time I looked they all had HDCP which is probably implemented on the STB thus stopping recording. With component, you will get HD (720 and up) due to the analog loophole. Not digital, but it is the best you will get via STB output.

I like the 2250, but I wonder if they have component input breakout available? No sir, coax input only on the 2250 -- see HD-PVR

This IR receiver/ transmitter looks an awful lot like a USB-UIRT. This type, with the USB input is not in their on-line manual. It does look like the USB-UIRT, probably a clone. Personally, I would go with the USB-UIRT. The guy that developed it did it to fill a need in the HTPC DIY market, so I like to support him.
Click to expand...

You know, you're right...but I don't like it ;)
I really hate these little USB, itty, bitty boxes with an extra wall wart and spaghetti wires everywhere :D

That 2250 still has an extra connector on the top right, has to be for something cool, right?

I completely agree with your comments on the USB-UIRT developer, but if the hardware is compatible, I would certainly purchase his drivers to enable DIY control of more devices.

Again, the more I look at the HD-PVR specs, you're right... but I still.. .you know, don't like it.

Sonny
 
Jensen Beach said:
That 2250 still has an extra connector on the top right, has to be for something cool, right?
Click to expand...

If you are talking about the white "IDE-looking" connector on the card body itself, it is where you plugin an adapter to get the additional composite/svideo tuning. The inputs on the face of the card are: coax for cable/antenna, coax for FM radio, breakout cable port for first composite/svideo, and IR blaster/receiver port for IR adapter cable.
 
I have a 2250 and use it in HD mode to tune the local network in HD (fox, CBS, etc). I have this in combination with a Hauppage 500 (dual SD tuner) for a total of 4 tuners.

One of the inputs of the 500 card is connected to my Comcast SD STB using S-Video with control with USB-UIRT to watch the premium channels (and those > 100). It's all working well, but obviously i don't get the premium channel in HD and the 2250 will become useless of Comcast ever stops broadcasting the locals in HD.

In reality the HD-PVR is probably the better choice but more expensive and you need extra HD cableboxes from your cable company which you will pay for.

Comcast broadcast the local channels in HD even if you don't subscribe to HD content, since it doesn't come via their STB they simply cannot block it. So i pay for expanded digital SD services but get the HD locals at the same time.

I've been you can order internet from Comcast only but since they have to connect the coax there is not way for them to block the <100 channels, including the HD ones. I haven't tried this.
 
I have local channels (and the 10 or so most popular CATV channels) in two locations.
The first location is down in the <100, which I assumed are low def converted to analog.
The second is in the 400's, where all of the other High-def channels are located.
I just double-checked and the display width is different for sure and the reolution sure seems better.
 
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