Why would I need a Satellite PC Card or USB Tuner?

**zamar23** · 11-19-2009 01:05 PM

Some people say that an STB sat receiver is more convenient and easier to use compare to a DVB-S2 Sat. PC card or USB Sat. Tuner. Why would one need a Sat PC Tuner, if that's true?

Lets share our experience here. Why did you choose your Sat. PC tuner device in favor of a stand alone STB, or to complement the STB you already have in your house, apartment or dorm?

How many Sat. PC Tuner devices do you usually use, one at a time or in parallel? Why did you select your tuner make and model? How often do you get a new one, and why? In what situations do you use a sat PC tuner instead of an STB, and when vice versa?

Your opinion matters! Sat. PC Tuner makers read this forum regularly, as you certainly noticed from their posts. They want to know, what do we think about their devices and software, and how to improve them to address our needs. We as sat. TV fans are also keenly interested in getting Sat Cards microcosm easier to learn and use, and getting their capabilities improved.

Lets help these bad guys - Sat. PC device manufacturers - help us!
Lets help other Sat. Guys to pick the right sat. PC card for their needs by sharing our own experience!

**brentb636** · 11-19-2009 01:25 PM

Having had a HDTV-PCI setup, with a TT-3200 and a skywalker-1 attached, I'd recommend the AZbox , and leave the computer based setup as a nice toy. I still have the skywalker attached to my desktop, for when I want to look at the stream, but being lazy, it's much easier to just control the AZbox with the remote and watch any TV that I can acquire.
I've been a computer Geek since the late '70's, before the PC was invented, and like to put them through their paces. Their flexibility is their main claim to fame. For the money, I'm glad I bought the AZbox and sold my TT-3200 . TV watching is less troublesome, now.

**zamar23** · 11-19-2009 01:38 PM

If someone wants a lot more challenge and is ready to buy Linux based AZBox STB for that matter, would you consider looking at a DVB-S2 PCI(e) or USB Sat Tuner as your next project instead? It may be a lot more challenging and involving exercise giving plenty of enjoyment, when the relevant tasks get learned, planned and accomplished.

**brentb636** · 11-19-2009 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by zamar23

If you're an FTA fan on a tight budget, would it make more sense to buy a DVB-S2 PC Tuner for a $100, since you already have a PC anyway, or throw $300+ on AZBox that will give you a lot less to learn and feel accomplished? What if you don't have an HDTV in your dorm room, but your laptop is always with you?

Would you prefer to grab your USB sat. and ATSC stick tuners, laptop and a mobile dish with you, when going out of town on the weekend? Will AZBox, Sonicview or Nfusion help you in this scenario?

**knowmiddlename** · 11-20-2009 02:11 AM

Originally Posted by zamar23

If someone wants a lot more challenge and is ready to buy Linux based AZBox STB for that matter, would you consider looking at a DVB-S2 PCI(e) or USB Sat Tuner as your next project instead? It may be a lot more challenging and involving exercise giving plenty of enjoyment, when the relevant tasks get learned, planned and accomplished.

How do DBV-S2 USB models perform compared to a stand alone STB? Can you drive an HH motor? In your opinion, what's the best one to get?

Originally Posted by pwrsurge

Don't be confused with DVB-S MPEG-2 as it is not the same thing as DVB-S2 MPEG-2. A good HD receiver should support DVB-S or DVB-S2 with either MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 compression. As others have stated, don't waste your money on an nFusion or a Sonicview HD receiver as they don't support DVB-S2. Instead, get a CoolSat 8000/8100, Pansat 9200 (with DVB-S2 board) or an Azbox if you want the best.

What's perplexing is that DBV-S2 is a menu item, but apparently is not supported. Go figure! lol

**zamar23** · 11-20-2009 08:47 AM

There are several threads in this section devoted to testing DVB-S2 USB models of various manufacturers. Just look through.

**enb141** · 11-20-2009 11:23 AM

In my case:

- Easier to update transponders
- You can select between a lot of codecs
- Windows Media Center
- EPG with colored logos and images

**zamar23** · 11-20-2009 08:59 PM

For a FTA fan on a tight budget, would it make more sense to buy a DVB-S2 PC Tuner for a $100, since he already has a PC anyway, or throw $300+ on a HD STB that will give a lot less to learn and feel accomplished? What if one doesn't have an HDTV in her dorm room, but the laptop is always nearby?

Would you prefer to grab a USB sat. and ATSC stick tuners, laptop and a camping dish (see below), when going out of town on the weekend? Can AZBox, Sonicview or Nfusion help in this case? I've seen many young people excited about enjoying TV on frequent trips. That's how massive music player industry came alone.

Some cards on the market are designed to be controlled by, and supplied with the Remote Control and its USB adaptor stick. You can easily connect your PC to an HDTV via a Composite, DVI or HDMI port of its Graphics Card, and control channel switching by the Remote. It looks like PC card tuners and sat STBs rather complement each other than compete. And younger generation would prefer a PC Card or USB Tuner anyway. That's the whole generations conflict scenario.

**crackt** · 11-21-2009 10:44 AM

price vs performance. i have a tbs6920 (if memory serves me correctly). i paid about 120 for it. it can do all s2 and 4:2:2 feeds (that my dish can see). there is no one stb solution for the 4:2:2 stuff and comparable stbs cost 300+. i also have a hauppauge nova-s, genpix sw1, twinhan 1027 and a geniatech digistar. i bought the twinhan for just over 60 bucks a couple years ago. for an mpeg2 hd tuner it was dirt cheap.

crackt out,.