Can someone recommend a PCI HDTV tuner for Dish?

[havok019]

I've built a new computer and want to install a PCI HDTV tuner card for it. I have a 622 and I subscribe to HD, HBO and Showtime. I'm not looking for something that will hack, but I'm hoping there's a tuner that will will receive the HD content w/o going to the 622 unit first (QAM tuner?). I'm not expecting to receive HBO or Showtime through this as I suspect that must go to the 622 first.
Please let me know if this is impossible. I have an OTA feed I can connect, but I'd like to have my Dish HDTV on my computer if there's a way it can happen.
Thanks!

 

[JoseOle]

When I got my computer I looked into that as well but the only thing that I could find was for cable. There are companies out there that make pci cable card devices but as of yet there are no pci cards for satellite. Sorry. The best you can do is to input one of the outputs into your computer but you would still have to use the tuner inside the receiver.

 

[mattopia]

The only thing I've ever seen to take HD from Dish into your PC was an old mod for the 6000 that added firewire support. It was quite pricey ($700 I think). You can probably still find/activate a 6000 -- you wouldn't be able to view the newer MPEG4 channels though.

 

[digiblur]

The only thing I've ever seen to take HD from Dish into your PC was an old mod for the 6000 that added firewire support. It was quite pricey ($700 I think). You can probably still find/activate a 6000 -- you wouldn't be able to view the newer MPEG4 channels though.

Google R5000

 

[Phoenix1]

None of the satellite TV providers has made a receiver that can be installed in a PC yet. The best you can do is connect the outputs of your receiver into the inputs of a PC's video card.

 

[jgarrison]

There are some cards available that can take in component video. They aren't cheap either but you could probably put together some kind of solution with one of them.

Example: Canopus Pegasus

 

[havok019]

Ok, thanks. Component input it is then.

 

[Smith P.]

$1000 and up

 

[CraziFuzzy]

Those component capture cards also do no encoding either. So you are looking at many many gigabytes of info per hour. Basically, no real practical use.

As mentioned earlier, best option for satellite -> PC is the R5000-HD.

 

[SmityWhity]

With either "WinXP MCE" or "Win Vista Home MCE (?)" you can set it up so that you can download the Dish Network Channel Guide so that it can auto record. The Media Center Edition can also send IR remote control codes to control various devices - but I have not tested controlling the 622 from my laptop.

If you go that route, it is best to hook it up to the various video/audio connectors on the back and not the RF stereo modulator output, because the Windows will only look for channels 2 - 6 (?) or something low like that.

 

[havok019]

Probably more than I need at this point. PVR on the computer would be nice, but I'm ok with the 622 for the recordings I guess. It'd be nice to have a direct connect to the PC for another full-function DVR, but not necessary at this point.

I'd really like to watch my HD channels on my monitor, but I'd like to maintain the computer hook-up instead of just connecting it to the monitor via a HDMI splitter (monoprice) from the 622 to a HDMI switch for the monitor (does not have DVI input, only HDMI). Motherboard and video card (w/audio) will both support HDMI as well, so it looks like I'm going to have wires running back and forth between rooms.

I've been looking at the Hauppauge HVR 1800 WinTV-HVR-1800 Product description. This has a QAM tuner for cable hook-up (no good for use with E*), and a separate tuner for OTA HD. It does, however, have a SVideo input.

I emailed Hauppauge and got a response that the SVideo input will support HD. If the rep that responded isn't full of it, I think it will be possible to hook up the 622 to this tuner through a component/Svideo adapter (monoprice) and get HD.

Hello,
Yes you will be able to use the S-Video and the ATSC input for the High Definition.
Best Regards,
(Removed)
Technical Support
Hauppauge Computer Works
New York

It could then function as a PVR as well, though I assume you would have to make sure Tuner 1 is set for the channel you want. Why you would want to do this instead of just using the 622, I don't know? Maybe if there are space concerns or you want to record something to post a torrent. It sounds like it will let you get Dish HD on your PC, which is useful for my needs.

Will probably be a few weeks (Xmas presents) but if I get this card, I'll post how it goes.

 

[Jim S.]

I emailed Hauppauge and got a response that the SVideo input will support HD. If the rep that responded isn't full of it, I think it will be possible to hook up the 622 to this tuner through a component/Svideo adapter (monoprice) and get HD.

I'd be surprised if it accepted HD via S-video because I've never heard of anything that outputs HD via S-video.

 

[mattopia]

I emailed Hauppauge and got a response that the SVideo input will support HD. If the rep that responded isn't full of it, I think it will be possible to hook up the 622 to this tuner through a component/Svideo adapter (monoprice) and get HD.

Sorry, but that's physically impossible. You will be able to record HD channels via S-Video, since the 622 will downconvert. They'll still look "pretty good", but it will not be in HD.

An option for watching HD on your computer might be one of the Slingbox products. I have not used their products (yet) myself, but you can remotely control/view your 622, and the output is HD. I'm guessing the Slingbox might do some type of downconversion, making it not true HD, but I can't say for sure.