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| Card, Specifications & Features |
So what exactly is included in this bundle? Well, when you make the purchase you'll be directed to a location where you can download the SageTV software and you'll also be provided with a registration number to activate the product from its 30 day trial period. In the meantime you'll have to wait on snail mail to deliver your brand new PVR-250.
The PVR-250 is a 125-channel cable ready TV receiver that allows you to plug your Cable, Satellite, DVD, or any other coax, composite, or s-video input into your computer. The signals are then compressed using the onboard hardware MPEG1/2 video/audio encoder to allow the high quality content to be stored on your computer much like the ever popular All in Wonder series of ATI cards. There are however two defining differences between the AIW and the PVR-250. First, the Hauppauge card is a capture only card. It will not output any video to a display unless it's combined with a suitable video card. Second the PVR-250 does all MPEG encoding onboard. This means it's not relying on your processor to do the encoding. This takes quite a burden off of your HTPC hardware. |
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Included with the Hauppauge card is a remote, IR receiver and of course a CD containing drivers and their own proprietary software WinTV2000. Quite frankly, once you're done installing the drivers, which can also be found online, you can lose this CD. The WinTV software is not geared toward HTPC use as it requires quite a bit of interaction with the host OS in order to use it fully. It's much more useful for watching windowed TV on your desktop while surfing the web. The remote and IR receiver however come in handy as their integrated into SageTV, so hang on to them. |
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WinTV-PVR-250 includes:
125 channel cable ready TV tuner
Composite/s-video input to connect to VCR or camcorders
High quality MPEG1/MPEG2 video and audio encoder
dbx-TV stereo decoder (Nicam stereo decoder in Europe )
IR remote control
The WinTV-PVR-250's TV tuner and S-Video/composite video inputs are for either PAL or NTSC
MPEG record specifications:
MPEG1 recording at 1150K bits/sec (Video CD data rate)
MPEG2 record datarates: 2MBit/sec, 4MBit/sec, 6Mbit/sec, 8Mbit/sec, 12Mbit/sec. Selections for DVD Standard play (8MBitsec), DVD Long Play (4MBit/sec) and DVD Extra Long Play (2MBit/sec)
NTSC format* at 29.97fps: Full D1: 720x480, MPEG1: 352x240
PAL format* at 25fps: Full D1: 720x576, MPEG1: 352x288
Audio capture formats: 32/44.1/48 KHz, 16bit stereo, 192/224/384Kbits/sec
Chroma sampling: YUV 4:2:0
Video file format: .MPG
MPEG file tested compatible with: MediaStudio 6.0, MyDVD and DVD MovieFactory DVD authoring applications
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The SageTV portion of the bundle is what we're here to play with. This is the software that allows you to utilize a capture card to its full potential in an HTPC application. SageTV sits on top of your chosen OS and acts as the sole interface between you and all of its features. It allows you to pause, rewind and fast forward live TV all while it continues to record. Not only that, it also features a built in programming guide that allows you to choose and schedule shows to record up to 14 days in advance. If you're not quite sure what you want to see, turn on its intelligent recording and it'll choose shows for you based on prior likes, dislikes and viewing habits. Most of you are probably thinking that sounds an awful lot like a Tivo. Well you're somewhat right. It's like a Tivo for smart people. Tivo has the audacity to charge you a subscription fee and forbid you from modifying or improving your Tivo box at any time! SageTV on the other hand provides free programming info and actually encourages to you modify both your hardware and the software itself. In fact, the SageTV forums have an entire section dedicated to user made add-on modules called STV's which leaves the software completely open ended and constantly improving. I'm getting excited just typing this!! The features are so vast that I can't even collect my thoughts. Just look at this list, oh, and you may want to sit down first. |
Detailed Features of SageTV and SageTVClient Software:
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- Timeshift television
- Pause live TV
- Instant Replay
- Instantly skip through commercials
- Personalized Intelligent Recording and Scheduling
A SageTV exclusive that utilizes proprietary algorithms to determine your interests based on past viewing habits and automatically records programs for you.
- Fully integrated programming guide
14 days of programming data updated daily from the SageTV server allows you to view all your channels and shows. There's no need for a web browser to obtain this data, as with other providers. (* U.S. TV listings only)
- One-Touch Recording
Find your favorite show and hit record. It's that easy!
- Multiple Tuner Support
Record two or more shows at the same time!
- Favorites Manager TM
Never miss your favorite shows whether it's first runs, re-runs, or all episodes.
- Add Favorites by Actor or Category and link Favorites to specific channels (*new for V2)
- Search by actor, title or description and preview the results as you search
- Local DVD Playback
- Library to organize your recorded TV, Music and other Video files
- Browse your Music collection by Album, Artist or Song
- Support for Album Art where songs are tagged appropriately (*new for V2)
- Playlist functionality for Music and Visualizations (*new for V2)
- Picture Library and Slideshow support (*new for V2)
- User Interface and OSD support for the TV-out of the PVR-350 (*new for V2)
- Stream High Quality MPEG-2 Live and recorded TV anywhere across your network
- Simple "VCR-like" interface for time-based recordings (*new for V2)
- Full screen interface supports sitting on a couch using a remote control or mouse and keyboard, to select programs, change channels, and adjust the volume
- Extensive Parental Controls
- Works with any antenna, cable, or satellite provider
- Infrared or serial control of your cable or satellite set-top box
- View TV full screen on your PC monitor or watch a mini screen while you work
- Connect directly to your TV with a video card with TV out or use the TV-out of the WinTV-PVR-350 card
- Widescreen (16:9) TV support
Zoom options, screen shifting, background overlay
- Step-by-step Setup Wizard makes setup and configuration simple
- Record your favorite TV shows and movies with DVD quality to your PC hard drive
- Recorded video is fully DVD/CVD/SVCD compliant and ready to burn with your third-party software
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WOW! Are you exited, are you ecstatic, are you downright rapturous? I know I am! All of this and more from my TV set, I'm in heaven!
SageTV Requirements
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- PC Operating System: Microsoft Windows 98SE, 2000 SP3 or higher, ME or XP (Windows Media Center PCs are also supported and meet the system requirements for SageTV)
- Minimum 128Mb RAM and a Recommended 256Mb RAM
- Genuine Intel Pentium III 600 MHz or AMD Athlon 600 MHz or VIA 800MHz or faster
- TV Tuner Card: Installed TV Tuner/MPEG-2 Encoding Card or USB device
- Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-250 , WinTV-PVR-250MCE , WinTV-PVR-250BTV or WinTV-PVR-350
- Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-usb2 Model 941 (with version 1.4 or later)
- Hauppauge Roslyn (Blackbird) card (SageTV V2 or later)
- AVerMedia M150 (Blackbird) card (SageTV V2 or later)
- Yuan MPG600 (SageTV V2 or later)
- Prolink Pixelview PlayTV@P7000 (SageTV V2 or later)
- ATI eHome Wonder (SageTV V2 or later)
- Adaptec VideOh! DVD Media Center Edition PCI (version 1.4 or later)
- Creative Labs Video Blaster Digital VCR - support for the DVCR is limited due to the discontinuation of the card by the manufacturer
- Provideo PV259, PV258 Series, PV256C or PV256T
- AVerMedia M179 (Discontinued OEM MCE Card)
- Other MPEG-2 encoding cards based on the Conexant IVAC-15, IVAC-16, CX23415, CX23416 or StreamMachine 2210 Codec should function correctly but may not have been tested.
- Video Card: PCI/AGP bus graphics card with overlay. NOTE: While it is recommended that your graphics card drivers support DirectX9 for optimum performance, it is not required.
- Software:
- MPEG-2 Software Decoder (bundled with most of the above compatible TV tuner cards): Using Dscaler with SageTV requires the Elecard MPEG-2 Decoder AND InterVideo offers a MPEG-2 Decoder with their DVD Xpack.
- DirectX v9.0 or higher available freely from Microsoft .
- Java Runtime Environment 1.4 or higher available freely from Sun Microsystems .
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