[mythtv-users] "Best" analog tuner card (looking to add another to BE)?

[Brian Wood]

Nick Morrott wrote:

> 
> Two tuners on one PCI card. Should cost less than two PVR-150s. It
> really depends on whether you need more than 2 tuners

There are minor differences between a 500 and a pair of 150s. These
don't bother most people, but in certain circumstances it can make a
difference.

The most obvious difference is only 1 PCI slot required, but to use all
of the features of the 500 (like baseband inputs for both sides) you
need to have an extra case slot (not an electrical PCI slot, the places
in the rear of the case where the brackets mount).

The PVR-500 has a "LNA" (Low Noise Amplifier). I question the use of the
term "low noise" (which is generally only used for cryogenically-cooled
parametric, or GasFET amplifiers). The amplifier is intended to make up
for the splitting loss in feeding two tuners, but in some circumstances
it can cause third-order products that produce objectionable artifacts.
You can disable the amp, but then you have the split loss. All this is
only a problem in specific, and relatively rare, circumstances.

Hauppauge has used many different tuners in their cards, and some may
have been used only in one or the other model, so IVTV support might be
a bit variable.

But saying a 500 is two 150s is essentially correct.

beww