Hauppauge intros WinTV HVR-3000 tri-mode TV tuner

Hauppauge has busted out a new TV tuner in PCI card form for those who prefer to keep such things out of sight, this one packing three separate tuners to meet your compulsive viewing needs -- although just how many of those you'll be able to take advantage of will depend on where you live. Running an even £100 (or a not-so-even $195), the WinTV HVR-3000 will let you snag DVB-S digital satellite, DVB-T digital terrestrial (à la Freeview), and plain old analog cable TV signals, working the usual PVR magic on each. To sweeten the deal, Hauppauge has also managed to squeeze an FM tuner onto the card and, of course, will throw in the requisite remote control so you can get your couch potato on.

[Via Tech Digest]

[duerra @ Dec 19th 2006 4:46PM]

But no HDTV? C'mon... they shouldn't be releasing any cards these days without HD support...

[Max @ Dec 19th 2006 4:59PM]

REAL HD, i want some component action!

[Samuel McConnell @ Dec 19th 2006 4:57PM]

duerra - DVB-S and DVB-T are HD, just not the flavor used in the US. That'd be ATSC.

[David @ Dec 19th 2006 6:26PM]

Well, DirecTV and Dish Network both use DVB-S for their regular and HD channels...but they are encrypted so you can't watch it w/ this.

I don't think there are many unencrypted DVB-S streams being broadcast on satellites but I could be wrong...

[Todd @ Dec 19th 2006 4:59PM]

Hey if Sony can release the PS3 without HD support, then Hauppauge can too! :P

http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/11/21/sony-begrudgingly-promises-fix-for-ps3-720p-output-issues/

[Tuig @ Dec 19th 2006 5:34PM]

In principle HD can be broadcast over DVB-S/-T. There's also the HVR-4000 which does DVB-S2 as well for added bandwidth etc.

I'm curious though if Hauppauge supports a CI slot for encrypted channels, especially within MCE - I know freeview is all the rage in the UK, but all relevant channels for our little EU continental country require a smart card...

[redvoid @ Dec 19th 2006 6:03PM]

3 tuners is NOT what consumers need though it would be cool if the rest of the picture was there, DVB-S/DVB-T is still just OTA, and even HD tuners (not even present here) don't help if they're assuming OTA broadcasts only like all the existing ones do. Like it or not cable and satellite providers are not following open standards and only allow cable card because the FCC forces them to comply. In this light, all current TV tuner cards are functionally useless until one comes out with dual HD tuners with dual cable card support and HDMI outputs like a Tivo Series-3, otherwise no computer based DVR will ever be relevant to the majority of potential users. I like MCPC and MythTV but without that capability, they're just geek toys and have no serious place in the living room of the vast majority of people. Getting excited about a device that only tunes OTA broadcasts or analog cable is like getting all worked up over a VCR. IT IS DEAD, MOVE ON! I would add a computer based DVR tomorrow if it could tune the freakin channels I wanted to record, but alas that card does not exist.

[Spike @ Dec 19th 2006 7:46PM]

There are quite a few if you know where to point. :)
http://www.lyngsat.com/freetv/United-States.html

[Hahns @ Dec 20th 2006 11:33AM]

So I cant hook my DirecTV box's video output up to this card?....eh nvm I see the point. I still wouldnt be able to change the channels through the card. I'd have to use the DirecTV tuner and remote to do that still. (Which i can allready do with my AIW card)