Hauppauge WinTV PVR-150 MCE Kit

Advantages: Hybrid tuners, onboard hardwarde mpeg encoder
Disadvantages: Awful Hauppauge software

...An excellent card let down by clunky outdated software. Hardware-wise it's hard to beat as it has both and analog and digital terrestrial tuners as well as a hardware mpeg encoder on the analog side to aid in the transfer of home movies from Tape to DVD. Hauppauge's problem is that it hasn't updated the WinTV200 software since God was a boy and it is a complete pain to use. I'd highly recommend this card but if you are considering it, allow yourself the money for buying proper software to use with it, be it the Media Center in Vista or MCE 2005, or if you're running XP fork out a few quid for Nebula Electronics excellent DigiTV software which works very well with this card... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Digital Quality Video, Easy Setup, Works with Microsoft Media Center
Disadvantages: Drivers can be a pain

...must download the MCE drivers from the Hauppauge site (http://www.hauppauge.co.uk), it is advisable to have these drivers ready on your PC BEFORE!! you install the card in your PC. Point the drivers to the location were you unzipped them to and your away. All thats left to do is go in to TV Setup Wizard and put in the necessary details and Scan for Services you should expect to get at least 65 channels and providing you have installed the latest MCE Rollup this will also include all digital radio channels. Of course the problem with Digital TV is you must have a rather good aerial to get the quality without any disruption so ensure you have a good quality picture before you start - if you have a slightly weak signal try purchasing a cheap TV signal booster. Quality ````````` Well once you have got over the hurdle of getting it to work... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: records tv. connects to camcorder. recieves digital radio. similar to sky+ box
Disadvantages: difficult to set up you have to alter pc registry to load program.

...I purchased this because wanted to connect to my camcorder and save images on pc. I thought having the tv and radio was a bonus. First of I thought I had a faulty product as it just wouldn't install on my pc. I even had an exchange at shop but same problem. Contacted Hauppauge help and was givin a very complicated set of instructions to alter preferances in pc registry inorder to load program. I perserved and did get the intallation loaded. It is diffenatly not for a novice even with Hauppauges helpline. The tv only recieves basic stations it will not recieve freeview. The radio is fine. My feeling this is not a good purchase and I would advise not to buy. The Win Tv plugs into a usb port. Its marketed as a personal video recorder. Once you get the program installed the basic tv and radio reception is good. You have a virtual radio... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful