Freeview Options

[goldstar0011]

Need to get me Freeview so I have some TV at my house (until I decide to go SKY or NTL)

Anyways, can't decide do I get a :

1) Freeviw Box - does exactly what it says on the tin, I can set up to view via PC TV card and can take to other rooms if needed.

2) Freeview PCI card - because I watch most my TV, DVD's and DivX's through a PC anyway this might be good idea plus the PC acts like a PVR.

 

[paddymarsden]

freeview pci card is bout 20 quid for a decent one and freeview box for tv is bout 40 quid for a decent one, like you have point out you get a PVR if you go for pci but system resorces are being hammered.

do you still have that 2500xp ? i know your P4 would handle it as a pvr and pc.
personal opinion is you get a freeview box, keep things seperate

 

[James]

freeview pci card is bout 20 quid for a decent one

No way! £20 would get a budget one at best lol.

The best PCI Freeview card on the market is the Nebula DigiTV, it even supports HDTV when it comes out. £78 from their website, but you'll struggle to find a better one!

 

[Arnold]

I'd get the freeview box unless your glued to your computer alot

 

[Retepetsir]

Get a freeview USB stick

 

[wilsonian]

Gaz - get a Humax like my dad has - 200gb HD digital ready etc you've seen how good they can be

 

[hughes_16v]

My freeview box cost me £20 from asda. works fine you need a good aerial tho oh and a tv license if you havent already

 

[paddymarsden]

i got an aver tv card for £21 james brand new, loads of cheap pc shops in manchester, near the docklands

 

[goldstar0011]

I do use my PC alot for media viewing, I have no standalone stereo or HI-FI, I have a portable TV at moment only for Home and Away etc.

It's a hard choice, the PVR function would be welcome without the cost of a pricey box plus I could access the computer via internet if I need.

But then again, keeping it seperate might be best, but how?

 

[paddymarsden]

or you could make a cheap PVR, 1.2GHz CPU, 512Mb RAM, 160Gb HDD *wink wink*

bish-bash-bosh

personally i think if you have the physical space and money keep things seperate. home made PVR is kool, cheap and easy to do

 

[goldstar0011]

My media PC is 2.2GHZ P4, at least 512 RAM, 2x 160GB, 1x200GB (one of the 160GB's is doing nothing at all), all it does really is plays videos and music through my amp.

 

[paddymarsden]

dual monitors, one for your desktop and one for your DVB


havnt you still got that celeron ? when i came round last you had your ntl going through it if im correct

 

[rallybunny]

Have you seen the new Freeview they're bringing out.....the Top Up TV one? It's a bit like Sky+, you get quite a few channels for £9.99 a month.

 

[James]

Top Up TV has been around for a while, it's a ripoff to be honest in my opinion, all the channels are timeshared due to the lack of space on Freeview. They should have waited until analogue switch off, when there will be much more space on the DTT spectrum </geekmode>

 

[goldstar0011]

Top Up is pretty pants, plan to get sky or ntl or BT depending on future events.

Padstar - Celeron is kinda broke after power cut in area, it was replaced with the main PC as I built a better main PC
The graphics card supports 2x VGA monitors and I have 2 space 17" CRT's, was planning to setup the media PC as a download unit too.

But here's an idea, the media PC has an analgoe tuner in it already, if I got a freeview box and run it through that card would I still be able to make it a PVR or does the card have to be able to detect the EPG thingy (or is it software)