The best vista TV tuner card

[ethen_steel]

Im looking for a TV tuner card which is completly compatable with Windows Vista's media centre

As many of the below as possible on one card:

- Dual tuner
- Free view
- Digital
- Remote
- Time shift capable
- PAL version (UK)

The spec of my PC is a high gaming so spec isnt a problem.
I will be using it in the UK

So can anyone recommend any TV tuner cards that will fill my requirements?

Q: If i just plug my ordinary arial cable into the rear of the tuner card will i only recieve analogue channels or will the tuner card allow me to view digital channels (free view) because i would like all the fre view channels without having to buy an extra box.

Thanks guys.

[san_fran_crisko]

I went through hell trying to get a decent TV tuning card. This is on XP though. I had 2 Pinnacle and a Hauppage card before I eventually settled on these guys who are absolutely brilliant: http://www.nebula-electronics.com
They work round the clock to improve the software and release drivers and they have a beta version on their Vista driver out now. Their current software runs on Vista no problem. I would be confident buying their card in the knowledge that a proper Vista driver will be out very soon. The beta prob works well though knowing these guys.

Different cards have different capabilities. Some are analogue and digital and some are just one of the other. The Nebula card is both (I think). I have it set to just tune in digital stations though. This card can do all you're asking for. You can record straight to DVD if you have a DVD-rewriter, or of course to Hard Disk. You can pause TV, its digital and has a remote. The software is very solid, clean and well made. The only criticism I have is that I can't get the EPG as of late won't work but it did work flawlessly for ages.

It may be a bit more expensive than other TV tuners but it is worth it, trust me.

[Shimonmh]

For users in the USA I would suggest my companies Saber DA-1N1-I and Saber DA-1N1-E tuners. Yes I am biased, but they great none the less. These are high quality Combo Tuners. They have 1 HDTV tuner and 1 analog tuner with hardware encoding. Not a hybrid ( they have 1 tuner that is either digital OR analog). It has 2 really fine tuners on the card.

Shimon
www.vistaview.tv