62 replies to this topic

[Campster123]

Hey,

alot of confusion can be caused with the amount of DVB-T cards on the market atm and so many mixed opinions and features on each. So I decided to do a quick run-down of the basics of each card as a reference point for those struggling to come to grips with it all

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Avermedia AverTV:

SDTV: Yes

HDTV Live: Almost non-existant

HDTV Recording: Almost non-existant

Analogue Inputs: Yes

Bundled Software: AVerTV 1.3.26.3

Public SDK: Unknown

3rd Party Software: Unknown

Linux Support: No information, presumed not supported. The card uses the Microtune 7202D frontend.
EDIT: Apparently there is a case of it working and there are a few people working on it here. There is also a HOWTO on this card here.

Approximate Price: $190

Distributors:
Unknown

Resellers:
Northside Antennas
MATS Systems
ComputerMarket
AusPC Market
Storeonline.com.au
CWorld

Chaintech DTT-1000:

SDTV: Yes

HDTV Live: Yes with latest Digitop

HDTV Recording: Yes

Analogue Inputs: No

Bundled Software: digiTOP/Media TV

Public SDK: Technically no, but prehaps possible to use VisionPlus SDK

3rd Party Software: Technically no, but there has been reported success using some VisionPlus software

Linux Support: The manufacturers website claims linux compatibility, but so far this has not been confirmed by anyone. (Apparently it uses the BT878a frontend, and the NxtWave backend. It's possible that the guide for the Nebula DigiTV will gain you support for this card too.)

Approximate Price: $165

Distributors:
Unknown

Resellers:
AusPC Market


Dpanda DigiTV PCI:

SDTV: Yes

HDTV Live: Yes

HDTV Recording: Yes

Analogue Inputs: No

Bundled Software: TechnoTrend's 2.16 software

Public SDK: Yes

3rd Party Software: Unknown

Linux Support: Apparently works with the same drivers as the WinTV Nova-T. There has been several confirmations of it working around the place and the manufacturer's website claims it is supported.

Approximate Price: $240

Distributors:
Unknown

Resellers:
DPandA


Hauppauge WinTV Nova-T:

SDTV: Yes

HDTV Live: Yes

HDTV Recording: Yes

Analogue Inputs: No

Bundled Software: TechnoTrend's 2.16 software

Public SDK: Yes

3rd Party Software: Unknown

Linux Support: Full support. This was the card that the linux DVB-T drivers were initially written for, and as a result it has the most mature support.

Approximate Price: $190

Distributors:
Kristal Electronics
New Magic

Resellers:
HyperReality
SmartGadgets
DigitalNow
Northside Antennas


Nebula DigiTV PCI:

SDTV: Yes

HDTV Live: Yes

HDTV Recording: Yes

Analogue Inputs: Yes

Bundled Software: DigiTV

Public SDK: No

3rd Party Software: NebulaEPG

Linux Support: Support exists, but takes a degree of fiddling around in CVS to get. There's a guide located here.
This driver appears not to have been added to the 2.6.0-textX kernel tree yet, so presumably won't initially exist when kernel 2.6.0 is released.

Approximate Price: $300

Distributors:
HyperReality
DigitalNow

Resellers:
Unknown


VisionPlus VP-DTV-T:

SDTV: Yes

HDTV Live: Yes

HDTV Recording: Yes

Analogue Inputs: No

Bundled Software: WinDTV

Public SDK: Yes

3rd Party Software: DigiBox, Webscheduler, XMLTV add on, ProgDVB and SDTVR

Linux Support: Yes - click here for info.

Approximate Price: $220

Distributors:
DigitalNow

Resellers:
Home Theatre PC
Elliemount International

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NOTE on HDTV:
All DVB-T cards are capable of HDTV. Whether or not it will display/handle it is based soley around the software/drivers for the card. Currently the order of the maturity of HDTV reception for each of these cards is approximately as follows:

1. VisionPlus/Nebula/DTT-1000
2. DPandA
3. Nova-t
4. AverTV

Thanks:
Big thanks to HyperReality whom I "borrowed" the list of distributors for each card from

And also to this whole forum for your constant informative input!

EDIT: Thanks to Quadbox over at OCAU for all the linux info! (and now also Gumby and michal for the AverTV linux stuff).

Thanks also to tvboy about importing the Nebula.

Enjoy and I hope it's helpful,

Adam

[Champion_R]

The Chaintech is $176 not $160

[HyperReality]

Campster123, thanks for picking this up - it is better that this sort of thing is done by a member of this forum who doesn't have a commercial interest in these products (I'm assuming that you don't ). So I'm more than happy for you to grab the list I started in the other thread.

With luck, the moderators will take an interest in this and make it a sticky thread that they maintain (so as to remove any potential for real or assumed bias) - like  is done on Whirpool in the DSL Hardware and Wireless forums.

[dvbguy]

[QUOTE]Lowest Price: $339 (minus remote - $309) (HyperReality)[QUOTE]

That may not be quite correct as DigitalNow prices include delivery anywhere in Australia. So it depends on where you live and the mode of delievry. I would say the prices are about the same.

[Campster123]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll edit it when I get back later tonite and also include current linux support info on each card aswell. Any more aditions/modifications just tell me and it shall be done!

[peewee]

link the title of each card to the manufacturers page

[dvbguy]

In relation to lowest prices, I also just noticed that DigitalNow have a price matching policy
http://www.digitalno...cematching.html

so for the Nebula, VisionPlus, Nova-t they are as low as you can get them

It may also be a good idea to list if these cards can pass through AC3 audio, which to some of us is as important as HDTV (1080i). And any third part software availble, like NebulaEPG utility or DigiBox, etc.

[Hendo]

Can I just ask a little sideline type question? Is there an advantage to analogue inputs on the DVB-T card over, say, video in on your video card? I'm still on the verge of buying one of these and I'd like to be able to play and capture my F**tel video as well (such as it is). I'd buy the Visionplus otherwise. Thanks - sorry it's a bit off-thread.

[dvbguy]

Quote

Is there an advantage to analogue inputs on the DVB-T card over, say, video in on your video card? I'm still on the verge of buying one of these and I'd like to be able to play and capture my F**tel video as well (such as it is). I'd buy the Visionplus otherwise

It depends on what type of input. If you have S-video in. in your Radeon AIW for example, it will better than say the Nebula composite video in.

I have a DVB-t and DVB-s working together with DigiBox and that's the ultimate.   no mucking around with video in stuff.

[Hendo]

Thanks - all I need to know. Off to buy a Visionplus before the rugby is over...

[Campster123]

First lot of updates done

Added manufacturer links to card names.
Added info on linux support.
Fixed the price of the Chaintech.
Added some pricing info.

Couple of things though - I'm not sure of the manufacturer's URL's for the VisionPlus and the DPandA, so I've linked the main manufacturers page for the time being. Also, about AC3 support I'm not 100% on that so if someone who does know which cards do/do not support AC3 pass through PM me

Cheers,

Adam

[tvboy]

Nice work with the roundup Campster123, hasn’t been done for months.

The Nebula can be imported directly from the UK manufacturer.  With the shipping I was quoted a while back, it came to $282 delivered, including remote.  It would be great if anyone who has done this could say whether they got lucky and weren’t charged 10% GST at customs, which would take it to $310 (still $40 cheaper than Renura’s shipped price).

Make that $20 cheaper, Renura now has it for $330.

Edited by tvboy, 09 November 2003 - 11:34 PM.

[Campster123]

tvboy, on Nov 9 2003, 11:28 PM, said:

Nice work with the roundup Campster123, hasn’t been done for months.

Hehe, maybe thats an indication that prehaps it should be stickied then I kept it up to date, would be alot easier

Quote

The Nebula can be imported directly from the UK manufacturer.  With the shipping I was quoted a while back, it came to $282 delivered, including remote.  It would be great if anyone who has done this could say whether they got lucky and weren’t charged 10% GST at customs, which would take it to $310 (still $40 cheaper than Renura’s shipped price).

Wow! Never knew that! Hmmm, I might personally look into this... but I think for the sake of this thread I'll keep it with local retailers as most people don't like going to the effort of importing.

[tvboy]

Campster123, on Nov 10 2003, 12:33 AM, said:

... but I think for the sake of this thread I'll keep it with local retailers as most people don't like going to the effort of importing.

“Importing” through airmail is not much different to having these specialised items delivered via courier or through the post from interstate, which is what most of us are already doing

[Campster123]

I suppose...  

/me goes and edits just for tvboy

[_Gumby]

Quote

Hehe, maybe thats an indication that prehaps it should be stickied then I kept it up to date, would be alot easier

Yes, i also think this should be made sticky, if this BB supports it...

Also, the Avermedia DVB-T is working in linux, or at least someone has got it working, and i believe the code is in the cvs for linux-dvb.

http://www.linuxtv.o...3/msg00041.html

There was a thread about it, but a quick search for it, i couldnt find it *shrug*

[Campster123]

Cheers for that Gumby

That info has been added as has info about importing

[Radioactive Man]

What about listing what software comes with each card and what third party software works and works with HDTV? Its the software support that really makes and breaks the cards and affects the price of the cards considerably!

BTW Your cheapest prices for the Nova-t and Nebula are incorrect and should point to DigitalNow as they are the cheapest!

[14all]

Campster123,

Great work.

I agree with Radioactive Man, though. Should have a liust of of what software is bundled with the hardware and what third party software (if any) is know to be availble and working with each card.

Also the point about the lowest price, makes me think that to be really useful this list should be maintained continuously or it could end up being misleading.

14all

[rumpole]

Great work campster

A released SDK (software development kit) is a big plus for people who like to do their own thing.

Technotrend have released an SDK for the Nova-T, DpandA and other brands of that card.

There is a kit out for another card but not being able to search the posts I can't remember which one it was - maybe someone can let us know ?

[GerryM]

Great Thread.

I Agree, Would be a good idea to add info about the Software bundled with each card and the relative capabilities, bugs, snags etc..

Gerry

[Alfred the Great]

Rather than listing lowest price (which potentially needs to be updated every hour), how about just listing distributors and Recommended Retail Price or an estimated purchase price. I'm sure everyone reading this forum knows to shop around and weigh up price and after-sales service.

[14all]

Quote

There is a kit out for another card but not being able to search the posts I can't remember which one it was - maybe someone can let us know ?

The Visionplus cards have a most  comprehensive SDK available and required no NDA. DigiBox, Webscheduler, XMLTV add on, ProgDVB, SDTVR are some of the TP software applications working with it already.

[Campster123]

Ok, thanks for the suggestions guys. I just updated the pricing (DigitalNow went and changed it on me some time yesterday/early today!) so it is now accurate. I also added some preliminary information about the software for each card, etc. This WILL get updated to include more info as well as more accurate info on the software for cards, but its a tough job gathering all the software info and if know more specific details about the software for each card PM me and I'll add it

Cheers,

Adam

[Campster123]

I'm heading to the beach for a while (and possibly working after) but after all that I will update and change the whole pricing thing by putting an approx price then just listing the distributors. Also, I will state whether each distributor has insured shipping etc, etc