How to use a mini board PCI-E slot for PCI tuner ?

timciren · 9 Jun 2011 at 11:22

Hi,
Just finished building a HTPC Gigabyte H67USB3 mini atx with 2100T and I am very very happy with its speed and electricity use. So much more capable than ION. It rips DVDs quicker than my 930 build, idles at 15 watts and runs at under 40 C with only the single CPU fan.

Only issue is in my previous build I had a Hauppage T500 dual tuner which is PCI. The new mobo only has a single PCI-E slot. I tried a USB tuner but the picture quality is no good, I can think of 2 options ;
1. Can I get an adapter to convert the slot and lay the Hauppage on its side somehow ?
2. Is it worth getting a Freeview HD card like the Blackgold BGT 3620 , I guess ? and sell the Hauppage

Any ideas ? It seems to be the only downside in using a mini board as the onboard graphics are enough for general use

cmndr_andi · 9 Jun 2011 at 11:46

You could get a "Startech PCI Express to PCI Adapter Card" to use your existing card (and possibly a PCI riser card if you need to put the card to one side due to height issues). However, this does cost an extra £30 + the cost of a riser card if required.

Personally I would sell the T500, buy the Blackgold and enjoy shiny new FreeviewHD

Tealc · 9 Jun 2011 at 11:48

I've never heard of a pci to pci-e converter and wonder if such a thing could work as the technologies are different.

I'd go with the dvb-t2 hd card as you might as well. There are not many hd channels but the picture is so much better.

cmndr_andi · 9 Jun 2011 at 11:51

Tealc said:
I've never heard of a pci to pci-e converter and wonder if such a thing could work as the technologies are different.

Aye it does work - just requires active conversion.

The technology is used in PCIE sound cards like the Xonar DX and D2X, these are basically just the PCI versions of the cards (D1 and D2) but with a PCI to PCIE converter in use.

Confused Stu · 9 Jun 2011 at 12:22

To add to the potential complication, the Hauppauge T500 is actually two USB tuners built on a PCI card with a PCI-USB bridge on it. So, if you did go down this route, you'd have a USB-PCI-PCIe connection going on! :eek:

I would add a vote to the Blackgold (planning on getting one when Freeview HD hits my area) or try a different USB tuner as the reception quality should be the same as your existing tuner. This is only speaking from personal experience over the last couple of years (3 x Hauppauge T500's, 1 x Hauppauge USB dual tuner, 2 x KWorld PCI dual tuners, 1 x Peak PCI dual tuner, 1 x KWorld USB dual tuner) so your mileage may vary.

timciren · 9 Jun 2011 at 12:55

Looks like the Blackgold option !
I need to clear out my store. I alreay have 2 blackgold that only work in 32bit, the Haauppage T500, a Haup USB 900 and my new Climax USB dual tuner( now too late to send it back ).
The lesson is buy the best 1st time. The £ 32 adapter would mean the card wouldnt line up with the slot and complicate the cable.

The USB tuner signal strength is high I just think it cant have the same quality as a larger card.

I guess the PCI E just sits in some of the slots ?

I wonder how much space recording HD will take...

cheers

Tealc · 9 Jun 2011 at 18:30

cmndr_andi said:
Aye it does work - just requires active conversion.

The technology is used in PCIE sound cards like the Xonar DX and D2X, these are basically just the PCI versions of the cards (D1 and D2) but with a PCI to PCIE converter in use.

Doh of course they do. I use a Xonar DX and know it's basically a pci card with a pci express converting gubbins and hence why it needs the floppy power cable.

Using my Hauppage/PCTV Nanostick USB TV card it records at around 3.5GB-4.0GB per hour of recorded HDTV. It's not broadcast at true 1920x1080p though so that cuts down on bandwidth a bit. On my transmitter (Wenvoe-Cardiff) we get 1440x1080i50 (I think that's how it's written). Looks soo much better than SD TV though. The F1 looks nice but then it always did.