TV Tuners

**beaglebc** · December 20th, 2009, 11:49 AM

If this was a vote, I would say no tuner for would rather see the programmers focus on internet streaming content. I prefer simple and direct.

**judgeschambers** · December 20th, 2009, 12:57 PM

Well, the other thing to consider is that Boxee, or any software, cannot be everything to everyone. There have to be cut off's. Otherwise, the program gets too bloated and loses sight of it's real objective.

Also, TV tuner integration really lags a lower power PC. Just look at MCE. Man, that thing chugs if you add TV tuners to it. Especially software encoded types. Boxee would do the same.

**NomadDNA** · December 20th, 2009, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by CF_Pro

Anybody know a good comparison chart of media centers?

So, this quote got me thinking. Say if someone WERE to make a comparison chart for potential HTPC's, what would you guys think would deserve to be in the top 10?

Here's a few options:

1) Boxee Box (obviously).
2) Dell Zino
3) Acer AspireRevo R3610
4) Asus EeeBox EB1012
5) ATV

What else? Keep in mind, this is for potential shoppers looking for *new* products. Suggesting a modded X-box, while perhaps practical and affordable, wouldn't be useful...

-------note -----
How is it that this thread, with only 12 posts, already has nearly 1,500 views? Are people really that curious about TV Tuners and Boxee?

**darcilicious** · December 21st, 2009, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by judgeschambers

Yes,TV tuners will give you recording options, but they take a fair amount of CPU process power to run them.

While I'm not advocating TV tuners for Boxee I would like to point out that the above is a narrow view of tuners. There are extneral tuners (e.g. Hauppauge's HD-PVR) that use almost zero CPU and just write to disk.

**judgeschambers** · December 21st, 2009, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by judgeschambers

Yes,TV tuners will give you recording options, but they take a fair amount of CPU process power to run them.

Originally Posted by darcilicious

While I'm not advocating TV tuners for Boxee I would like to point out that the above is a narrow view of tuners. There are extneral tuners (e.g. Hauppauge's HD-PVR) that use almost zero CPU and just write to disk.

Narrow view? Sure, If taken out of context with the rest of the paragraph.

Most of them are USB and most peeps inquire about them as the cost and connection is easier, so I ran with it. Plus, I was answering CF_Pro's question about integration into Boxee, which would typically involve USB or PCI type tuners. Much like WMC does as such with PCI or USB tuners. So, I thought my answer was...spot on.

I looked at the external tuners a few weeks ago and they're do not have HDMI out (unless I missed something on the Hauppauge site). So that nix's externals right there for me. Also, my Revo does not have vid inputs, so an External Tuner would have to have HDMI to go to my HDTV. BTJMHO.

**luke911** · December 21st, 2009, 11:07 PM

TV Tuners generally don't have an output so i'm not sure why you would be looking for an HDMI output on one of them. Their job is to accept a video signal via cable and deliver to the to PC. It's the computers job to deliver the output via whatever connection you have to the monitor.

**darcilicious** · December 22nd, 2009, 02:12 AM

HD-PVR has component out, which works for me -- gets me around any DMR issues typically present on any digital outputs

**Automate** · December 22nd, 2009, 07:35 AM

Probably the easiest way to add tuner support would be the HDHomeRun http://www.silicondust.com/products/hdhomerun_home_atsc, an external Ethernet tuner that you make an IP connection to like any other live streaming video source on the Internet. But right now Boxee's support for live streaming video content is somewhat lacking.