Hauppauge WinTV HVR 950 USB 2.0 Stick Review

[dlstorm]

Regarding coax splitters, I tried a passive splitter and connected to little HDTV antenna and Satellite cable. The HD stations came in fine but the satellite reception was snowy, apparently from some kind of interference from HD antenna. I changed to a splitter with a manual slider switch and all works well. I'm also ordering a cooler so I can hopefully watch full screen HDTV without undue heating.

[008]

Thanks for the review. How's the HVR950 compare to WinTV-PVR-USB2 for SD picture quality?

[adakerma]

Thank you for your excellent review.

I noticed you said that the WinTV2000 program won’t shut down after a scheduled recording. I’m not sure from your post whether you are not aware there is a setting to do that (or that the setting does not work for you). Either way, this may help someone.

On the last picture in the first post, there is an option to “Keep WinTV open when done.”
It is also available on the version of WinTV Scheduler that I use. If you remove the check, it is supposed to shut down. (It works for me.)

I use TitanTV to set up a schedule. I then open WinTV Scheduler and select the last program of the day. I then “click on” “edit program” to reach that option. I have to do this each time I want it done. It always sets it up with the check mark in place.

[Msyvc]

Mega Dittos on the excellent review. I'm looking for an all-in-one and wonder if anyone has experience or comparisons against the AutumnWave OTA GT? The Hauppauge is 1/2 the price of the AW. Thx.

[Greg]

Regarding coax splitters, I tried a passive splitter and connected to little HDTV antenna and Satellite cable. The HD stations came in fine but the satellite reception was snowy, apparently from some kind of interference from HD antenna. I changed to a splitter with a manual slider switch and all works well. I'm also ordering a cooler so I can hopefully watch full screen HDTV without undue heating.

I perfectly understand the need for a cooler when watching HDTV...but that isn't exactly the tuner's fault!

Thanks for the review. How's the HVR950 compare to WinTV-PVR-USB2 for SD picture quality?

I tried the PVR-USB2 for about two weeks, and I personally find that the HVR is slightly ahead with respect to clarity and focus. Less blurring and less of a snow effect.

Thank you for your excellent review.

I noticed you said that the WinTV2000 program won’t shut down after a scheduled recording. I’m not sure from your post whether you are not aware there is a setting to do that (or that the setting does not work for you). Either way, this may help someone.

On the last picture in the first post, there is an option to “Keep WinTV open when done.”
It is also available on the version of WinTV Scheduler that I use. If you remove the check, it is supposed to shut down. (It works for me.)

I use TitanTV to set up a schedule. I then open WinTV Scheduler and select the last program of the day. I then “click on” “edit program” to reach that option. I have to do this each time I want it done. It always sets it up with the check mark in place.

I will have to look into that check box when I get a chance...that would surely go a long way to making DVR more convenient. It also proves that sometimes I am just plain blind to the obvious!

However, what I'm concerned about (and I'll look into no doubt) is whether there is a way to configure all the sessions to just shut down the application after recording rather than my having to uncheck each session. We'll see if I can find a way to change the default operation, and thank you for pointing that out.

Mega Dittos on the excellent review. I'm looking for an all-in-one and wonder if anyone has experience or comparisons against the AutumnWave OTA GT? The Hauppauge is 1/2 the price of the AW. Thx.

While I haven't looked at the former item, I've found the HVR to work well enough for my price range. I'd also say that in the few months that I've owned it I've definitely come to love it for the portability and the relatively good quality. If only it wasn't such a battery killer .

[segadc]

I am interested in this product. I would only use it with my notebook (inside house) and only for watching HDTV channels. No SDTV or recording HDTV.

Anyway, wasn't there a site to see how far your house is from an HDTV OTA signal?

I would not get a roof attentena so it would just use the one that comes with this tuner. Is it strong enough?

[Msyvc]

Two good sites to surf for info are:
http://www.highdefforum.com/
http://avsforum.com/
...though avsforum has been semi-inop the last couple of days.

I'm still googling my brains out for a comparison review of Hauppauge, Autumnwave, Dvico, and Pinnacle. Toooo many choices as usual.

[lowspeed]

Anyone knows how well this thing works with ORB?


Thanks.

[vikingjunior]

I picked this little device up as I have be going crazy trying to find a portable tv solution. Most of the small portable dvd players with a tv tuner are crap.

I was going to get the pc card instead but I hear not so great things about it.

I'm running this wintv 950 stick on a HP nc 8430 2ghz core duo, 1gb, ATI x1600 card.

Installing software was simple especially after reading this thread. The results IMO are so so, I live in NYC and not to far from transmitters so I was expecting a lot more then I got.

Using the supplied antenna resulted in about 2 clear analog stations and a handful a digital stations. I think if I went outside it may have picked up more stations but am in an apartment building.

I then hooked up my cable to it and it resulted all the stations that you would normally get without going through the box. The picture quality was a little grainy but acceptable. I did play around with the settings but it didn't seem to change much.

I didn't notice it being a CPU hog as I had a couple of other apps running just to see how the core duo would perform.

Tommorrow am going to do as suggested and get a splitter and hook up both the cable and supplied antenna and do another scan and see what happens.

I'm less then thrilled with how far out the stick sticks out, it seems to put a lot of stress on the USB port especially woth a cable hooked up to it. I think am going to put it on my docking station instead so I'll be reinstalling all the software again, fun.

Overall it's a all rite but really not what I was looking for. I kinda wished I had a express card slot or someone would put out a portable TV that actually worked. All I really wanted to do is sit in the park and watch the NFL playoffs.

[RogueMonk]

For the size, this is nice. It would be great for travel.

Too bad there is no hardware based tuner at that size.

I'd be interested to know how this stacks up against the avermedia offerings for picture quality and cpu usage.