Freeview

[rwh]

The card pictured is a x1

That's what I thought. Which should fit in a x1, x4, x8, x16 slot no problems - just the way (in the days when I knew more ...) an 8-bit card would go in a 16-bit ISA slot, or a 32-bit VLB slot

Richard

[SMOKEU]

That's what I thought. Which should fit in a x1, x4, x8, x16 slot no problems - just the way (in the days when I knew more ...) an 8-bit card would go in a 16-bit ISA slot, or a 32-bit VLB slot

Richard

Gotta love the old ISA cards. I first learnt to work on computers back in the 90s with them. Great memories...

[p.dath]

Actually, given the choice, I would use an internal. The USB will use the CPU to decode/encode etc whereas the internal should (with the right card) do that onboard.

USB/PCIe - there both just interface standards, and does not imply that either is more or less likely to use the CPU for en/decoding. It's the hardware on/in the card that controls that on its own.

It's funny because long ago I would have preferred an internal card as well. But these days I am the opposite, and would take an external USB decoder instead. They have to plug into an external cable anyway, so its just like having an extra cable. Your far less likely to have hardware compatibility problems with an external USB card than an internal card, and you can power down/reset a USB card (simply by unplugging it and plugging it back in) than an internal card (which would require a complete PC reboot).

And with the release of USB3, there really isn't any reason that 90% of phipherials can't go USB3 now (with things like solid state drives and 3d video cards being the most obvious exceptions). Tried out my first USB3 external hard drive about 2 weeks ago - what a huge and very noticeable performance difference.

[crazyhorse]

We tried to get Freeview up in Whangarei - but it just wouldn't work. We bought the connection, went back to the shop thinking the system was broken as this girl had bought it 5 months ago. They swapped it - and we tried again (they live 40 minutes in the country) and it still won't go. Next to trying the aerial, they will have to pay someone $400 to come out and get it going.

Thought Freeview was supposed to be easy. I don't actually know of anyone yet who has just plugged it in and it has worked. I do know of others who still have it sitting in their box, for possibly the same reason

[Ronin]

That's what I thought. Which should fit in a x1, x4, x8, x16 slot no problems - just the way (in the days when I knew more ...) an 8-bit card would go in a 16-bit ISA slot, or a 32-bit VLB slot

Richard

Fair enough. I had been lead to believe otherwise.

[Ronin]

And with the release of USB3, there really isn't any reason that 90% of phipherials can't go USB3 now (with things like solid state drives and 3d video cards being the most obvious exceptions). Tried out my first USB3 external hard drive about 2 weeks ago - what a huge and very noticeable performance difference.

Well yes and no. There is a limit to the amount of processing power you can put on a USB device that will fit into a USB slot without a cable. The easy (and cheaper) answer to the Manufacturers is to hand most of the job off to the CPU. Remember the old Dial up soft modems? pain in the ass. If you look at the amount of hardware on a decent PCI(e) TV card and then compare it with the USB stick, you have to wonder where it has all gone.

[p.dath]

Thought Freeview was supposed to be easy. I don't actually know of anyone yet who has just plugged it in and it has worked. I do know of others who still have it sitting in their box, for possibly the same reason

I've done about a half dozen free view install for friends. Mostly I had to resolve aerial faults - cabling corroded, or under spec, fittings rusted, bad joints, stuffed balun, or no UHF antenna.

What I do now is get them to buy a Dick Smith $100 (odd) UHF kit and replace the whole system. Works every time a treat.

[crazyhorse]

I've done about a half dozen free view install for friends. Mostly I had to resolve aerial faults - cabling corroded, or under spec, fittings rusted, bad joints, stuffed balun, or no UHF antenna.

What I do now is get them to buy a Dick Smith $100 (odd) UHF kit and replace the whole system. Works every time a treat.

Thanks - I will pass this info on.....

[Genie]

I just got a freeview box, plugged it in and it wouldn't go

Picked up my phone, dialed a number and a lovely man came around and sorted it, new cable to splitter, skydish thing and it's wonderful.

We have sky and freeview and still there's SFA to watch! I just have zillions of channels to choose from and by the time I've surfed through the whole lot it's bed-time, evening done

[Coldrider]

We tried to get Freeview up in Whangarei - but it just wouldn't work. We bought the connection, went back to the shop thinking the system was broken as this girl had bought it 5 months ago. They swapped it - and we tried again (they live 40 minutes in the country) and it still won't go. Next to trying the aerial, they will have to pay someone $400 to come out and get it going.

Thought Freeview was supposed to be easy. I don't actually know of anyone yet who has just plugged it in and it has worked. I do know of others who still have it sitting in their box, for possibly the same reason

75% of ther population (not of the country) is able to receive terresrrial. The rest have tio use satelite via a dish and the dish needs to be mounted horizontally and vertically in the correct direction to the degree, you use a satelite finder in line of the coax to do this.

[p.dath]

Thanks - I will pass this info on.....

This is the one I get everyone to buy now before I start:
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4d255e...uct/View/L4735

I just got a freeview box, plugged it in and it wouldn't go

Picked up my phone, dialed a number and a lovely man came around and sorted it, new cable to splitter, skydish thing and it's wonderful.

See what I mean ... cabling fault. Easier to just replace everything if your using UHF as part of the job.

[Genie]

This is the one I get everyone to buy now before I start:
http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4d255e...uct/View/L4735



See what I mean ... cabling fault. Easier to just replace everything if your using UHF as part of the job.

Yep, I see what you mean...cost for man to come $120.00. Not bad.

[Ronin]

Yep, I see what you mean...cost for man to come $120.00. Not bad.

You need to pay a man to come?

[Ronin]

75% of ther population (not of the country) is able to receive terresrrial. The rest have tio use satelite via a dish and the dish needs to be mounted horizontally and vertically in the correct direction to the degree, you use a satelite finder in line of the coax to do this.

Or use your sky dish which the majority of houses seem to have now.

[p.dath]

Or use your sky dish which the majority of houses seem to have now.

The problem is the satellite option doesn't do HD, and has less channels.

If your using a $1,000+ TV, it seems a shame not to spend $100 to put a proper antenna in to get the most of it.