[mythtv-users] WinTV-NOVA-T-500 - buying in the UK

[Matthew McClement]

junk wrote:
> Thanks - I don't know if it's meaningful to compare this figure across 
> different tuners but that's about the level I get from my AVer card 
> right now. I've just realised that adding a second card is not an option 
> due to poor motherboard design so can't just put another AVer PCI card 
> in. If I want a second tuner, I'll either have to add an USB device or 
> replace the AVer card with a dual tuner card. I'm wary of getting a USB 
> device since the chipsets change so often there's no guarantee what I 
> get will have working drivers. The Nova-T 500 may be what I need - 
> perhaps I can live without EIT if xmltv from radio times works well.

If you're after a USB tuner, the KWorld DVB-T USB2 box works fine:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=307338

I have 4 of these connected to my backend currently(Scan had a special a
while back and were selling them for £15 each) and they work fine. The
only issue is that if you have more than one tuner connected, the Linux
DVB drivers don't always attach them properly from a cold boot. It
uploads the firmware to one and then ignores the rest.

Only work arounds that I've found is to use separate powered USB hubs
for each card(plug one in, init, unplug from the USB port, firmware is
maintained as the device just draws power from the hub) or to init them
from a Windows install(I've used my laptop to do this with all devices
plugged into a single USB hub), and move the powered USB hub connection
back to the frontend. Thankfully, this is only something you'll need to
repeat after a power cut or similar, as even a hard reboot of the Linux
box will let the devices keep their firmware loaded(assuming you're
using a powered USB hub).

But all of that only matters if you have more than one installed. As a
single device it works great and enjoys support in the 2.6.17
kernels(when support was first added I believe).

Matt