Few things to add:
- the included version of TMT isn't the full version, it doesn't do BR/HDDVD playback
- even the new HW version (D2) has overheating problems; I have to put mine vertical to ensure 100% uptime (there are vents on the bottom)
- the top lights up on D2 hardware (my original C2 unit did not)
That said, I think this is the best product to come to HTPC users in a very, very long time.
Do they have AC3 working well yet? I took a look on the sage forums last week to get an idea of how well this thing is working for people and saw a number of posts with people complaining about having playback problems(stuttering), and I couldn't get a clear answer about AC3 encoding.
This is one of those things I've been tempted to jump on, but don't NEED it yet. I've held off this long because I wanted to make sure it did what it was advertised to do and that I wouldn't suffer for months trying to make it work properly. Fortunately, I don't expect to NEED it anytime in the next 6+ months, but if its working well in Sage, maybe I would certainly enjoy being able to record some digital-only cable channels.
Thanks for the review, Alan.
bbig119 - I don't see how you cannot need this as this is, bar none, the best way to get HD into your HTPC. This is the biggest development in HTPCs since the first TV tuner card was released. The only way that I could see one not needing this is if they have a CableCard PC that works properly for them and they don't mind the DRM associated with a CableCard.
Here in Canada this device is pretty much the only way to get HD into an HTPC, the exception being the R5000 modded sat boxes.
wayner - I would only need this to record the stuff I can't get in analog or unencrypted HD QAM or OTA with my HDHR.
Could I use it? HELL YEA! and I completely agree with you about it being the best thing to come to HTPC since the HDHR. But, is it worth my time to spend hours upon hours setting it up to record properly and get get smooth playback just for a few channels that I don't watch too frequently? Right now, the answer is no. Although, if it is trivial to get setup and playback isn't an issue, then the ballgame changes. OR, if comcast cuts off analog channels that I do watch/record, then I'll need to look into it then.
Comcast had some reps at walmart this weekend in Fishers, Indiana and he told me there was nothing in the works yet about dropping the analog channels. I think they know that is one thing keeping people from jumping ship to go to UVerse or Satellite.
Great article. Just a minor nitpick. You call it a tuner in some instances. This is not true and could confuse some readers. It does not tune channels. It is simply an encoder.
Do they have AC3 working well yet? I took a look on the sage forums last week to get an idea of how well this thing is working for people and saw a number of posts with people complaining about having playback problems(stuttering), and I couldn't get a clear answer about AC3 encoding.
This is one of those things I've been tempted to jump on, but don't NEED it yet. I've held off this long because I wanted to make sure it did what it was advertised to do and that I wouldn't suffer for months trying to make it work properly. Fortunately, I don't expect to NEED it anytime in the next 6+ months, but if its working well in Sage, maybe I would certainly enjoy being able to record some digital-only cable channels.
Thanks for the review, Alan.
AC3 works great with Sage. The new demuxer in Sage 6.5.3 sorted the issues I was having using Cyberlink's H.264 decoder and HWA works as of 6.5.2.
The coolest thing about this device is that all the channels look better, even the SD ones.
Right now I've got an SDTV with MVP sage extender in the bedroom. I'd love to upgrade to HD, but I just don't have the money to spend. Right now, my analog recordings look fantastic on the mvp-- obviously. Do you know how well sage does at transcoding H.264 down for playback through the mvp?
How about some PQ comparisons? I think that's the biggest thing people are always wanting to know about.
Also, were you able to get AC3 working? Was it easy to get set up and were all relevant recordings correctly encoded with AC3?
As I mentioned in the article, the quality is virtually the same as CableCard (QAM) recordings. I can't really show screen shots to reflect that.
I am going to send the unit to John for some further testing.. He should be able ot post a few clips in a couple of weeks 
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I was one of those first batch user that has problem w/ the first one. but Hauppage will be more than happy to exchange it for the later (fixed) version of the HD PVR, no problem there. and I also bought another one from Dell using my $100 gift card, now the new one never have any lock up problem in the past month or so.
I'm BeyondTV user (and DirecTV), I've been using it since version 4.8.2 and have good success with it. no problem even in hours long usage. and with the new v4.9, I finally getting DD5.1 sound too!
I really love this product and really think it's the best product for HTPC user (as long as it works fine, of course). I've just rebuild my main TV server and took the ancient PVR500 MCE out, now only using 2x HD PVR, and 1 PVR950 (for OTA) for my house.
as far as the PQ goes, somehow, at least on mine, the OTA HD has slightly better color than the HD PVR..... but not by much! however, the OTA HD seems to be a bit more "blocky" than the HD PVR tho..... probably due to the signal strength....
As I mentioned in the article, the quality is virtually the same as CableCard (QAM) recordings. I can't really show screen shots to reflect that.
Yeah, I've read that statement over and over in reviews, but no one ever posts a comparison. It's probably the most commonly asked question over at the Sage forums, followed shortly thereafter by, "Is AC3 5.1 sound working yet?" ;D
My plan is to capture several scenes using my HDHomeRun over clear QAM as well as capturing with the HD-PVR from my HD STB. That's about the only way I know to get a comparison in "real world" conditions. Feel free to post additional suggestions of specific things you'd like to see.
Clear QAM is the comparison to make, since it's the only "direct" feed you can record from a provider. You have absolutely no options when it comes to satellite. I think that's the best comparison we can hope for, John. I'd also be quite interested to see how uncompressed OTA compares to QAM and the HD-PVR. That may very well be the ménage à trois everyone has been longing for... at least with regard to the HD-PVR, that is. 
My HD-PVR is doing an excellent job of recording. AC3 works great. I have a C2 or C3 model, one of the older revs. I do have issues watching live tv, but the folks at Sage are working with me on that as soon as I get around to sending them some log files. I've been lazy about resolving it, since I so rarely watch live tv.
I got one of these guys for Christmas and finally hooked it up yesterday. Its the D2 rev, and so far with my limited time testing, I've been quite impressed. I'm using the ir blaster now and will try using firewire for channel changes in the coming days.
I was particularly impressed with how easy this was to setup. Having read through forums littered with complaints about this beast not working properly I suppose I expected a battle to get it working. Its still early in my case, but if you can get Sage working, you can install and set this up.
For the moment I only have this thing set to record of channels that are accessible only via the cable box for two reasons. First, I currently only have one cable box andwe(my fiance in particular) uses it for tuning more often than needed. Second, I'm worried about my server being able to transcode H264 material for my media MVP. So for the moment I can live with the SD recordings which play anywhere without a hitch until time, money and space allow me to upgrade to a flatpanel in the bedroom and for an upgrade to an HD200.
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Great review Alan!
I think the device is a great one that frees HTPC users to get all the digital content they want. Mine gets heavy use and provides me the great PQ I demand for liveTV as well as recorded TV of course.
I am one of the few folks that have one of the very first units that didn't suffer from extreme overheating. That being said, I still keep mine placed vertically as babgvant does just in case.
I would say this though - the only reason Vista Media Center users don't have HD-PVR support is because Microsoft (as well as it's partners in the Media Center world) doesn't want them to have it... yet.
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