[linux-dvb] Choosing the "best" DVB-S premium card

[Michal Dobrzynski <michal@appl.com.au>]

Hi,

I've been trying to figure out which DVB-S premium card to purchase and 
the more I read the more confused I am. My current setup consists of:

- 2 x DVB-T Nova budget cards
- 1 x DXR3 (I have two DXR3 cards, one using an adv7170 and the other 
an adv7175).
- 1 x Matrox G550 AGP
- Loewe Credo Widescreen TV with VGA input (limited to 60hz) and SCART 
RGB inputs.

Now over the last 6 months or so I have been trying to build the 
ultimate HTPC. I am not happy with the TV out of the G550 and two DXR3 
cards. The DXR3 cards aren't completely stable, their OSD isn't as good 
as DVB premium cards can manage, and I can't get them to do RGB out as 
they do not use the bt865. The Matrox while reasonably good for TV out 
under windows via SCART RGB (still not perfect when scrolling is 
occurring but wonderfully vibrant and clear output) is nowhere near as 
good under Linux and furthermore doesn't allow the primary head to 
function while TV out is used (as it does under windows).

Now I have gotten to the point where I'm sick of all these problems and 
want what seems to still be the best solution: a full-featured DVB 
card. This coincides with my desire to also get DVB-S support in my 
HTPC as I currently use an STB and cannot record anything (I'm 
subscribed to Foxtel in Australia). Research has led me to believe that 
I don't want a Rev1.3 card as it heats up to much (there is no active 
cooling in my Celeron 2.2Ghz machine except for the 120mm PSU fan which 
doesn't spin most of the time as it's controlled by load rather than 
temperature), and that I also don't want the Rev2.x cards as they make 
RGB out practically impossible. This leaves me with a choice of Rev1.5 
and Rev1.6 cards which seem identical except for the tuner one of which 
can handle lower symbol rates than the other.

I have no idea whether I want or need the seemingly "better" Rev1.5 
tuner or whether there are other differences between Rev1.5 and Rev1.6, 
and I also don't know with what to expect from the TV out of these 
premium cards. I don't know what complications needing to use the CAM 
with Irdeto2 may or may not have or of any other CI/CAM related 
problems I may encounter. All I know is that this purchase will be VERY 
expensive for me as I'm in Australia (only place I know where these 
cards can be purchased in dvbshop.tv).

There are probably other things I have forgotten to ask or didn't even 
know I should have asked. I'm trying to make this HTPC as easy to use 
and stable as possible as I want my parents to also be able to use it 
and they have enough trouble changing channels as is so it REALLY needs 
to be simple and to "just work". Any advice, further info, possible 
hurdles, etc would be greatfully received. I'd like to at least have a 
good idea of what I am purchasing before I spend almost as much as for 
a Dreambox on the card and it's accessories.

Regards,
Michal Dobrzynski



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