Windows 7 Ultimate (build 7600) 32bit, 1.80 GHz Intel Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM
I recently bought a Dell Angel USB TV Tuner through eBay. It works OK but the recording of TV shows really sucks. I bought one before, a MSI VOX2, didn't work at all.
I'm not looking to turn my computer into a full fledged media center. But since my VCR quit on me, I'm looking for the ability to just record a movie or tv show, every now and then.
The only software that came with the tuner was Catalyst Media Center. Windows is supposed to have software built in called the Windows Media Center. I have a second hand computer with Windows 7 Ultimate but the Media Center component is not installed, also it's not listed in the Programs and Features option either in the control panel.
I downloaded and tried some other programs:
Either I was getting an error message or the software just would not pick up the tuner.
Back to the Catalyst Media Center, I tried to record a movie about 1.5 hours long. For the recording settings I originally thought I had only 3 options; Good, Better, and Best. Of course I chose the BEST (no other details given) as my first choice. I ended up with 2 files.
MPG, 720x480, 29 frames/second, total bitrate: 8456kbps - Audio bit rate: 256kbps, channels 2(stereo), Audio sample rate: 48khz.
Not bad video quality but the first file was 3.91GB in size and only 12.55 minutes long. The second was 2.04GB and only 1.07 minutes long.
The second time I tried to record, I set the recording resolution to GOOD. Only ended up with one file this time, 3.77GB in size, timer claims that there is only 1.27 minutes. It would produce some odd results at times. Like when I would slide the progress bar backwards, it seemed like I was watching a completely different movie. The previous scene just did not seem to exist any more.
Then I started getting two clips again, each one about 4GB but only played about 10 - 15 minutes each. The first clip, the progress bar information claimed it was only a 1 minute movie and the second claimed to be 26 hours or more.
I went online to help find a solution but found none that worked. I finally worked something out that allowed me to properly record a movie. Unfortunately, the playback quality, there is a flicker that really hurts my eyes and trying to switch to full screen video usually freezes up the player.
The solution, by the way, on getting this far was to set up the tuner differently. At first I had the incoming cable wire plugged directly into the USB unit. I took it out and plugged it into the VCR and then using composite wires (red, white and yellow) I plugged them into the outputs on the VCR to the inputs on the USB tuner. This at least allowed me to solve the timing issue.
Then I discovered that I could change the output format by creating custom profiles. http://techgage.com/print/ati_tv_wonder_hd_600_pci_hd_650_combo_usb. My goal to create beter quality recordings with a slightly smaller footprint. I'll let you know how things turn out.