I need a QAM256 tuner to display the HD channels I get from my Coxcable service. While I only have basic cable service, I should still be able to get the major networks unencrypted over the coaxial line.

Football season is around the corner and I want to get some Florida Gator games projected from my PC to the WUXGA projector I'm having assembled. Will be running probably a GeForce 8800GTS 320mb with purevideo HD. Also have a 22" Widescreen Acer LCD I got from bestbuy on Tuesday for $189, its awesome!

What Tuner card would u guys recommend? The FusionHDTV5 series on paper looks nice but reading forums suggests the software really sux/pain in the ass. Looks like lots of people go with the MyHD-130 card..

CPU would be a dual-core Opteron running @ 2.8Ghz so good CPU power inside.

I too would love to hear some recommendations on this subject. FWIW, I've also read some nice things about the HD Homerun, specifically for QAM.

I bought a KWorld card not too long ago and was not pleased with it at all, I switched back to my $20 WinFast 2000 card very sortly, and kind of gave up one the free HD cable idea.

I have been looking at this http://www.hdtvexpert.com/pages_b/h260f.html which is not a PC card but is quite nice and a good price.

I get a few channels OTA in HD in my area but would rather not have to put up an Antena on my roof if I can get the service through cable. Project just needs to be completed by Sept. 1st

I don't know if you looked at the product I pointed out but it is said to do QAM from cable as well as OTA.

The KWORLD card I have is very well rated but may have had some compatibility issue with my highend sound card. I am starting to think that is the problem, I put it in another computer and it works great.

Compatible with WinMCE also

FYI if you are running Windows MCE, it only supports OTA HD signals

Go Seminoles!!!

The KWORLD card that I was talking about is bundled with the TotalMedia 3 Software that supports 256QAM

Yeah the Samsung DTB-H260F looks pretty awesome. I'm trying to save money tho:

1080p 15.4" projector will end up being about $1000
GeForce 8800GTS $300
Xbox HD-DVD player $200

and still need tuner and surround speaker setup

so was thinking about the newer AverTV tuner I can get for about $100.




Well, the Gator's have not lost in The Swamp for the past two seasons, are reigning National Champions in Football/Basketball, and the game this year in Gainesville. Sorry to break it to you bud but Seminole's may be going 0 and 4 this year against the Gates
Our offense will be off the blah chain this year

Just received a Samsung DTB-H260F from Ebay, 85 bucks.
I'll let everyone know how it does.

I'm using a Fusion 5 RT Lite in Mythtv. I tested it with the Fusion software just to verify that it worked so I can't really say how well that works. It worked well enough for me to verify that QAM worked though. I watched a few shows with it that way before throwing it into my HTPC.

I can also recommend the SiliconDust HDHomerun. You can see a review of it here. It's external and run's over a 100bt LAN. Works with Mythtv, VLC, WinMCE (yes that's right, they have drivers that trick MCE into allowing you to do QAM), etc. It's one I would consider myself if I were to add another tuner. And it's a dual HD tuner.

If you find the right model (listed on the Hauppauge website), the HVR1600 also supports QAM.

The Avermedia M780 also supports QAM. Both the Avermedia and the HVR1600 were reviewed here.

Hope that helps some.

Ok, cranked up the Samsung.
QAM works fine over HDMI and composite.
Over the air works fine in HDMI and composite.
Haven't had time to get into the receiver much but for right now it doesn't appear to pick up any SD cable at all.
P.S.
Colors look a little out of sorts in the picture but look good in person. I was getting a little sunlight bleeding into the room.

looks like a good deal you got