Small, stable and simple tv tuner (only) software?

July 10, 2007 1:37 PM

Is there any stable and simple tv tuner (only) software?

Operating system = XP. Tuner Card = Very cheap Hauppauge, I don't even remember the model. I just want to watch live TV. That is all. I don't want to record. I don't want to pause. I can even live without a program guide, but that would be nice. I don't require, nor do I want, any other functionality. I currently use a fairly recent version of Beyond TV, which I find slow and intrusive. The software that came with the card was horrible too. I would prefer a small and responsive stand alone app but I would also consider a media player plug-in that works well. Does such a thing exist or do I have to use full-blown PVR software just to watch TV?

posted by probablysteve to computers & internet (7 comments total)

DScaler 4 does what you want. VLC can also stream (locally) from a capture device, but I've never tried it.

If you change your mind about PVR software, there are also all these.
posted by tracert at 2:39 PM on July 10, 2007

Are we talking about a WinTV PCI board? I just use the wintv32 app that came with my card, never had any problems with it.
posted by puke & cry at 3:15 PM on July 10, 2007

Itracert - I downloaded DScaler for other reasons months ago and forgot about it. I could never get audio to work. I just lauched the app and it does seem to be what I need for TV. I'll have to tinker with it a bit more now. If I can get audio working, this is just what I need.

puke & cry - I just could not stand the interface for wintv32.

Thanks guys (and/or girls).
posted by probablysteve at 5:21 PM on July 10, 2007

hm, that's odd. I switched from a terrible ati all-in-wonder card and tv app and wintv32 is a dream in comparison. I guess I'll have to check out DScaler now.
posted by puke & cry at 5:39 PM on July 10, 2007

AmCap.
posted by markesh at 11:05 PM on July 10, 2007

I use ProgDVB with my WinTV Nova-T. It's unfortunately rather rubbish, but it doesn't make my eyes bleed quite like WinTV32.

However, it sounds like you've got an old skool analog tuner, so it won't be much help. Second the DScaler recommendation for that; I used to use it with my old analog WinTV card and it was actually pretty good.
posted by Freaky at 5:38 AM on July 11, 2007

dvbdream
posted by w.fugawe at 11:38 PM on July 11, 2007