Hauppauge is one of the most respected and trusted names in the TV tuner market. Hauppauge is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ symbol: HAUP) based in Hauppauge, N.Y. (hence the name) that since 1992 has focused solely on TV functionality to computers so you can buy with confidence knowing that they are a stable company that is not going to abandon the USB TV tuner space. Expect warranty and product support to be superb.
Hauppauge offers a full line of products to enable viewing TV programs on computers. All Hauppauge tuners are compatible with Windows Media Center but come with their own software interface.
Hauppauge WinTV HVR 950Q (#1191) USB TV Tuner Review
The HVR 950Q is Hauppauge’s most popular USB TV tuner and with good reason. It offers a ton of value, performance and features for the price. It comes with a credit card remote control and a portable antenna.
Overview
The picture quality, audio quality, compatibility and flexibility are second to none. The 950Q supports analog NTSC TV, digital over-the-air ATSC TV for North America plus clear QAM digital cable TV (in areas where available) and satellite signals. It also supports all 18 ATSC high definition digital TV formats for North America, including the highest definition 1080i format.
The included remote control is fine for occasional use at short range and for travel but if you plan on using Windows Media Center, highly recommended, which is designed to be used with a remote control or you will be watching TV from more than a few feet away upgrading the remote control is advisable. The Windows Media Center remote control works great, costs less than $15 and is well worth the money.
The included remote control is fine for traveling or occasional use but if you plan on watching a fair amount of over the air programming, especially HD channels, or live more than 10 miles from the broadcast antenna an upgraded antenna is needed. I recommend the Terk Flat Omni Directional antenna.
Recording TV on Your Computer
Like all USB TV tuners, you can use the Hauppauge HVR 950Q to turn your computer into Digital Video Recorder (DVR) (sometimes called a Personal Video Recorder or PVR). You can watch, pause and rewind live television, record your favorite shows on your hard drive and play them later.
Windows Media Center is free with all Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 operating systems and provides a very functional and attractive interface to all TV and DVR functions and includes a free online program guide to make scheduling recordings a breeze. Be warned that recording hi def typically uses about 10 GB of hard disk space per hour of programming so be sure you have adequate hard disk space.
Compatibility
- Works with 64 and 32 bit Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP operating systems
- Certified for the Windows Media Center
- Cable and satellite channels (set top box needed for premium channels)
- Over-the-air high definition broadcasts
Flexibility
- Supports all 18 ATSC HD digital TV formats, including the high definition 1080i
- Supports analog NTSC TV
- Supports digital over-the-air ATSC TV
- Supports clear QAM digital cable TV (where available)
Ships with
- Remote control
- Portable antenna
- Installation CD ROM
- USB extension cable
- Quick installation guide
- Hauppauge’s WinTV v7 application for TV watching and recording
Pros
- Price
- Hauppauge reputation
- Flexibility and compatibility
- Performance
Cons
- Remote control is small with limited functions
- Antenna has limited range
- No FM radio tuner
- Only one tuner – cannot watch one channel while recording another or record two channels at the same time
Summary
The combination of price, flexibility and manufacturer reputation give the Hauppauge WinTV HVR 950Q gets my highest recommendation. It is hard the complain about the remote and antenna when with a feature set and price like the 950Q has. Besides, they are no worse than what comes with other tuners, are better than nothing and are nice have in case you don’t want to spend the money to upgrade. In my opinion you can’t go wrong with this tuner.
Best Place to Buy
I recommend buying the Hauppage WinTV HVR 950Q from Amazon for the best prices, return policy and free shipping.
- More information the Hauppauge 950Q
- Read user reviews of the Hauppauge 950Q.
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