SiliconDust HDHomeRun HDHR-US Dual Networked High Definition Digital Tuner Device (White)
by SiliconDust USA, Inc
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List Price: Our Price: $69.00 You Save: $100.99 (59%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of SiliconDust HDHomeRun HDHR-US Dual Networked High Definition Digital Tuner Device (White)
Customer Review: Free HD DVR!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had been using Windows Media Center as a free DVR on my analog cable. When I got an HDTV, I needed a way to get the HD signal into my PC. Enter the Home Run. This dude allowed me to record 2 channels of HD at the same time for $0 a month.
Obviously it's limited to just the broadcast channels, but I knew that going in, so it's all good. I was thrilled to discover that Comcast includes them on my cheap analog cable package at no extra charge. I thought I was going to have to put up an outdoor antenna.
The home run is just about plug and play. Stick in the CD, it downloads the latest software, and there's a great pdf on the web to walk you through setup of Media Center. Getting the guide set up in Media Center is a little tricky, but that's a MS issue. Picture and sound are perfect.
Several reviewers commented on some sort of registry edits you would have to do to get Vista Media Center to recognize QAM channels. Mine did it with no problems.
By sitting on the network rather than in the PC, it also allows me to use it on two PCs at the same time.
I recommend it.
Customer Review: An easy way to add a HD Tuner to Your Windows 7 Machine
Summary: 5 Stars
This product is really very simple. It will take a coaxial cable connection from an off-air antenna, and give every computer on your network access to two HD TV Tuners. If you have a Windows 7 computer, the computer can record and play-back off-air HD TV shows, using this device.
All you have to do is connect this device to your network, hook up a coaxial TV antenna on the device, plug in the power supply, and install the drivers. I use this on an Acer Aspire Revo 3610 (which is itself a very nice, small machine) and it works flawlessly with Windows Media Center. If your computer supports HDMI (which the AR3610 does), you can connect the machine directly to your TV and basically use the machine as a TIVO-like device.
The device has two coaxial connectors and can theoretically get inputs from two separate HD sources, such as an off air antenna and a cable connection, or two off-air antennas pointing in different directions. In most cases, you'll be using the same source to feed both coaxial connectors, so be sure to buy a coaxial cable splitter and two 6-inch cables.
Customer Review: Works great
Summary: 5 Stars
I have this connected to a large roof antenna attached to our chimney in Chicago for a year now.
At first many channels had a somewhat weak signal, however as soon as I plugged in a 15 dB signal booster that I already had, everything in with 3 or more green bars. Recordings on Channel 2 (CBS) can have a stutter every now and then, but I could not even get it before this setup.
I have had no problems at all recording with my Win7 HTPC.
I have a splitter with short cables connecting to both inputs. You will need this if you want to use both tuners with the same source. The 2011 model does not need this.
I have noticed that one channel tends to go brighter/darker when it records, but I have not bother trying to track the issue down to the source, so I cannot currently blame this device. I do not generally watch broadcast tv except via this device to compare.
I am anxious to get the cable card version due in 2011 and finally get rid of our $15/mo DVR with the tiny tiny hard drive.
Customer Review: A dream come true
Summary: 5 Stars
The SiliconDust HDHomeRun is exactly what I expected it to be--and more. I use it with Windows Media Center to simultaneously record up to two TV shows to my Windows 7 computer, and watch recorded shows and live television through my Xbox 360 acting as a Windows Media Center extender.
If you want to connect the same signal source (e.g. antenna) to both tuners, make sure you get a quality splitter with specifications that include the loss per port, and shop around for the splitter with the lowest loss. Don't get a splitter with more outputs than you need (the more splits, the higher the loss), and don't fall for the 2 GHz hype; 900 MHz/1 GHz is all that's needed for over-the-air or cable HDTV. 2 GHz splitters are only required for satellite, and can actually perform worse elsewhere.
The driver and software have been rock stable and shown no issues on Windows 7, even before Windows 7 was officially released.
I'm extremely satisfied with the HDHomeRun and consider it one of the best investments I've ever made.
Customer Review: Works over N not G; Supports 64-bit
Summary: 5 Stars
The HDHomeRun has an option for dynamically assigning the tuners to whichever PCs needs them. So after I upgraded my wireless from G to N I can now watch TV with Media Center Vista Ultimate from 3 different computers at once. Of course, because the device only has two tuners, two of the computers have to watch the same program.
Pros:
- Very easy to install
- Very user friendly
- Unlimited PC connections (to share two tuners)
- Supports my 64-bit Vista Ultimate laptop & PC and my 32-bit Vista Ultimate Media Center PC
- 5 Days of use and no lock-ups or freezes... appears to be too good to be true!
Cons:
- Cost: ~$150 for HDHomeRun, ~$150 for LinkSys Dual-Band Wirless N, ~$45 for HD Antenna from Fry's
- No holes to mount to wall
- No label to describe the lights on front of device
~~~~ Update:
So it's been around 2 months now since I bought this and I have zero regrets. From a functionality standpoint, there is no way this tuner could be better.