Silicondust HDHomeRun Dual
As a longtime TV card / capture user I am always looking for new products that are easy to use and work well on many OS’s. One that I have wanted to try is Silicondust’s HDHomeRun series. After much reading I decided on HDHomeRun Dual.
According to SiliconDust the HDHomeRun is a TV tuner for computers – Ethernet attached. Once connected to your home router you can access the HDHomeRun Tuners from any computer, anywhere in your home. Watch / Record TV from you Family Room / Kitchen / Garage / Backyard, anywhere you have a computer.
The HDHomeRun streams the full-quality digital stream from the broadcaster or cable provider, ensuring that you get the highest quality possible, including 720p and 1080i HDTV when available.
Now that we have the details, which are pretty impressive, let’s get to it. Included in the package is the following:
- Ethernet Cable
- Coaxial Cable
- Power Adapter
- HDHomeRun Dual
- Installation CD
- Quick Start Guide
Installation couldn’t be easier. Since it is a standalone device there is nothing to connect to your PC.
- Connect your coaxial cable to your cable provider or your antenna
- Connect Ethernet Cable
- Connect the power adapter
- Insert the CD and run the installation CD and follow the wizard
The setup wizard started and checked the internet for updated software and firmware and downloaded. Once the update was installed the wizard started again and I was asked for my zip code and moved along the process. The wizard was smart enough to see I was running cable and set the source to digital cable. Next the wizard ran a channel scan and the wizard was completed and data was saved.
Now at this point I can watch TV using the HDHomeRun QuickTV app, which I quickly fired up and ran into the only hiccup which is not the device’s fault but a Windows issue. I had video but no audio, which upon checking the forum I found that the issue is due to being optimized for Windows Media Player. The issue was quickly resolved by installing AC3filter.
The picture was perfect thanks to HD and better than I have had in the past with older Hauppauge WinTV PVR cards. To go further I followed the instructions for Windows Media Center and quickly was able to have TV guides and recording capabilities with minmal effort.
I was able to repeat this on two other PC’s with no issues and can happily watch and record HD TV on any of them at the sametime.
I would highly recommend purchasing HDHomeRun Dual if you want the ability to watch / record HDTV on your computers on your network or just on your PC. The price was right and the picture is fantastic.
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