ADS InstantHDTV PCI Capture Card Review

I have tried several HDTV cards for my home theater PCs, and this one works just as well as the others. It offers no features above and beyond other HDTV cards, but doesn’t offer any less, either. The video quality is very good, especially the HDTV quality, but I wish it included S-video and audio input jacks. If it could record from an external set-top box, then this would be the only card you would ever really need; as it costs about the same as a good-quality standard-definition capture board. It would be like geting HDTV capture for free!

Alas, the InstantHDTV only allows you to capture over-the-air HDTV, and your mileage may vary depending on where you live. This is one of those “iffy” situations where it’s difficult to recommend this product. The answer is: it depends. If you are looking to add OTA HDTV to your HTPC, then this card is recommended based on its quality vs. price. If you have analog cable, then you’ll get more value out of this card, but if a video nut is enthusiastic enough to get a HTPC, then they’re probably not going to have just basic cable. Unless you live in the center of all the broadcast towers (usually downtown), then you’ll probably need to spend several hundred dollars to get ALL the HDTV signals in your area.

One big advantage a HTPC offers over even a high-definition TiVo is the ability to extract and edit the recorded content. If you want to capture HDTV shows and record them onto blu-ray or HD-DVD, then you probably already have an STB with firewire hack to record HD-HBO). For the rest of you who want to record HDTV content on your PC, the ADS InstantHDTV PCI card is a good choice.

	REPORT CARD : ADS Technology InstantHDTV PCI Capture Card category rating comments Quality 4 Card is well constructed and video quality is rather good. Innovation 3 Doesn’t offer any features above other OTA HDTV capture cards, and no S-video or audio input, either. HDTV Antenna not included. Performance 4 The card goes right along capturing HD content and MPEG video with little CPU usage. Performance of video playback, however, depends on your CPU. Installation 3 Driver installation was very straightforward and started to work immediately. Media Center didn’t recognize the card until the MCE MPEG driver was installed, but then worked flawlessly. You’ll have to buy an HDTV antenna before you can even get a signal. Value 3 At $90 it’s about the same price as as other OTA HDTV capture cards (minus the antenna). Inclusion of S-video and audio inputs would make this a killer deal, performing double duty as a standard MPEG capture board + HDTV. FINAL VERDICT: 3 out of 5 stars