First Look: Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 Dual Digital Cable Tuner
Getting our hands on a new product is always exciting so we thought we would share it with you! We’ve been anxiously awaiting the Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 ever since we first saw the prototype of the CableCARD product at CES. If you haven’t heard by now, the WinTV-DCR-2650 is a dual-cable tuner that connects to a PC via USB–a great option for small form factors or a situation where there’s no free PCIe slot available. It also happens to be the most inexpensive way to gain access to the entire subscription package from a cable provider on a PC with a retail price of $149. Enough about what it is, let’s take a look at it after the break!
In the box, we find an AC/DC adapter, USB cable, driver CD and quick guide along with the WinTV-DCR-2650. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a CableCARD at the ready, but we installed the driver and connected the WinTV-DCR-2650 and watched a little bit of ClearQAM programming using the QuickTV application that SiliconDust HDHomeRun users might be familiar with.
The unit is constructed out of plastic with plenty of ventilation holes and wall-mounting holes that will allow both vertical and horizontal mounting. Dimensions are ~ 7 5/16″ L x 4 1/2″ W (incl. F-connector) x 1 1/4″ H.
Our CableCARD and tuning adapter will be here soon and we’ll get right into testing when they arrive. If you’ve got any comments or questions, leave them below and we’ll try to answer them as best we can.
When you installed this unit
When you installed this unit did it appear as a network device like the ATI DCT? If so could you show screen shots of the interface. I would hope that you can get the Host ID and Card ID (and data number for Moto cards) to allow pairing before running Media Center TV Set-up.
John
Yes, the WinTV-DCR-2650
Yes, the WinTV-DCR-2650 appears as a network adapter in the Device Manager. There is a web interface to the card sort of like how the InfiniTV has a web interface. When I get a CableCARD, I’ll be able to give more information regarding this.
Didn’t this originally have a
Didn’t this originally have a projected retail price of $129?
Pre-order pricing through
Pre-order pricing through Facebook was $129. Normal retail pricing is $149.
Can media center see that and
Can media center see that and tune to the ClearQAM without the CableCard? Just wondering if I would pick one of those up for the possibility of future expansion.
Kyle
I did not have that working,
I did not have that working, but that doesn’t mean it is not supported or will not be supported.
So long as it does, this
So long as it does, this makes this the new ‘minimum’ tuner to have. Dual tuners + CableCARD support for $150? Sold, if I didn’t already have a Ceton.
For cable subscribers anyway
For cable subscribers anyway 🙂
I plugged mine into my laptop
I plugged mine into my laptop to test this and it worked fine. It didn’t find the cable card (waiting on the install) and ran through setup afterwards tuned each of the clearqam channels without issue.
You were able to get Windows
You were able to get Windows 7 Media Center to detect the WinTV-DCR-2650 as Clear QAM?
Just double checked and ya I
Just double checked and ya I am getting clearqam as far as I can tell. I thought maybe I was getting my hdhomerun through the network but this does not appear to be the case. In the channel sources it is a cablecard tuner listed and it still worked even when I shut off the network connection. This is all without the carblecard installed as I have not received one yet. If you want me to test something more Aaron just drop me a line.
It did see it as a cable card source but I just choose to continue without the cable card and it loaded fine as far as I can see.
Thanks for the further
Thanks for the further explanation. I have validated that it is possible to use the WinTV-DCR-2650 with Clear QAM. 7MC doesn’t natively detect it as such, but if it is manually configured as a CableCARD device without a CableCARD installed, setup can proceed and 7MC will perform a channel scan at the end of the setup. QAM channels can be added manually as normal also. Detailed setup will be presented in the review.
I wonder if this would work
I wonder if this would work on a router’s USB port?
I hope you’ll do the same
I hope you’ll do the same stress test that Andy did with the SD 3CC unit to see if the lock up is a family issue or just related to the SD Network versions.
That is certainly part of the
That is certainly part of the test plan.
Eagerly awaiting the review
Eagerly awaiting the review as I ended up canceling my Prime order in favor of this one 😉
Got mine delivered today,
Got mine delivered today, unfourtunetly forgot to grab a cablecard yesterday so I don’t get to play with it until Tuesday.
I got mine on Friday and got
I got mine on Friday and got the CableCARD paired, however I’m having TA problems. When I attach a known working TA, all channels (not just SDV) stop working. When I attach the TA, it pulls the ATI drivers from WU, and while the TA web pages show up, it doesn’t seem to actually function. No change with the latest (8/31) drivers/firwmare. Poking through the driver pack, it doesn’t look like there are any TA drivers at all. I’m opening a ticket with Hauppauge and want to see what they have to say, but I noticed the directions don’t mention TAs/SDV at all – this would be a major oversight if they missed it.
TAs are not currently
TAs are not currently supported. We’re expecting a fix any day now.
FYI, Hauppauge support
FYI, Hauppauge support responded:
“As of right now we are working to resolve TA support as currently we do not have support this. Our developers are working on an update for TA support which should be released in the next few weeks and I can inform you of the update’s release.”
Looks like it may be longer than this week
That is definitely a little
That is definitely a little different than what has been said on the the Hauppauge Facebook page.
FYI, our full review of the
FYI, our full review of the WinTV-DCR-2650 may publish as early as Wednesday.
I’m looking forward to this
I’m looking forward to this review because 2-tuners is all i need at the moment so there is no need to spend more than 150$.
but one question: does anyone know if the current shipping time (1-2 months) on amazon.com is correct? If true, i’d like to get my spot in the line so that it will come when I am ready to purchase it. But if they are overstating things I’ll just wait until later to order.
If you haven’t seen it yet.
If you haven’t seen it yet. Our full review has been published.
http://www.missingremote.com/review/hauppauge-wintv-dcr-2650-usb-cablecard-tuner