WinTV-HVR-2255 Overview
The WinTV-HVR-2255 has two tuners for watching one TV program while recording another: with the built-in dual tuners, you can either watch one channel while recording another or you can record two channels at once.
Create your own personal Digital Video Recorder! Record analog cable TV shows to your PC's hard disk with our built-in high quality MPEG-2 hardware encoder. You can also record high definition digital ATSC and clear QAM digital cable TV to disk in the original digital quality. Use the WinTV-Scheduler to schedule the recordings of your favorite analog or digital TV programs. Play the recordings back to your PC screen at any time.
Windows Media Center compatible: Windows Media Center supports two TV tuners. Use the Media Center scheduler to schedule your TV recordings. And WinTV-HVR-2255 has Windows Vista Premium certification. New! Now supports clear QAM with Media Center TV Pack 2008, Windows 7 and Windows 8 ( with Media Center Add on)
Clear QAM TV channels are unencrypted digital TV channels broadcast by your local cable operator. Many cable operators in North America are transmitting the high definition ATSC channels on their cable networks. They also broadcast the basic cable channels in using clear QAM. You can use Windows Media Center from Windows 7 to watch and record these channels.
Note: you need to be using Windows Media Center with TV Pack 2008,Windows 7 or Windows 8 for clear QAM TV compatibility.
ATSC digital TV is the over-the-air HD digital TV for North America. ATSC digital TV typically requires an antenna for reception, and is currently broadcast in 200 cities, with over 1500 TV stations. ATSC broadcasts range in resolution from standard definition up to the high definition 1080i format. The WinTV-HVR can be used to watch and record all ATSC formats.
Note: ATSC digital TV is NOT digital cable TV or digital satellite TV. ATSC is digital "over-the-air" TV.
ATSC digital TV brings you sharper pictures and enriches your PC’s multimedia experience with near CD quality sound. WinTV-HVR’s ATSC digital TV tuner adds great features to your TV viewing: high definition TV reception, automatic identification of channel names plus records high-definition digital TV programs to your PC’s hard disk in an MPEG-2 format without any loss in quality.
Technically speaking:
WinTV-HVR-2255 is a PCI Express X1 board based on the NXP 7164 bus interface chip. The WinTV-HVR-2255 contains two tuners with a built-in TV splitter. There is one cable TV or TV antenna connector which is split, providing a video source for both tuners. For ATSC and QAM digital TV, all 18 ATSC formats including 1080i can be watched or recorded to disk as a MPEG-2 Program Stream. The NXP 7164 contains two highly integrated MPEG-1/2 hardware encoders for recording analog cable TV to disk. The playback of the recorded ATSC and QAM digital TV and MPEG-2 encoded analog programs are done through a software MPEG-2 player.
WinTV-HVR-2255 now supports an on-board IR receiver and blaster, which can control up to two external set top boxes. With the on-board remote receiver/blaster, you no longer need the external "beanbag" remote receiver. The on-board receiver also has a "learn" mode, so you can use almost any external set top box.
Notes:
- For Analog TV reception, you need an analog cable TV connection. If you have a digital cable set top box or a satellite box, you can connect via either Composite or S-Video inputs. Channel changing will be done using the IR blaster. The WinTV-HVR-2255 has two Media Center compatible IR blaster outputs for controlling two cable TV or satellite set top boxes.
- For ATSC over-the-air digital TV reception, a high gain antenna is recommended. To check the ATSC TV broadcasts in your area, go to TitanTV.com and enter your postal code.
Note: depending on the strength of your antenna, you might not be able to receive all broadcasts listed at TitanTV. - To watch clear QAM channels, you should use Windows Media Center from Windows 7 or Windows 8. Clear QAM digital cable TV channels are not available on all cable networks. For more information, contact your cable TV provider.
- ATSC TV recordings are not 100% compatible with DVD, and therefore you cannot burn them directly to a DVD.
A new, improved, dual TV tuner for Windows Media Center
Watch and record up to two TV channels at the same time!
WinTV-HVR-2255 has these great features on one half height PCIe board:
- Dual tuner: NTSC, ATSC and QAM
- New: Better digital TV reception! Receive more digital TV channels, with better reception with the WinTV-HVR-2255!
- Dual digital TV receivers for ATSC or clear QAM. Watch and record two ATSC or clear QAM digital TV programs at the same time. Watch and record all ATSC and QAM formats, including the high definition 1080i format. Clear QAM digital TV channels are TV channels which are broadcast "in the clear" on your cable TV network.
- Dual built-in hardware MPEG-2 encoders for recording analog cable TV, for the best system performance. Watch and record two cable TV programs at the same time. When recording analog cable TV, the dual built in hardware MPEG-2 encoders let your PC run at full speed!
- Built-in antenna splitter allows you to make one connection to either cable TV or an ATSC antenna, and watch and record up to 2 channels.
- With one FM radio receiver. Listen to or record FM radio on your PC.
- New feature! Now with on-board IR remote control with dual IR blasters for Windows Media Center!
- Windows Media Center compatible: supports Media Center in Windows 7 and Windows 8 (with Media Center add on).
- Single slot PCI Express (PCIe) X1 board, half height.
ATSC over-the-air digital TV features:
- Dual ATSC over-the-air digital TV tuners. Supports all ATSC formats, up to the highest definition 1080i format
- Watch one ATSC digital TV program while recording another ATSC program to your PC's hard disk using high quality MPEG-2. TV recordings will typically consume 5 GB of disk space per hour for ATSC high definition
- Built-in antenna splitter allows you to make one connection to an ATSC antenna but watch and record up to 2 channels
Clear QAM digital cable TV features:
- Dual clear QAM digital cable TV receivers. Watch one clear QAM digital cable TV program while recording another clear QAM program to your PC's hard disk using high quality MPEG-2
- Built-in cable TV splitter allows you to make one connection to cable TV but watch and record 2 TV programs at the same time
- Note: to receive clear QAM digital cable TV, you need to use either Windows 7 Media Center or the Hauppauge WinTV v7 application
- Note: not all cable TV networks send clear QAM channels. Please check with your local cable operator for the availability of clear QAM digital cable TV
Two analog tuners and hardware encoders:
- Dual built-in high quality hardware MPEG-2 encoders, so your PC continues to run at full speed while watching, pausing and recording analog cable TV
- Dual 125 channel cable ready TV tuners built-in. With dbx-TV stereo decoder, for great TV sound
- Built-in cable TV splitter allows you to make one connection to cable TV but watch and record 2 TV programs at the same time
- Composite/S-Video and audio inputs, for cable or satellite set top boxes or VCRs
Built-in FM radio receiver:
- Includes a separate connector for an FM antenna
- Listen to FM radio on your PC
- Use WinTV v8 to record FM radio programs
External audio/video inputs:
- Two sets of A/V inputs are included: one on the back panel bracket of the WinTV-HVR-2255 and one on the "Auxiliary A/V panel" which requires a chassis slot
- S-Video, composite video and stereo audio supported on both inputs
- Record external audio/video with dual built-in high quality hardware MPEG-2 encoders
Model numbers
model 01213: WinTV-HVR-2255 Media Center Kit: includes a Media Center certified remote control transmitter, an IR remote control receiver/blaster cable, half height bracket, an A/V breakout cable for the primary A/V input, an auxiliary A/V panel and cable to add a second set of audio/video inputs, and an IR transmitter cable to control a second set top box through the auxiliary A/V panel, and WinTV 7 installation CD with drivers and Hauppauge software.
model 01229: WinTV-HVR-2255 board only. Includes half height bracket and an A/V breakout cable for the primary A/V input, an auxiliary A/V panel and cable to add a second set of audio/video inputs, and a drivers installation CD only. No WinTV 7 software or Remote control included.
Notes:
* The Media Center products from Hauppauge do not include an MPEG video decoder. If you have a Windows XP or Vista Media Center PC, it needs to come with a Microsoft certified Media Center MPEG decoder pre-installed. If you are building a Windows Media Center PC, please check with Microsoft for a list of certified MPEG decoders. YOU WILL NEED A MICROSOFT CERTIFIED MEDIA CENTER DECODER TO WATCH TV!
* For Windows 8 you need Windows 8 Pro and the separate purchase of Media Center add-on from Microsoft to use the board only. Otherwise buy the 01213 Kit that includes our WinTV 7 software. Alternatively you can buy the WinTV 7 software separately from our webstore.
System requirements
- Processor requirements: 2.2 GHz P4 or equivalent (minimum) required for displaying ATSC high definition TV on your PC screen
- Microsoft® Windows® 10, 8, 7 or Vista Premium or Ultimate. Media Center (32 or 64-bit) in Windows 8 or 7. Also for Windows XP.
- Available PCIe X1 or X8 slot
- Graphics with 64 MB memory (or greater)
- Sound card
- CD reader for software installation
Third Party applications for WinTV-HVR-955Q
NextPVR
NextPVR is a TV application which can be used with all WinTV TV tuners. It can be downloaded here: NextPVR.
Linux:
The WinTV-HVR-2255 and WinTV-HVR-2205 have open source Linux support. See this link from LinuxTV.org
For customization of the Linux driver, please send an e-mail message to: davidz@hauppauge.com