Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder by HAUPPAUGE
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Digital camera reviews of Hauppauge 1212 HD-PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder
Digital camera Review: 1212 HD-PVR died after 2 months of use, don't buy
Summary: 1 Stars
Had problems from the start. I have been putting PCs together from scratch so I have some knowledge of getting PC hardware and software to work. It took at least 3 installs/uninstalls of drivers so PC (quad CPU, 4 GB memory, WIndows 7) for DVR software to recognize the device, upgraded the drivers off the internet. The device is connected in passthru mode. After almost 2 months use the following problems occur every couple of days or so - it seems to be getting worst with time:
recording freezes (screen freezes) or
recording stops (application dies) and device had to be restarted, sometimes have to reboot the PC to get device and software to start (get no signal on the screen) or
screen would disintegrate into a few scan lines and have to restart things
As for performance, depending on settings the transfer to dvd would take as long and longer than the length of the recording. The device must be operating in passthru mode to work (IAW the passthru is an active operation of the device). The software is very rudimentary and not very intuitive. Haven't tried scheduling or using the IR option. The software for the device doesn't appear to be supported.
Since it's over 30 days I must pay for return postage and only get 85% refund according to the Amazon return policy. Haven't decided to do this yet. Be forewarned. It may pay to buy the warranty if you decide to buy. I wouldn't recommend this device to anyone. Oh yes, before the device was installed I never had any of the above problems with the PC or LCD.
The device finally died today, 11-25-2010, the video output from device to tv stopped. The device had been having problems outputting for last week. Reconnected component video cables from satellite receiver to the tv to get a picture.
Digital camera Review: 1212: hot item, not ready for prime time
Summary: 1 Stars
Sadly I just returned the second of these, purchased through Amazon.com.
Both had the same failure and a few other annoying characteristics which I'm mentioning in hope that Hauppague will improve the product, for its image capture is superb and I'd love to purchase one again when it works properly.
1) The failure: after a week of using the first device the image output to the TV would be frequently interrupted by an all black screen with occasional broken pictures in between these interruptions. The replacement unit, supplied very efficiently by Amazon, failed the same way with 24 hours.
2) The component connectors have little or no grip! One or more of the video leads of the 6' cables supplied with the cableco Motorola HD-DVR and the 6' cable supplied by Hauppague would simply fall out of the 1212 connectors with any motion of the box once it was in place. The same behavior was exhibited using Monoprice 3' cables.
3) The IR blaster adhesive failed on both the first and second cables within minutes of being applied to the face of the HD-DVR.
4) The unit needs to be powered on simply to watch TV via the component interface. In the case of the Motorola HD-DVR, if I also connect its HDMI to the TV, the component interface is clamped off.
5) I'm using a Logitech 880 universal remote and, though I did not setup IR for the 1212, nor "train" the 880 from the Hauppauge remote, it could not turn the 1212 on or off, which would have been convenient as it runs quite hot and, therefore, I presume costly at the utility meter. The fact that I turned it on/off manually, and therefore caused the light-weight unit to move on its feet, perhaps contributed to the cable leads falling out?
I've been very happy with other Hauppauge products and I look forward to some engineering changes to the 1212 so that I can use it once again.
Digital camera Review: A Great Game Recorder
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this for intended use with my Xbox 360 to record Call of Duty Gameplay. I had a Mac so i was not able to use the software that came with in the box. The software to make this compatible with the Mac cost an extra $30. The setup was a breeze and using it with your computer wasn't relatively a problem. It may take about 15-20 minutes to get cooperated with the Mac program, but once you get going you won't have any problems. The video/sound was superb. I had no lag issues and the product came across great on my 32" LCD TV. I found myself not wanting to record much anymore so I decided to sell it. I sold it for $182 on eBay so I only lost $17 on the whole thing! I would recommend this product to anyone, it is a great product that is well built.Digital camera Review: A Powerful Device for PCs and, with add-ons, for Macs
Summary: 4 Stars
As long as you know exactly what you are getting with the Hauppauge HD PVR, you won't be disappointed with the performance of this little black box. It is designed for PC Windows users only, although Mac owners can use it with some add-ons.
First, you'll need to understand and accept what this PVR does not do: without any memory or hard drive inside, it does not store video itself, making the PVR label somewhat misleading, and it does not burn video to DVD. To use it, you must hook it up to a PC or Mac (more on the Mac later) for both recording and playback. And it relies entirely on software running on your computer to record, edit, program, and burn Blu-ray format DVDs. The box itself has no controls other than a power button. It has component, composite, and S-video connections (no HDMI) for video, and optical and stereo audio inputs.
So what does it do? It takes the HD signals streaming into it and compresses them in a format that preserves the HD quality in a savable AVCHD file; you can record/save manually or on a schedule. These signals can come from a set top box, camcorder or other video source that can connect with the above inputs. The included ArcSoft Media software for Windows allows you to record on either the computer hard drive or an external one. Once the files are saved, you may use your computer's DVD-R drive to burn a Blu-Ray-compatible DVD or HD-DVD, edit, play back on your computer or television, convert to iPod-, Xbox-, or PS3-friendly format (MOV, MP4, M2TS, or WMV), or share playback within the same wireless network. The included IR blaster can change the channels on your set top box to the one you've programmed to record. Note: the blaster works with the included software and therefore only on Windows.
Chances are, you're going to have to do some thinking before you decide how to set up the PVR. The conversion box is 7.5" w by 6.5" d by 2/5 " h, so it doesn't take up much space itself. However, you will need a computer next to the HD source. For those who don't have their computer in the same room as the set top box, this may mean buying a computer specifically for video, and naturally, that increases the price of the set-up. However, if you don't plan on recording every day, you can hook up/unhook a laptop very easily - just pull out the USB cable and your connection, if any, to the television. Hauppauge includes the basic component cables (HD source to PVR) and USB cable (PVR to your computer), but, if you want to play the video back on your TV, you will need to buy the necessary cables/connections for that. As of June 2009, the bundled PC software includes a program that allows your PC DVD drive to play the PVR Blu-Ray-format recordings. Depending on your set-up, you may want to add a USB hub, an external hard drive, and/or Apple TV.
Unfortunately for Mac users, Hauppauge does not support OS X, which means you'll have an additional software expense. Two software packages currently work with the Mac and the Hauppauge. The cheaper and less elegant solution is a program called HDPVR Capture, developed and sold privately by a Hauppauge engineer. The fuller featured, more versatile option is Elgato's EyeTV , but unfortunately, you can't use several of the features because it doesn't communicate with the IR Blaster to change channels. Both programs are available only online, although EyeTV 3 comes bundled with Elgato hardware products. If you can find a workaround for the blaster issue, the EyeTV 3 will be nothing short of awesome. It converts the PVR files to a wide variety of formats used by iLife programs. Hauppauge really needs to work more closely with Elgato to satisfy the rapidly growing Mac population. If you are a serious videophile and Mac user, you'll probably also want a product like Roxio Toast 10 Titanium Pro.
The minimum systems requirements for the PVR are: Intel Core Duo processor, 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended), graphics card with at least 256 MB memory, and a sound card. Windows users need either the XP Service Pack or Vista 32. I'm using a three year old Intel Core Duo MacBook without any difficulty. I bypass the MacBook's hard drive to save all my recordings on a portable external hard drive, the Iomega eGo 320 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400 Portable External Hard Drive 34403 (Ruby Red).
Consumers expecting a DVR with onboard memory and playback may be frustrated with the Hauppauge since it requires a computer, but for those who want to capture HD content and do something with it, you've found your equipment.
With special thanks to fellow reviewer Frank Miller.
-- Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Digital camera Review: A Pricy Disappointment
Summary: 3 Stars
I planned on using this to record gameplay footage off of my PS3. However, the unit is NOT compatible with HDMI format for my HDTV. Because of this, i was required to buy a set of component cables for my PS3. Also, the usb cable that comes with the package is only six feet long, and seeing how the device must be connected to a PC at all times I needed to buy a usb extension cord. If you plan to buy this device DO NOT but it on Amazon. The model they shipped me was NOT the model that is displayed in the package.