The GOTVIEW PCI Hybrid TV and FM tuner is an interesting budget solution with DVB-T support. System Load
Via est vita.
(Movement is life)
The short period of existence on the market did not hurt Russian company achieve a certain popularity. To a large extent, this was facilitated by the use of alternative software developments and the organization of a full-fledged forum for technical support for users, however, the market model used by the company deserves a separate comment. From the very beginning, the family of computer TV tuners with a PCI interface had to fit into the $60-70 price segment, that is, significantly more expensive than the cheapest models, but somewhat cheaper than what is commonly called high-end. But if the first model, based on the obsolete 8-bit Conexant Bt878 ADC, to put it mildly, did not quite correspond to its positioning, then the GOTVIEW PCI 7134 that replaced it, under certain circumstances, could already be considered a successful purchase. Thus, PCI 7134 could have had a long and happy market fate, if not for the discontinuation of production of the TCL2002MB-33F RF unit used in this tuner from Huizhou TCL King High Frenquency Electronic Co. A logical solution from the point of view of maintaining cost would be to install a selector from LG or TVision (TDA8275 semiconductor selectors offered at fairly low prices would inevitably lead to a deterioration in reception quality). To the company's credit, the decision was made to use the more expensive, but also higher quality Philips mk3 RF units. This equalized the element base of the new model with AVerTV Studio Model 307 and Terratec Cinergy 600 TV Radio, but it turned out to be not the only innovation. The “ace in the hole” was the installation of the Philips SAA713 ADC 5 HL, which differs from the SAA7134HL in its expanded capabilities for working with sound.
Contents of delivery
The box is traditionally miniature, the color design is typical for all the company's products.
The delivery set is also familiar to us from previous products and includes:
- Tuner
- Remote control
- Remote IR remote control sensor
- Cable for connection to line input sound card
- FM antenna
- 2 CDs with drivers and software
- Russian-language tuner installation guide
All internal tuners of the company are equipped with the program WinDVD Creator 2 from designed for creating VCD, SVCD or DVD. The program supports Russian language, serial number indicated on the disc sleeve.
In addition to being used for its intended purpose, the program is designed to install MPEG1/2 codecs necessary for recording in these formats and normal operation functions Timeshift.
Design and specifications
All of the company's PCI tuners have a purple textolite color, and GOTVIEW PCI 7135 was no exception.
The board layout differs from all models currently presented on the Russian market. Apparently, the PCB design was developed for mk2 format selectors, which included the TCL2002MB-33F. However, this did not prevent us from installing the Philips FM1216ME/I H-3, which is well known to us from models from many manufacturers.
One of the features of the Philips SAA7135HL is support for decoding all existing stereo audio standards. Modern RF modules of the classical type, as a rule, are produced with simultaneous support for two formats, PAL/SECAM or PAL/NTSC, which was the reason for the low distribution of this ADC. In this regard, so far we have only encountered this SAA7135HL in TV tuners with multi-standard semiconductor selectors.
The main capabilities of the tuner, determined largely by the software used, almost completely coincide with the features of its predecessor.
- Extended VHF band from 66 MHz
- Fully Russified interface
- Scan channels in any specified range, with any specified step
- Three channel search methods (by image presence, by signal presence and combined)
- Deinterlace filters, including double frame rate
- Individual settings for each channel: volume, brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth, encoding type
- Ability to configure TV and radio channels while saving the setup results in one table
- Assigning an icon for each channel
- Motion Detector
- Function Timeshift
- Function Picture-in-Picture (PIP) if there are two or more video capture devices in the system
- Capture frames in BMP, GIF, JPG format by timer or by pressing a button
- Optional mute when starting a program, searching or switching channels
- Eliminating edge defects in an image (scaling and cropping edges)
- Capture individual frames at resolutions from 80x60 to 768x576
- Audio capture via PCI bus
- Possibility to automatically change the file name.
- Full information about the capture
- Processing the recorded image with filters
- Ability to temporarily pause recording (to skip advertising)
- Ability to adjust settings (change brightness, contrast, etc.) during recording
- Video over desktop
- Broadcast over the network
- Support for a weekly TV program with the ability to download updates
- Displays the name of the current TV program, as well as the start and end time of this program, indicating the length of time that has passed since the beginning
- Ability to reserve disk space for recording a fragment
Test computer configuration
- Processor Athlon 64 3000+
- Maternal ASUS board K8V SE DELUXE (K8T800 chipset)
- RAM 1 GB (512 MB PC3200 from Samsung + 512 MB PC3200 from Kingmax)
- Video card HIS Excalibur X800 Pro IceQ II
- Creative sound card Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS
- Modem Genius GM56PCI-LA
- Hard drive 120 GB Maxtor Plus9-6Y120M0 7200rpm SATA150 8mb
- DVD ROM 12x/48x Hitachi GD-7500BV
- CD ReWriter TEAC 540E 40×12×48
- DVD ReWriter NEC ND-3500A
- Thermaltake HPC-420-102 DF power supply
- operating room Windows system XP Professional (SP2) ENG
List of broadcast channels during testing
Connection
The set of connectors is a standard set.
Placing additional audio connectors avoids possible problems When installing PCI devices in an adjacent slot, the connectors are located parallel to the board.
Settings
The driver is installed from the included disk standard means operating system. Programs are installed manually; autorun is still missing. In chapter DOC There is detailed documentation in PDF format.
After installation we get following devices
and the program icon remote control in the system tray.
Changing the selector for the first time allowed the internal tuner from GOTVIEW to confidently cope with the reception of all my channels (information about the operation of the TCL2002-33F in my conditions can be found in the GOTVIEW PCI 7134 review).
During testing, the latest version of the program was used at that time GoTView PRO 3.0.0.449.
Program features GoTView PRO are described in detail in the reviews of GOTVIEW PCI 7134 and GOTVIEW PCI DVD. Let us note the emerging differences and functions characteristic of GOTVIEW PCI 7135.
Unlike GOTVIEW PCI DVD, the CPU is used to operate the noise reduction filters.
In the function settings Timeshift appeared automatic start viewing.
The operation of the motion detector was described in the GOTVIEW PCI DVD review.
The program has several options for searching channels, including searching by frequency. Let us remind you that one of the features is a general list of television channels and FM stations.
In addition to the individual setting of the color standard (which left one of the capabilities of the SAA 7135HL idle - hardware determination of the audio standard), advanced sound settings were added. The choice of Incredible Mono/Incredible Stereo is made depending on the availability of stereo sound on a given channel.
Capture and additional features
There are few changes in this section.
It is now possible to capture without viewing while recording.
Transmission of video streams over the network now has support for deinterlacing.
Quality
Philips SAA7135HL belongs to besides the family, as SAA7134HL. In this regard, you should not expect any changes in picture quality compared to the previous model (of course, if you do not take into account the positive effect of the Philips mk3 RF module in certain conditions). However, the SAA713x series ADC, on this moment already occupy a leading position when working with the SECAM standard. In the end - predictable good quality(a deinterlacing filter was used Blend).
Despite the “improved noise immunity” listed in the specifications, GOTVIEW PCI 7135 became the first and so far the only PCI tuner that was directly dependent on the system used during testing. When the test subject and the Genius GM56PCI-LA modem were simultaneously present inside the system unit, vertical stripes were observed on channel 1 (49.75 MHz).
Some justification in this case can be the fact that by selecting a combination of device placement in PCI slots, it was possible to minimize the effect to almost complete imperceptibility even when using a deinterlacing filter, not to mention the operation of noise reduction algorithms.
A few words about audio decoding. A feature of the NICAM stereo sound standard, adopted in Russia as a state standard, is the sampling frequency of 32 KHz. So there is no advantage to 48KHz support as sound when working with NICAM Stereo (this feature can be useful during subsequent processing of recorded content). Fortunately, this limitation does not apply to A2 channels (common on cable providers), FM stations, and channels with mono audio. Yet again, individual settings treble, bass, balance and sound effects can be useful in any environment.
FM tuner
Due to the fact that FM stations are in the same list as television channels, the interface does not change when working in FM mode. A combined operating mode is possible, allowing you to simultaneously select both television channels and FM stations.
Updating the HF module did not affect the operation of the radio station search algorithm. Regardless of the scanning settings, the resulting result led to the manual addition of most stations.
A bonus of the Philips selector is the ability to receive FM radio on a television antenna.
An ADC is used for FM decoding. However, the difference compared to tuners based on SAA7134, in which the selector is used for this, is practically not felt.
Let's illustrate additional audio processing. 20-second fragments, mp3, 192 Kbps, 48 KHz are available for download.
- Philips Incredible Mono (pseudo stereo mode)
- Philips Incredible Stereo (stereo widening)
Remote control
GOTVIEW PCI 7135 comes with an updated remote control. The number of buttons has increased (34 instead of 30). Powered by two AAA batteries included in the package.
Manual assignment of functions to remote control buttons is available.
First appeared in GoTView PRO versions 3.0.0.445 possibility of operating the remote control with third party programs. During operation, the functions of multimedia keyboards and keyboard shortcuts are emulated. Supported applications include MS MediaPlayer, Zoom Player, BSPlayer and Winamp.
The microcontroller used allows the tuner to work with the remote control of other household equipment. At the same time, the standard software supports the ability to configure buttons in this case. However, if there are TV/DVD player/VCR remote controls within the sensor’s coverage area that operate simultaneously with the tuner software, this feature may cause some inconvenience.
conclusions
The implementation of additional capabilities for working with sound allows us to award GOTVIEW PCI 7135 an award from our site for original design.
Convenient adapted program GoTView PRO With a large number of available settings and the presence of additional software included in the package, it deserves an award for the package.
pros
- Good picture and sound quality
- BG/DK support
- Support A2/NICAM decoding
- Supports resolutions up to 768x576
- Audio transmission via PCI bus with sampling rates up to 48 KHz
- Possibility of connecting to an additional sound card input
- Support in one list of TV channels and FM stations
- Individual settings for high and low frequencies, balance and audio post-processing for each channel
- Individual settings of video image parameters and color standard for each channel
- Controlling automatic gain control modes
- Deinterlacing filters
- Software noise reduction filters
- Extended range VHF+FM
- Full function "Picture-in-Picture"(if there is a second video capture device)
- Function Timeshifting
- Motion Detector
- Software support for recording in AVI/DV/WMV/MPEG-4 formats with any codec installed in the system
- Multi-channel preview
- Play video over desktop
- TV program support
- Broadcast over the network
- Possibility to turn off the computer after finishing recording
- Customizable remote control (only for working with the program GoTView PRO)
- Russian-language interface
- Availability of additional software included in the package
Minuses
- Lack of audio cable to connect to the auxiliary jack
- Possible vertical stripe effect on some channels in certain configurations
Of course, the new model in the GOTVIEW line surpasses its predecessors in all respects. The assets include the best selector at the moment, an ADC with expanded sound capabilities, dynamically developing standard software and a full-fledged technical support forum.
It would be logical to expect a significant increase in retail price, but GOTVIEW managers turned out to be faithful to the approach described at the beginning of the review, and therefore, in terms of price/quality ratio, GOTVIEW PCI 7135 is noticeably superior to previous models.
P. S.: To tell the truth, for the first time the price of a PCI tuner from this company does not seem overpriced to me.
GOTVIEW PCI 7135 in Moscow retail: N/A(0)
The new year 2005 is still far away, but the new model year has already arrived, at least this is true for the GOTVIEW company, which presented to consumers a line of its new TV tuners on new chipsets with new characteristics and new capabilities.
This company, which recently appeared on the Russian market, was able in a year and a half not only to please consumers with its products, but also to turn into one of the leaders in the field of tuning.
In my opinion, three factors contributed to this - high-quality iron; the most functional and developed software with regular updates and not in words, but in fact, adapted for Russia (the only competitor for the included software for GOTVIEW can be considered the Beholder company); very responsive support, which not only answers all your questions in the forum on the company’s website, but also makes improvements to the software that correspond to your suggestions. Let’s hope that GOTVIEW will not depart from these “three pillars of success” in the 2005 model year, and the reason for checking has already appeared.
Today we will look at a new internal model of the tuner, in which GOTVIEW, judging by the brief specification, retained all the best that the company had developed during its existence, and also added a lot of new things. So, meet GoTView PCI DVD.
Equipment
Nothing has changed in the design of the packaging of the new tuners, and this is not necessary - so there is enough varied information written there, and the inscription “Adapted for Russian TV broadcasting” has not disappeared anywhere.
The kit contains the card itself, a brand new flat remote control, an external IR receiver, a minijack-RCA audio cable (2 connectors), a brief installation guide and a pair of CDs - with native software, drivers and full instructions for working in PDF format and with WinDVD Creator 2.0 from InterVideo.
Innovations in the element base
There have been some very serious changes here compared to the predecessors of this card. The fact is that the new TV tuner has become “double-headed”. It is based on two chips - the new Philips SAA7174HL (change of leader - 34th chip) and CONEXANT CX23416. Thanks to this, you can not only watch TV programs with the best quality for Russian SECAM and stereo sound in NICAM and A2, but also hardware compress the video stream on the fly into MPEG2 format.
The entire encoding process has now been transferred from the CPU to the hardware of the card, so digitization will occur without frame loss, desynchronization of audio and video streams and other glitches. But this, of course, only applies to MPEG2. For other recording formats, software codecs are used and the presence/absence of the above-described glitches rests on the conscience of the resources of your machine, in particular the processor.
Changes have occurred not only in the chips, but also in the RF unit. The channel selector has been changed - the old TCL has been replaced with MK3 - a selector with higher sensitivity and selectivity.
If we talk about the board layout, although there have been changes due to the advent of a new element base, the scheme for protecting the tuner from interference remains the same.
The board has acquired hardware (and not just software, available in new version supplied software) noise reduction filter. This function works both during recording and during normal viewing of a video stream and has five levels of adjustment.
But something has disappeared from the board - this is the FM block. According to the company's support, there will not be a version of this tuner with FM support. In principle, the board is really more intended for serious work with video (encoding, video processing and all that). On the other hand, there will probably be a number of dissatisfied users who will, for obvious reasons, like the board (as a TV tuner and MPEG encoder), but will be upset by the lack of an FM tuner.
Board appearance
As you can see, the shape of the board itself has changed. Instead of a wide PCB, the dimensions of which (namely the length) did not extend beyond the PCI bus, an elongated shape is now used, which slightly reminded me of some models of old tuners from other manufacturers. However, GOTVIEW's top style has not disappeared anywhere - burgundy varnish, golden panel with connectors, high quality execution.
This very golden panel contains: a low-frequency RCA input, a connector for connecting an external IR sensor, a socket for connecting an antenna, a composite S-Video input and a stereo audio input for a standard 3.5mm minijack.
Please note another significant change in the design - there is no longer an audio output on the board. Sound is now digitalized only in hardware and transmitted via the PCI bus. And the maximum audio sampling frequency has increased from 32KHz (on boards with yesterday's leader SAA7134) to 48KHz. It is unlikely that you will ever need a large value of this parameter in your work. Well, a stereo audio cable from a minijack to a pair of RCA connectors is used to transmit sound not “from”, but “to” the tuner when capturing video from any other device, for example, from a video camera.
Hardware summary
In fact, this is a completely new tuner with new capabilities, but it was clearly created taking into account the experience of building previous hardware (for example, the same anti-interference circuit). The only downside is the lack of such a nice addition as an FM tuner. But on the other hand, this step strictly positions the card as, to some extent, a professional model among amateur video capture.
Remote control
Changes have occurred here too. The design of the remote control has been completely redesigned - there is not even a hint of that “pop” rounded shape that the remote control of earlier GOTVIEW models had. Now the style and design of the remote control fully matches the elite look of the tuner board itself.
No more brightly colored buttons - black, white, gray. Well, just a little red - it lightly marks three buttons (Power, Rec/Play and Rec) and the inscription “GOTVIEW”.
On one side, the remote control appears completely flat. But on the other hand, when you take it in your hand, you understand that everything here was done, so to speak, for the people. On a thin body with reverse side There are even special grooves for the fingers! Thus, the remote control does not slip out of your hand. I’m scared to say this (true electronics lovers will throw stones).
If we talk about the convenience of pressing buttons, then I would like to draw a small parallel with that miniature flat control panel that many TV tuner manufacturers (or simply hangers of their labels on OEM hardware) really like to put in their kits today. I think you are familiar with him. So, in terms of the convenience of pressing the buttons, they are very similar - quite specific, but you quickly get used to it. But unlike that remote control, the GOTVIEW one has 37 control buttons, which are definitely enough for you to work comfortably.
All keys are conveniently located, i.e. The remote control panel is divided into certain zones, to which not only your eyes, but also your hands will quickly get used to.
But the most important difference between this remote control (or rather the software that comes with it) and most others is the reprogrammability of all keys. The list of possible functions that you can attach to each key is large - 93 functions.
I couldn’t find any cons for this remote control, so I can give it five points unconditionally.
Testing the tuner and working with software
Since the release of the GoTView PCI 7134 card, the main digits of the supplied software version number have not changed - 3.0. However, at that time this program had just been released (we have already written about its main differences from the 2nd version) and contained a number of minor defects, which were gradually found (with the help of a demanding user) and corrected (with the help of responsive support ), fortunately the forum on the company’s website greatly contributes to this.
The current version of the program supplied with the tuner has the index 3.0.0.441. In general, this version of the software has already become slightly outdated, because version 442 and beta 443 appeared on the site (these are changes that occurred in about twenty days). New versions have added a feature such as “motion detector”. Now a TV tuner together with a television camera can, for example, be used as a guard for your car, which is parked in the yard.
Main interface
There have been no fundamental changes since testing the first version of the program with index 3.0. Old skins of the program still display the volume control, rewind, Rec, Photo buttons, as well as a panel with image settings and the tuner itself.
The only thing that has been added is a new skin - Standard XP. I must say that it has a very specific look and not everyone will like it. For example, I generally prefer the old classic image of the program. There are now six skins in total, although two of them are simply enlarged copies of two more from the same six.
There is no point in talking about all the program settings in full - take a look at past reviews of GoTView tuners and you will be able to track both the evolution of hardware and the evolution of software. The 3rd version has already been sufficiently described in previous reviews of GoTView tuners, so it is useless to look for any fundamental innovations here - only light tuning of some functions and fixed minor buggies. As a result, we will not describe everything in detail, but will only briefly talk about the very capabilities of this program for those who are encountering GoTView for the first time.
Setting up channels
What distinguishes the software of this card from the rest is the presence of a detailed channel grid, where for each channel separately all adjustable parameters relating to the settings of the picture, sound, and broadcasting system are displayed. Please note that each of these parameters is adjustable on a per-channel basis. Here they are, the advantages of the tuner over a TV (and, by the way, most models of TV tuners from other manufacturers).
By default, your eyes will see the frequency grid of our broadcast that is familiar to Russians - 16 channels with their own names and (!) icons. You can set icons yourself to visually designate channels, just like channel names.
For those who do not have an antenna, but a cable, or simply have channels whose frequencies do not coincide with this grid, but lie in the range from 40 MHz to 800 MHz, you can use any of the proposed range scanning options. You can scan the grid automatically with automatic steps. The automatic search is designed in such a way that an inexperienced user does not even have to think about it - click Next and the automation will do everything else for you.
For those who are not used to trusting electronics, a choice of search method, scanning range, step (minimum 0.02 MHz) and broadcast system is provided. In principle, it is not necessary to set the range - you can choose to scan the standard network of broadcast channels or the same method, only cable channels are added to the broadcast ones.
It’s simply impossible not to catch something! Moreover, the Russian-language software interface is intuitively easy to understand.
Tuner settings
By clicking on the Settings icon on the tuner panel, we get to a four-page interface. Here, compared to the one we reviewed earlier with the GoTView PCI tuner, more early version Software, there are some differences...
The "View" page contains all the settings related to viewing, images, filters, etc. (it would be strange if this were not the case).
First, some good old fashioned... Here you can choose from five types of filtering; set aspect ratio; play a video stream over the desktop; disable OverlayMixer; change the resolution during “simple” viewing and during full-screen viewing; You can even enlarge the image a little to remove edges with artifacts.
Now about what has been added... A choice of work priority has appeared; choosing a video renderer type; a software noise suppression feature with five operating modes has been added (for our card this function is performed at the hardware level); it became possible to automatically select stereo sound.
But the changes to the “Interface” page were almost untouched (maybe because serious changes took place there earlier - during the transition from the 2nd version of the software to the 3rd (see review of the GoTView PCI 734 TV tuner). But the settings here are also without that is enough. Unlike many other tuners, using the device from GoTView is very convenient. Why? Yes, because this tuner will give you complete information on the screen about everything related to reception, display or recording.
Here you can also bring beauty, i.e. change the skin and font. Of the more or less significant innovations, it is worth noting only the display of the video standard on the screen.
Among the extremely useful (in my opinion) old features, I would like to note the function of blocking channel switching during capture. Well, we can’t forget about such functions as automatic frequency control, sound card control... you can’t list everything, and we agreed not to write about the old ones in detail here, because... already written.
"TimeShift". Not long ago, this tab appeared in GOTVIEW software, and therefore it is undergoing changes. If earlier it was too confusing and branched (the poor user was shuddering from all kinds of settings), today the situation has calmed down a little - all the settings (both video and audio) have somehow made room, grouped and are accessible directly from the same page.
In fact, time shifting is the temporary encoding of an audio and video stream if, say, you went away for half an hour to chat with a friend (girlfriend) and then watch a TV show with a time shift for this half an hour.
Our device encodes everything in MPEG2 on the fly, i.e. hardware, so you just have to tweak a few things (mere trifles - bitrate, resolution, etc.) and free up space on the drive.
Capture
This is the next icon, which is no less, but more interesting to us than all the others. After all, the specialization of our tuner is hardware encoding in MPEG2. It is noteworthy that of the six tabs, the first one here is MPEG (previously, its place was occupied by the page for encoding settings in the AVI format).
"MPEG". Just like in the time shifting settings, the “Video encoder settings” button has disappeared here - everything is now located directly on the main page. Naturally, you don’t choose any software encoder now. True, it’s a pity, but the possibility of cutting along the edges and the ability to pause (no, without Twix - the most common pause in a recording) have disappeared. This is again due to hardware encoding in MPEG.
But, along with setting the recording time, it became possible to set maximum size file.
In general, the recording settings interface has the same appearance as in previous releases of the 3rd version of the program - the processor load graph is clearly shown below, and the picture settings are on the right. True, another one has been added to the processor load graph - the screw load graph!
"AVI". The only innovation in the settings of this format is the possibility of resizing. Everything else is old. Yes, actually, what else can you come up with - connecting deinterlacing filtering, setting recording time, frame rate, resolution, quality, codec.
And of course, unlike the MPEG format, here you will have access to both cropping and the Pause button.
But it is important not only to set it up correctly, but also to keep the situation under control. Therefore, all the necessary information about the recording is displayed on the screen.
"WMV". There have been no changes here at all, and what is there to change - there are significantly fewer settings here.
"Sound". The peculiarity of this software is that you can use not only your own video codecs from the system, but also audio codecs. In addition, you can record only sound without video from any channel received by the tuner, or simply from the incoming information stream.
"Snapshot." Also nothing new - capturing individual frames in JPG, BMP, GIF.
"Net". The inscription "Experimental function!" It hasn’t disappeared anywhere, it’s still hanging (it’s been there since the 2nd version), which means it’s still being finalized. This function is used to implement the ability to broadcast TV shows via local network.
TV programm
A super function that saves all progressive humanity from buying newspapers and magazines, and also helps humanity itself maintain total (automatic at will) control over the broadcast time of current and future programs on all channels!
The principle of operation is elementary - the program itself connects to the desired server, downloads a small file (there will be no problems even on the most rotten dialup - tested) and that’s it. Now on each channel, immediately after switching on, the name of the program and the time it was broadcast are automatically displayed - convenient, however.)
Scheduler
Now that you have a program, you specify an action - "capture", which is recorded in the Scheduler. The program itself will start recording at the right time.
You can set tasks manually, of course, indicating the time and action (see screenshot).
Summary of software functionality
This is such a multifaceted (without exaggeration) software of GoTView tuners, in particular GoTView PCI DVD. Let me remind you that this software is also suitable for other models of GoTView TV tuners - this is a very big plus. Perhaps even this is the secret of such multifunctionality of this program - programmers do not need to develop and improve software for each tuner separately, it is easier to do this for all at once. Although, who knows - I’m not a programmer...
Be that as it may, you can only give GOTVIEW software an A+ and it has never been different.
Reception quality
Both the software and the reception quality of GoTView hardware have always been excellent. Our test system configuration: Athlon1200 processor, Soltek 75SL-75DRV2 motherboard, NVIDIA video card GeForce2 MX400, 256MB RAM, ESS 1969 sound, Windows XP SP1 operating system. The channel reception was tested using a collective antenna. The frequency grid from the software package did not cause any failures - all 16 channels were detected with excellent reception quality and high definition.
The quality of deinterlacing filters has already been tested in previous reviews - there have been no changes here. Blend and Bob showed themselves to be the best (Bob's picture is a little rougher).
The MPEG encoder also performed excellently. Well, of course - there are no dropped frames, there is no mismatch between audio and video, the load on the system is zero. Speaking of load...
System Load
With deinterlacing filters connected, the load does not exceed 65-70% - good performance for such an old machine. When encoding in MPEG2, the load on the CPU is significantly lower, although the capture is carried out in maximum resolution, because all problems fall on CONEXANT's head.
Results
GoTView PCI DVD is a high-quality multifunctional capture card with TV tuner capability, based on the latest chipsets and accompanied by the latest and most powerful package of constantly updated software.
The only complaint that can be made to this card may be the lack of an FM tuner that is needed by so many. On the other hand, as I already said, this is a more professional model. The price for a new card is 125 USD.
Revolutionary changes in the personal computer market are quite rare. The industry is developing gradually, acquiring more and more new qualities. This happens even somehow imperceptibly, on its own, but, looking back a few years, we notice how strikingly modern hardware and software differ from what we used quite recently. It would seem that what could change in the TV tuner market? But here, too, software, hardware and functionality are constantly evolving. GoTView tuners have always been famous for their well-designed drivers, high-quality and functional video capture, as well as the ability to transmit a TV signal over a local network. Not long ago we tested the GoTView PCI 7134 model, and today it has been replaced by the PCI 7135 TV tuner. Among the features of the new model, we highlight the new universally recognized Philips MK3 RF unit, which has better characteristics compared to TCL, which was used in the GoTView PCI 7134 model, as well as the Philips chip, the number of which included in the model name. Has the tuner become better, what qualities has it acquired, is it very different from the previous model? We will try to answer all these questions below.
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Equipment
The GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner comes in packaging that is typical for most products from this manufacturer. All the inscriptions on the box, as well as the documentation and software shell, are in Russian, which once again confirmed the manufacturer’s desire to fully adapt its products to the Russian market.
Inside the package we found the following kit:
- TV tuner board;
- T-shaped FM antenna;
- IR receiver;
- double-sided sticker for fixing the IR receiver;
- remote control;
- 2 AAA batteries;
- short audio cable for connecting to the linear input of a sound card;
- instructions in Russian;
- 2 discs with software
The GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner is compact and there are no problems when installing it in small cases. The board is limited by the size of the PCI slot, which modern conditions is practically the norm.
The heart of the GoTView PCI 7135 is the Philips SAA7135HL chip, which provides advanced audio processing over the SAA7134 chip and earlier.
The 7135 model uses the original Philips MK3 RF unit, which is potentially capable of providing better reception quality compared to the 7134 model. Whether our expectations were met or not, we will tell you below.
As in the PCI 7134 model, the company uses high-capacity electrolytes with low internal resistance to minimize power supply noise, as well as a stabilizer designed to reduce voltage surges when powering the chip.
The GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner, like its predecessors, is equipped with audio connectors directly on the board, which is quite rare on models from other manufacturers. These connectors are necessary to directly connect the TV tuner to the sound card inside the PC, which will allow you to avoid using the external line input of the sound card. Note that these connectors are located on the outside printed circuit board, as a result, the user does not need to remove the TV tuner to connect or disconnect cables. However, the GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner can transmit sound not only using an external or internal cable, but also via the PCI bus. This means you won't need to connect it to your sound card.
The following connectors are located on the bar from left to right:
- connector for connecting an FM antenna;
- connector for connecting a TV antenna;
- connector for connecting an external IR receiver;
- S-Video input (four pins);
- audio input (mini-jack);
- composite video input;
- audio output.
According to established tradition, as test bench we used home media center Depo Ego following configuration:
- CPU: Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz with 800 MHz bus;
- motherboard: MicroStar MS-6743;
- RAM: DDR400 512 MB;
- video card: Intel Extreme Graphics II, integrated on the board;
- sound card: Creative Audigy 2 ZS;
- HDD: Samsung 160 GB SATA;
- operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 installed and all updates from Windows Update.
After installing the GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner into a free PCI slot and turning on the PC, Windows XP finds a new device. Driver installation is carried out using the operating system. After installation, the following hardware appears in Device Manager.
Unfortunately, the software disk is not equipped with a startup mode and a shell, but the installation process is described in some detail in the instructions. After completing the installation of drivers and programs, it is advisable to restart the computer, but this is not at all necessary.
Previously, the laboratory site had already tested three internal TV tuners from GoTView. These were GoTView PCI , GoTView PCI 7134 And GoTView PCI DVD. The GoTView Pro software shell supplied with the company's tuners has not undergone significant changes, and therefore, in order not to repeat it, we recommend that you read our previous reviews.
GoTView Pro version number 3.0.0.449, supplied with the GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner, implements new feature- "Motion detector", which allows you to use the TV tuner as an inexpensive video surveillance system. You simply connect a video camera to the tuner with a cable with two tulips, display it on the window, and you can record video of your car in the parking lot on a PC or watch the area in front of the house. Similar "security" features are now popular among other TV tuner manufacturers.
The software shell allows, if there is movement in the frame, to save individual frames, record video or sound on the hard drive for later viewing. We have already tested a similar possibility in TV tuner Behold TV 403 FM, but it is worth noting that the Beholder company specializes in creating hardware and software systems for access control and video surveillance and, accordingly, tried to implement this function in its TV tuners, while GoTView does not deal with video surveillance systems, but its implementation of the system seemed quite decent to us.
The motion detector function in the GoTView Pro software shell is implemented as follows: first, the user is asked to select the check interval and sensitivity, and then set the action when motion is detected in the frame and the action when motion is stopped. The difference from a similar function from Beholder is that the GoTView Pro software shell does not have a mask that allows you to split the image into zones in which tracking would be carried out. In some cases, this may limit the use of the GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner as a video surveillance system, since the software shell will not allow you to cut off areas that are not necessary to monitor.
In general, we would like to note that GoTView has adequately implemented the motion detector function, and we are confident that this feature will be further developed in new versions of the software shells.
Picture and sound quality
A regular antenna is installed on the roof of the editorial office building, and the testing laboratory is the sole user of the signal from it. However, the geographical location of a small laboratory building leads to the fact that many channels “arrive” at the antenna with great interference. It’s all the more interesting for us to test tuners in less than ideal conditions.
I would especially like to note that the GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner demonstrated, in general, excellent image quality without any additional settings and the use of a noise reduction system. When viewing channels with average reception quality, the “noise” suppression function significantly improved image quality. On channels with poor quality reception, the “noise” suppression function also showed a good result, but in the end the image became more inertial, which led to blurring of the picture when viewing dynamic scenes. Therefore, we do not recommend using maximum noise reduction modes unless absolutely necessary.
In the laboratory, the tuner was able to detect all 15 existing channels, which indicates the good sensitivity of the Philips MK3 selector. Note that a search using a standard frequency grid allowed us to detect only 6 channels. This allowed us to conclude that the channels in our antenna are not taken from the air, but are rebroadcast via cable. Therefore, a search was carried out across the network of broadcast and cable channels, which made it possible to detect 15 existing and 6 phantom channels.
Download video 2(5 MB)
GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner is included new model remote control. Compared to the remote control supplied with GoTView PCI and GoTView PCI 7134 TV tuners, the new remote control has a more thoughtful layout of buttons, as well as an increased number of them - 34 versus 30, which allows, for example, to control the delayed viewing function.
The remote control buttons can be programmed using the appropriate utility. In addition to actually working with the TV tuner, the remote control supports a number of popular applications: Microsoft Media Player, Zoom Player, BSPlayer and WinAmp. In fact, you have at your disposal remote control of the main multimedia functions of a personal computer.
Conclusion
The GoTView PCI 7135 TV tuner is a worthy representative of the line of internal TV tuners GoTView. A well-designed board, the use of high-quality components, and the use of today's best RF unit from Philips MK3 in conjunction with the SAA7135 chip together allowed us to obtain excellent image and sound quality and reliable reception of radio stations. The rich functionality of the software shell, which provides advanced capture and delayed viewing capabilities, organically complements the well-developed hardware. We also note the channel preview function and the ability to simultaneously operate two TV tuners in one system, which allows you to implement the “Picture in Picture” function.
The models that will be presented in our review were selected by GotView as the most popular products of this brand. It is noteworthy that among them there are both built-in TV tuners for PCI and PCI-E buses, as well as an external model using the USB interface. First, let's try to compare them according to some general characteristics.
GotView TV tuner comparison table
* Average estimated cost taken from the website www.price.ru at the time of preparation of the materialNote: full list features of TV GotView tuners can be viewed on the manufacturer’s home page: www.gotview.ru.
For information: the abbreviation "DVD" in the model name of the GotView TV tuner indicates the presence of a hardware MPEG2 encoder on the board.
Description of GotView models
Almost the entire range of GotView tuners is supplied in nice and small packaging boxes, designed according to the manufacturer’s proprietary template. For the convenience of the buyer, the functional features of the models, equipment, service functions, etc. are presented in detail directly on them. Despite the small dimensions of the packages, inside a potential buyer will find many components. Their set for all GotView built-in TV tuners is almost identical, and includes the following:
TV tuner;
Low-profile bracket for installing the tuner in “thin” cases;
Antenna dipole for radio receiver (with Velcro);
RCA (composite) to S-Video adapter;
remote control;
Batteries for remote control;
IR receiver for remote control;
Composite video cable;
S-Video cable;
Stereo audio cable;
CD with software;
InterVideo WinDVD Creator 2 CD;
Installation Guide
All models of the company's built-in TV tuners have a low-profile printed circuit board design, and the models' delivery kits also include additional low-profile brackets, which allows the products to be used in specific small-sized system unit cases.
Many GotView TV tuner models come with a multimedia remote control. With its help, you can control not only the functions of the TV tuner itself, but also various applications. When studying the package contents, we discovered that in the GotView TV tuner range there may be at least two options for remote controls, photographs of which you see below:
GotView Remote Control Models
Reprogramming the keys on the remote control is carried out using
proprietary software shell
The remote control in the black case is a “regular” remote control, and the one in the silver case is a “multimedia” remote control, corresponding in functionality to the Microsoft Media Center Remote. This remote control allows you to turn your computer on and off, which is undoubtedly a very useful feature. This remote control also allows you to control any programs, including multimedia applications and Windows Media Center, as well as emulate a mouse and keyboard. The multimedia control panel is sold separately, but its receiver is connected to USB port, and not to the tuner. Conveniently, it does not require a driver to operate, and due to its versatility, it can be used with any computer TV tuner.
The thin “regular” remote control is inferior to the “multimedia” one not only in functionality, but also in convenience - it does not fit well in the hand, and the identical membrane buttons are extremely inconvenient for working blindly.
GotView PCI DVD2 Deluxe
DVD2 Deluxe in retail packaging
GotView PCI DVD2 Deluxe appeared on the computer market in 2006, replacing the outdated GotView PCI DVD model. One of the main advantages of this model is that it is initially equipped with a multimedia remote control that allows you to turn the computer on and off.
Thanks to the additional low-profile bracket, the tuner can be installed not only in system unit standard size, but also in “thin” computer cases, popular among assemblers of HTPC systems. By the way, the vast majority (if not all) of GotView's embedded TV tuners have a low-profile PCB design.
Printed PCI card DVD2 Deluxe
View of the side panel of the tuner
The GotView PCI DVD2 Deluxe tuner is built on the basis of the top model of the Philips FM 1216ME/I H-5 (Mk5) HF unit, which has long proven itself in business. It allows you to confidently receive both television and radio channels, with good selectivity and low noise levels. On the printed circuit board, the RF block is distinguished by blank shielding.
Conexant CX23416
The encoder/decoder is a combination of CX25843 and CX23416 chips manufactured by Conexant. It must be admitted that such a combination is a long-tested solution, and is used by many manufacturers not only when designing TV tuners, but also video capture cards. Due to the capabilities of the CX26843 decoder chip, the tuner implements a three-band equalizer, as well as support for stereo broadcasting in A2 and NICAM formats. The CX23416 chip provides video capture in MPEG2 format in real time at a bit rate of up to 15 Mbit/s, without loading the computer's central processor with such tasks. It also has hardware noise filtering with continuously adjustable noise reduction levels.
The tuner performed quite well in operation, demonstrating excellent quality of television picture transmission. GotView PCI DVD2 Deluxe has very good sensitivity and can be recommended for purchase by those who do not have the most ideal receiving antenna.
GotView PCI Hybrid
GotView PCI Hybrid in retail packaging
The GotView PCI Hybrid TV tuner is a budget model, but the interests of this consumer audience do not seem to be infringed in any way. On the contrary, the rich (even excessively rich) package, which, by the way, includes a remote control, all kinds of cables, and a low-profile bar, will appeal to even a sophisticated user.
Tuner PCB
View of the side panel of the tuner
Perhaps this is a corporate style - all the printed circuit boards of GotView's built-in TV tuners are united by the purple color of the varnish (or, more correctly speaking, the mask). The high-frequency part of the tuner is served by the XC3028 hybrid chip manufactured by Xceive Inc. (as you can see, the chip and its surroundings on the printed circuit board, unlike analog receivers, do not require external shielding). The selector allows you to receive both analog and digital broadcasts. As an analog-to-digital converter for the PCI Hybrid, the manufacturer chose the fairly common 10-bit ADC CX23883 from Conexant, which supports all types of video standards.
In operation, this TV tuner performed quite well, demonstrating acceptable quality of television picture broadcast. However, when initial setup channels, the tuner could not automatically detect the color standard (PAL or SECAM), which had to be set manually. It should be noted that GotView PCI Hybrid is the cheapest model of TV tuners in the family, which, in relation to its rich configuration and quality of work, makes the model a very good purchase.
GotView PCI DVD3 Hybrid
PCI DVD3 Hybrid in retail packaging
This model is a hybrid TV tuner with MPEG2 hardware compression, with the ability to receive both analog and digital TV and radio channels. The tuner comes with a remote control, made in a thin case with membrane buttons. In addition, rich equipment and adapted for Russia software(typical for all GotView TV tuner models) will certainly appeal to many buyers.
PCI DVD3 Hybrid PCB
View of the side panel of the tuner
The tuner's input device is based on the Xceive 3028 chip and does not require additional metal shielding. For this reason, in hybrid models we do not see the tin casing inherent in analog tuners, which protects high-frequency circuits from interference (on digital receivers they are simply not among the mounting elements).
Conexant CX23418
The highest level of integration is on the Conexant CX23418 chip, which plays the role of an MPEG2 encoder with built-in audio and video decoders. For portable solutions, such a selection of the element base would give an advantage in low power consumption and small dimensions of the product, but the GotView PCI DVD3 Hybrid board is already designed for a low-profile design (an additional special bracket is included in the package), and built-in TV tuners have no power supply there are no restrictions.
The CX23418 hardware encoder is capable of providing high-quality video capture in MPEG2 format in real time at a bit rate of up to 15 Mbit/s, without loading the computer's central processor. The chip has a hardware image noise reduction filter with continuously adjustable noise reduction level (the level is adjusted in the TV tuner driver).
While assessing the broadcast quality of a television picture, we discovered a very strange behavior of this tuner in dynamic scenes: the frames seemed to be layered on top of each other, forming a trail. This is especially noticeable in cartoons, where the number of frames is significantly smaller, and the difference between two adjacent ones is correspondingly large. This can be seen in the following screenshots:
In more or less static scenes, the trail is not so noticeable, and the screenshots look absolutely excellent:
However, the reason for this “bifurcation” of frames, as it turned out, lies in the tuner settings - more precisely, in the setting of an excessive noise reduction level. When this level is reduced, the described effect becomes unnoticeable.
GotView X5 DVD Hybrid PCI-E
X5 DVD Hybrid PCI-E in retail packaging
The GotView X5 DVD Hybrid TV tuner became the company's first model with a PCI-E interface. Let me remind you that this new interface has increased throughput, and the connector has fewer pins than standard PCI. In the near future, PCI-E should completely replace the PCI interface, and even now PCI-E devices are already relevant - the number of classic PCI connectors on modern motherboards is steadily decreasing.
X5 DVD Hybrid PCI-E PCB
Side plank view
As a channel selector, the tuner uses the latest development from Xceive - the XC5000 chip, which allows you to receive both analogue and digital (DVB-T) radio and TV channels. Compared to the XC2028 and XC3028 chips, the new selector, with equally miniature dimensions, has better selectivity and sensitivity, which ensures good TV picture quality even at low signal levels.
Conexant CX23887 decoder
Due to the fact that this TV tuner uses the PCI-E interface, the Conexant CX23887 chip was chosen as the decoder. This chip is the latest ADC, which also integrates a PCI-E bus interface bridge. In addition, a hardware feature of the chip is an integrated 3D Comb Filter, the task of which is to separate the brightness and color components of the signal, which allows you to successfully suppress moire, improving image quality. This advantage is especially noticeable at the boundaries of high-contrast transitions, where light tones alternate with dark ones.
The GotView X5 DVD Hybrid TV tuner demonstrated outstanding quality of TV picture transmission, which you can also see by looking at the attached screenshots. By and large, there’s nothing to complain about.
GotView X5 3D Hybrid PCI-E
X5 3D Hybrid PCI-E in retail packaging
Immediately after the release of the TV tuner model discussed above, GotView prepared another new product for the PCI-E interface. It was the GotView X5 3D Hybrid model, which differs from the X5 DVD Hybrid in the absence of a hardware MPEG2 encoder on the board. In all other respects, the new product is completely similar to its older “sister”.
Tuner PCB
Side plank view
The design of the tuner's printed circuit board is very similar to the model discussed above, with the only difference being that the spaces for the hardware encoding chip and the accompanying memory chip with a power stabilizer were left empty. It can be stated that the X5 3D Hybrid is intended for those users for whom the video recording function is not of great interest.
This model also uses a Conexant CX23887 chip as a 10-bit ADC, capable of working with PAL/SECAM/NTSC video standards and NICAM/AM/BTSC/EIAJ/A2 audio standards, automatically detecting them.
The high-frequency part of the tuner is based on the XC5000 silicon hybrid chip. In the photograph of the board, this chip is hidden under a metallic golden screen, which was done, rather, solely for aesthetics (unlike analog RF blocks, digital ones do not require external shielding). The XC5000 accepts both analog and digital programs.
Having examined the screenshots of TV channels, it is extremely difficult to discern any big difference in quality with the above-considered model. GotView X5 3D Hybrid broadcasts the TV picture just as well as the older model.
GotView USB2.0 DVD2
USB2.0 DVD2 in retail packaging
In addition to built-in TV tuners, the GotView line also includes external devices, connected via USB interface. This is the GotView USB2.0 DVD2, which is an updated TV tuner model with hardware compression for MPEG1 and MPEG2 formats, and which now includes a radio receiver. To connect the device, you need two free USB ports: a USB cable is connected to the first, and an additional power cable is connected to the second.
The kit includes a stand for vertical installation of the tuner
The device body is aluminum, with plastic inserts at the ends. For ease of placement on a table, the package includes a plastic stand, which you see along with the tuner in the photo above.
Front panel view
On the front panel of the tuner there are connectors for connecting external multimedia peripherals. These are a composite low-frequency video input, a stereo audio input and an S-Video input. In addition, there is also a button to turn on the tuner (while the device is operating, it is illuminated by a red LED).
Rear view
On the rear panel there is a row of “main”, so to speak, connectors. This is an input for USB power, TV and radio antenna jacks, as well as a USB input.
Tuner PCB
Reverse side of the tuner circuit board
The tuner is made on a modern element base: a 10-bit Conexant CX25843 ADC, a Conexant CX23416 hardware MPEG2 encoder and a Philips FM1216ME/I H-5 (Mk5) RF unit.
The only problem that arose during my acquaintance with this TV tuner was the delay and frame drops of the television picture. The solution was found in the video card driver, namely, in changing the hardware deinterlacing mode to software. There were no complaints about the quality of the television picture broadcast.
When preparing screenshots, software deiterlacing was used.
Software
The software package is unified for all GotView TV tuners, so the story about it can be included in a separate chapter. So, the performance of the TV tuners in this review is ensured by the GotView Pro 5.0 program. Its greatest advantage is, perhaps, excellent functionality along with complete Russification. One cannot help but rejoice in the fact that the manufacturer is constantly working to improve the program, and since the availability of updates is checked automatically, the user will receive a notification about the update almost immediately after a more recent version appears on the manufacturer’s website.The initial installation of the software from a CD will not cause problems: after identifying the tuner card and automatically installing the driver, you won’t even need to restart the computer. The user will be greeted by a completely user-friendly interface of the GotView Pro program, and learning to navigate it will not take much time. The program has the ability to use so-called “skins” (graphical shells of the main program panel). There are only a small part of them in the standard package, and the user can easily find the rest on the GotView website.
Initially, the program contains a table of all on-air television and radio channels with their frequency values. Thus, in some cases, after installing the program, all television and radio channels will already be configured; only residents of certain regions and cable network subscribers will need to use the channel search function.
Window for setting TV channel control settings
For channels with unstable reception, the automatic search for which did not give the desired results, you can use a manual search, or manually set their broadcast frequencies. Next, for the found channels, you can specify their name, select an icon, and also sort in the light of your own preferences.
TV tuner general settings window
The hierarchical structure of the general settings window allows the user to quickly find the desired section to make any changes to the operation of the TV tuner. Each group of parameters has its own icon, which allows you to quickly find what you need.
The operation of the noise reduction filter is also interesting, the level of which can be adjusted smoothly and even separately for each channel. This filter allows you to significantly improve the image, both when recording and when viewing. It is only necessary to take into account that for the filter to operate in program mode additional resources will be required central processor. If the computer resources are insufficient, then it would be preferable to use a tuner with hardware compression: only in this case will filtering be performed in hardware without loading the CPU. Let me remind you that TV tuners with software operation of the noise reduction filter include GotView PCI Hybrid, and those with hardware operation include GotView PCI DVD, GotView PCI DVD2 Deluxe, GotView PCI DVD3 Hybrid and GotView USB 2.0 DVD (in relation to the TV tuner models of this review).
TV program schedule ("Teleweek")
For GotView TV tuners, it is possible to receive the weekly TV schedule via the Internet. The database can be loaded either manually or automatically. It is convenient that if there is a fresh TV program, when you switch channels, information about the current program, as well as its start and end time, is displayed on the screen. The “degree of completion” of the transfer as a percentage is also visually displayed in the form of a status bar.
Video capture settings window
GotView software allows you to capture video with a wide variety of recording parameters. The ability to automatically split recordings into files of a given size has been implemented, which is sometimes necessary (especially when creating large videos).
Window for information about the brightness components of the image
To obtain information about the current video image, the manufacturer has provided a “graphic observation window”. Here you can, based on graphically presented image data, independently set the white and black levels, as well as obtain information about the signal-to-noise ratio. Using the graphs, you can quickly determine whether the video image is overexposed or too dark, and based on this, you can more accurately adjust the picture.
The proprietary software has very high functionality. We have considered only a small fraction of its main functions. The interested reader will get the rest of the information from the manufacturer’s website, where, among other things, there is a hotline, a forum, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Conclusion
In general, GotView's range of modern TV tuners made a good impression. Taking into account complete and high-quality localization of software, as well as adaptation of models to Russian conditions, any GotView model can compete with the recognized giants of the Russian market. A large selection of models designed for different categories of users allows you to easily select a TV tuner to suit your needs, and the high quality of broadcasting television images will not make you doubt the correctness of your choice. I will also note the modern element base that the manufacturer uses when designing models.Personally, I liked the X5 DVD Hybrid models most for PCI buses-E, DVD2 Deluxe for PCI bus, as well as an external USB model. The only thing I can’t guarantee is that on your TV antenna The picture quality will be no worse than mine.
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