I run both intel mobos side-by-side, (running pclinuxos and mepis), and I get no fault after 12 hours…

OK, lets try windows… the customers PC (after the repair install) works flawlessly

Mine: it still locks up, but less frequently than the first time (could the jumper that enabled the sound have had any effect?).

At this stage, I wonder what could be causing the lockups… I suspect everything… AGP video card (geforce 6200)… but the onboard video card also causes lockups.

After a lot of testing, I find I can record ABC (the worst station, with reception of 5 out of 6 bars) for over 8 hours without a problem (overnight), but as soon as I start using the PC, it can lockup within a few minutes.

I install a great tool called process master, so it will automatically increase the priority of the totalmedia process (and virtually eliminate any jerky TV playback… even using HDTV).

I still don’t like that the TV tuner gets very warm, but it seems to keep working despite the heat.

I also notice I get zapped if I unplug the TV tuner from the usb port, and touch the antenna shield, and the PC case. I whip out my volt meter, and I see the shield has about 110V AC, and about 90V DC :-()

But a bit of research shows that this can be normal if the antenna is plugged into something else (like a TV or VCR).

After a few more weeks of careful observation, I start to see a pattern:

The PC is much more likely to lock up if I happen to be moving the mouse pointer at the same time as recording (or watching) TV… the mouse is a USB mouse… the TV tuner is also USB…

I get the feeling USB is just not as reliable as I would have thought… particularly at high data rates.

I also notice the chance of a lockup are much much higher if I’m recording/watching HDTV.

So what I’ve done is plug the mouse (trackball actually), into one of those usb to din adapters, so that the trackball uses the din plug instead of the usb.

After that, the only lockups every day or so… but much more frequently if I’m watching HDTV. I still reckon there is a problem with the mobo, but it could even be a design flaw, so taking it back to BXXXXXXX] would be useless.

I keep wondering if a PCI TV tuner would have been a better option…

Anyway, the moral of the story is:

If you are going to get a TV tuner, make sure:

1. You have a fast, modern PC.
2. you have excellent antenna reception.
3. the software for the tuner has a reputation for good quality (it should work without changing process priorities manually)