TerraTec Cinergy 2400i DT dual-tuner card

Digital TV on your PC... times two

By Lars-Göran Nilsson • Get more from this author

27th February 2006 16:10 GMT

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Using the time-shift functionality is straightforward, but you have to set this up in a menu before you can use it. You can record at the same time as you're watching two programs, but you can only record the program in the main window. You can also do a preview of 12 channels at a time, but this gives you about a second of motion picture for each channel until you move on to the next.

The electronic programme guide (EPG) is the same as the one you get on a normal DVB-T set -top box, but you can also set up PowerCinema 4.5 to use an online EPG. You can use the EPG to schedule recordings of TV programsme, much as you would with a Sky+ box.

PowerCinema 4.5 crashed a fair few times during the time I tested the card, at random points of usage. It isn't uncommon for applications to crash, but Windows MCE is a far more stable platform if you're serious about your media centre PC.

Terratec screenshot

The Cinergy 2400i DT is an excellent TV tuner card, as long as your PC meets the criteria you need to install it. However, the bundled software isn't quite up to scratch and the remote control is a bit iffy. However, if you're running Windows MCE, this is an excellent product that will allow you to use your MCE PC as a full DVB-T PVR.

Verdict

At £90 the TerraTec Cinergy 2400i DT isn't cheap - the MCE version is £15 cheaper - but it is currently the only product of its kind. The picture quality is first rate and TerraTec has beaten its competitors to the PCI Express market, but sadly the remote control and software let the overall package down. However, if you're using Windows MCE, these issues are of no concern. ®