Hauppauge covers all the free TV bases

When I first saw "triple TV tuner" referring to Hauppauge's WinTV HVR-3000 PCI card, I got all excited.  Reasonably enough, I assumed, it would be an upgrade to the company's own dual-tuner models which allowed a compatible system to record two different programmes at the same time.  Sadly it was not to be: the three tuners referred to are analogue, digital terrestrial (i.e. Freeview in the UK) and digital satellite – you can hook the HVR-3000 up to an aerial or satellite dish and it'll bring those respective free channels into your PC, but not all three at once.

Disappointment aside, it's a useful beasty; Windows MCE compatible, with a full IR remote control (that, bizarrely, is not MCE compatible) and complete with all the software you need to schedule and record shows, it's a straightforward way to cover all your bases should you never be sure where your TV fix is coming from.

On sale now for £100 ($195).

Hauppauge [via Pocket-lint]