Mygica USB QAM HDTV Tuner, Clear QAM and ATSC with Bonus Antenna

I am using this on Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit.

You may hit one website where this is documented and where you can download the latest drivers, meritline...Here are some helpful hints and what I was able to get to work and what you may not want to try because it doesn't work. The only reason I am giving this one less star is because I had to compile information from everywhere and the remote is useless i.e. they should just send this product without remote, it doesn't work, DOA, bad design, well known problem. Of course don't expect tech support, well written manuals. If I am rating this as a novice user, I would give it 3 stars.

Connected the tuner to my usb port, driver failed to install. As suggested, do not use the enclosed DVD for anything except the Remote IR driver. If you can't find it, wait till you install the new Win7 driver from meritline. Do not use the driver from the DVD else it will default to antenna, no cable, and therefore no QAM.

Note, if you mess up, you will have to go into settings (tasks) in media center to further configure TV. Regardless, Media center will complain that signal or something could not determine (don't remember the exact message). Ignore it and choose configure manually; cable or antenna manually (in my case, comcast so I chose Cable). Wait a long time, could be 2-20 minutes while it scans the channels. If you find no channels, you may have a driver issue or bad cable.

You can install the drivers manually or extract the zipped file from meritline and run setup (32 or 64 bit depending on your os). In my case, the driver release date is 11/17/2009, version 11.20220.176.201. In device manager you should see HDTV Stick Digital Capture under Sould controllers. If any of this doesn't match your conviguration, deinstall all drivers associated with this and start over (maybe use the system restore so create a restore point as an option before you continue for the first time).

Just use the right driver and the rest is a breeze; expect 10-20 min the first time you scan. I am in Chicago and getting about 50 channels. Unfortunately, Comcast here just went encrypted so for all practical purposes, I am only getting OTA channels but they come in Dolby and clear with no stutter. As I said before the IR and remote are useless so time to get another remote or use the wireless mouse. I needed cheap to test, my next one will be a cablecard setup so to me this was money well spent.

I also tried to use the NTSC driver to see if I could setup ch. 3 or 4 and use the comcast box (which works on my ntsc tv and I get all channels because it's a digital set top box). For some reason, I couldn't get it to work. I have always wondered so now I know it's a no go unless I write the driver myself, ain't happening.

I also played with the ATSC driver for OTA digital channels. The included antenna is a joke. I tried the outdoor antenna and the picture was decent and I could get all local ota channels.

Summary, only good for the tuner, the rest is frivolous. For $25, why not. I'll wait for Ceton to come down a bit.

When I first received the HDTV MyGica USB Tuner I first tried it in my DELL laptop which was a Core 2 Duo laptop running Windows XP, which I first purchased in February 2008! I experienced CONSTANT choppiness in the picture and it was NEVER consistently showing a clear moving-picture of the TV station (though the audio was always in-sync).

I was getting ready to contact the company to request an RMA and a refund but something told me to wait on that.

Three to four months later, I purchased a NEW laptop which is a Core I-7 laptop (with Windows 7 installed) which has a blazing fast processor! Guess what? I installed it the same way I did in my old DELL laptop AND THERE WAS NO CHOPPINESS in the picture whatsoever!

LESSON LEARNED: Make SURE you have a strong enough processor to use ANY USB tuner on your computer/laptop, for this product will not work if you are using an old computer or old laptop. Well it will, but it will be unbearable to watch.

On my Core I-7 laptop, the picture, is clear, and beautiful with in-sync video and audio with NO ISSUES!

The only thing you have to do is adjust the mini-antenna (just moving it on your desk a centimeter or two until you get more "green bars" of reception). But that's something you have to do with ALL OTA stations any way!

So to conclude, please don't think this product is defective if you get choppiness in your TV signal. It's probably that your computer processor can't support it!!!

I'm very glad I kept it and didn't return it. It works like a charm on my new laptop.

BTW, the small mini-antenna that came with it IS VERY POWERFUL. It picked up 9 stations; I couldn't believe that teeny-tiny antenna was JUST as good as a larger antenna I temporarily hooked up to it. As a matter of fact, the mini-antenna did a better job than my Radioshack antenna!

Have fun.

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For $24, it is a nice piece of equipment. Maybe the digital signal make design much easier, this small dongle is quite solid built comparing to an analog USB I used a few years back.

My systems are WinXP, WinVista, Win7 Pro 32b, all work perfectly. The enclosed player is actually better than Media Center on Vista or Win7! MC is kind of slow when playing full screen on my 3 years old laptops, but the enclosed player runs on full screen without issue.

As for the sensitivity, it is better than a 3 years old PCI card! Again, digital signal processing makes the day.

I gave it 4 stars because the recording pull down my system performance and gives only mpg file. The MC can record in HD but it asks for much more video card power hence not practical on older machines.

Overall, I am watching only ATSC, but I assume clear QAM should work just as good. Very satisfied.

Final words, as for all HDTV these days, get a decent signal is more important than working with analog before. I am using rabbit ear with good amps about 10dB. No amp, no signal.

Read Best Reviews of Mygica USB QAM HDTV Tuner, Clear QAM and ATSC with Bonus Antenna Here

This was the cheapest USB tuner that I could find with an antenna. It not only has an antenna, it has a USB extension cable so that if you knock the tuner stick, you aren't putting stress on your USB port. All USB dongles should come with an extension cable, but most don't.

Pay close attention to what the other reviewers said about drivers. I also had to go to the Meritline site. (Windows 7)

When I first got this tuner, I couldn't get it to work. I downloaded the driver & still could not get the computer to recognize the tuner. For some reason, I decided to SWITCH USB PORTS, and wouldn't you know it, the stick worked perfectly. This tuner stick only works on one of my 3 USB ports. I don't know whether the other ports don't give it enough power, or what. I don't have problems with other devices on the other ports.

Note this tuner doesn't work with a Mac running OS-X, period. It doesn't claim to run with a Mac, so no demerits there. Some tuners will work with a Mac even if they don't make any claims.

A couple final notes: I've never used the remote. Apparently the remote does not use the protocol that Windows Media Center expects. The included software comes on a mini-sized CD-Rom. Since most users will use this with a laptop, the software disc is pretty useless.

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when this product came in the mail i was very exited that i would be able to record tv. i turned on my win xp pc and ran the software to get it going. all the drivers installed and seemed to be fine but when the arcsoft recording softare came up, it asked for a cd key, which i could not find anywhere enclosed in the package or on the dongle. basically i punched in every number i saw enclosed in the package and none worked. after that i realized i could get 3rd party software and it wouldent be a problem. i plugged in the device and it installed as a digital audio device. when i went to device manager it appeard as a speaker even though it says also supports video. ignoring all of that i went to download.com and found some free trial for digital recording software and when the time came to configure the video device it was listed AS an audio device therefore no video at all. this is the worst product ive ever purchased from amazon and im so ashamed that companies can package somthing with no website with drivers,no telephone numbers, no manual and no product key for the packaged software. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME.