Add PVR capability to HTPC: Video capture card

Hello,

I am building a new system based on the Asus P5Q-EM mATX motherboard. I want to add PVR capability via an internal card, and it appears the AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe is a good choice; I need only PVR not the TV tuner capability, and I'd like this both for capturing external video as well as recording from the HDTV signal. Any other recommendations for a video capture card?

How is it the PVR captures the video signal? Directly through an external cable/video connection or because it is resident in the PCIe slot, software is able to "see" the signal and record it? Is the software Vista Media Center or the supplied AverMedia Software? Thx.

Scott

So if I understand: these combo cards can't take DTV output from a DTV and store it onto a harddrive; rather they capture it over-the-air and store it on the hard drive?
There are cards which capture digital signal from a digital TV or a digital camcorder, am I correct?

If I wanted to watch DTV via a DTV and later record DTV via the Tuner/capture card, then I should split the incoming signal and send it to both my DTV and the tuner/capture card?

Scott

OK...I understand better--thx. I had a vision where a video capture card would accept digital video and then store it on a hard drive. Looks like this doesn't really exist, though over-the-air DTV can be recorded via a tuner/video capture card.

For digital cameras: I need to look and see how they store the video and then transfer it to hard drive. I presume this is stored in a compressed environment and then transferred? And I presume the security cameras still use analog?

Yes, the Hauppage 1212 sounds perfect, except that I prefer to have an internal card; I know that doesn't make sense, but I want to reduce the clutter outside the HTPC. Thx for the response.