Hauppauge HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Plus

👤by Tim Harmer Comments 📅03-07-13
A Closer Look



From the moment you pick up the HD PVR2 Gaming Edition Plus you’re struck by how little it weighs. At only 340g it gives the impression that much of the volume is for passive air flow to cool the internal components and provide I/O port real estate. Although we're often worried that a device which feels light in comparison to is size lacks proper internal support we're please to note that the HD PVR2 GE+ still doesn't flex in the slightest.

Situated on the top and towards the front left is a large button. You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s an on/off switch when in fact the designated purpose is to quick-start recording or streaming. One press when set up on your PC will start the Hauppauge Capture software in the mode you prefer, allowing you to quickly begin recording without needing to refer back to your PC desktop. That’s a pretty neat idea given some of the potential configurations your hardware can be in if set-up for capture. Thankfully this button isn't the slightest bit flimsy, and we're confident it will operate well into the overall device's projected life span.

The sides excluding the rear are pinched in, making the GE+ quite narrow in appearance. A Hauppauge logo denotes the front of the unit, which not coincidentally is opposite the connector panel. The greyish portion around the centre is a lightbar that illuminates as a status indicator when powered. Aesthetics will always be a matter of taste, but even so this unit appears to still lack something despite the welcome redesign from the original HD PVR models. It may be the satin-ised sides, or the glossy top panel quite obviously aping brushed aluminium, but Hauppauge haven't quite nailed premium mass-market appeal yet. Still, it's relatively unobtrusive, which should be welcome for most front rooms.



Multiple I/O connectors are found on the rear, which are from left-to-right:

6V DC IN – 6 Volt DC in
USB – USB 2.0 Socket (to PC)
A/V IN – Compact analog Audio/Video in for non-HDMI devices (see adaptor)
OPT IN – Optical In for S/PDIF audio
HDMI IN – Primary Video input via HDMI (to XBOX 360 etc.)
HDMI OUT – Primary Video output via HDMI (to TV)
IR – IR Blaster port*


On the extreme left there are two LEDs, green and red representing good power status and an undocumented failure mode respectively. So long as it’s green you’re good to go.

The rear is also the primary means of heat dissipation via the perforated panel; although there is no active cooling within the GE+, passive cooling is sensible for extended capture sessions in any climate. Note that there is no hard power-off switch, it appears that there is simply a low-power mode active when the PC is turned off.



The floor is composed of another heavily perforated panel enabling air to be drawn in through the floor as necessary. Four rubberised feet hold the GE+ in place even under the weight of the heavy AV cables pulling on the back, as well as lifting the unit slightly off its resting surface in order to allow air to circulate. They would also serve to damp any vibrations from your console, making sure that adds no noise to the environment. Centrally located is the serial and model number for reference purposes.

Hauppauge's HD PVR 2 GE+ is therefore a pretty compact device compared to the range of set-top boxes you may have sat underneath your TV, but presumably slightly larger than it needs to be for reasons of connectivity thermal limitations. For most front rooms the newer chassis design of the HD PVR2 range will be preferable to the older HD PVRs, but they still lack a certain something given that it costs £130+.


* the IR blaster port wasn't discussed in the original documentation, but new guidance from the website indicates that it's functional with a compatible IR Blaster module for wireless control.



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