TV on computer? (2 Viewers)

[Lord Ac]

How can you twach TV on your computer? Is ther something you can just add on after you buy it? If so, whats it called and how expensive? Does this apply to both home computers and laptops?

Thanks!!!!

Ac

 

[Abide]

I remember that my computer junkie friend told me one that you need a graphics card that is capable of video output and... then you do something to it? I wasn't paying much attention to him.

 

[a21414]

i have one. its this one

it should cost about $70-90, but you can get hdtv ones for about $130

you can find them at any computer hardware store

 

[Xayma]

You need a TV tuner card.

For the price difference you may as well go for a HDTV one. Go in to any hardware shop and ask about them (go to multiple ones).

 

[cyrax83]

i've received a second hand tv tuner card from a friend but it came with no antenna or fm antenna, and you cant use the standard ones =/

 

[a21414]

i've received a second hand tv tuner card from a friend but it came with no antenna or fm antenna, and you cant use the standard ones =/

im using the antenna on the roof for all reception (tv and fm tuner). all you need are signal splitters (they only cost $1-2)

 

[Keen]

Get a digital one, I use a visionplus HDTV which is good but there are better ones (I bought it for $180 but you can get them for about $100 now). DON'T GO ANALOGUE, digital is beautfiful - all you need is 256 mb ram, and a 2Ghz processor, graphics card strong recommeded extra.
Go to www.dba.org.au go to the forums and find the Digital TV tuner card forums and read up there.


Keen

 

[Trev]

my puter came with tv stuff, but its so shit coz u cant get signal with the crappy antennas that come with it lol, id rather just watch a normal tv!

 

[Keen]

There's nice one's that increase the signal strength etc that you can get from Dick Smith for $25-$50 that should be able to pick up the signal in good places or you'll have to plug into your roof antenna.

Keen

 

[Huratio]

I use Winfast- not sure how much it was..
the signal is ok.. but ABC doesn't catch-- who actually watches ABC anyways.~

the recordings probably the benefit- you can burn it to DVD,.. rather than using ur VCR..

 

[golfstick]

What do you need to receive digital HDTV on your computer aside from the card?

 

[loquasagacious]

And yes TV tuner cards are also available for notebooks, only one has one built in but they are readily available as external boxes connecting via USB or firewire, a really beefy graphics card is only needed if you want to watch it on TV in good quality, the GPU load for watching TV on computer should be quite light as TV doesnt need any rendering or other complex activity like a game would.

 

[Keen]

Yeah for standard definition - which is dvd quality (when avaliable) you need about a 500-700 Mhz processor and 128Mb Ram. More of whatever plus a graphics card are better.

The Nebula is probably the best but it's expensive at about $300, and there's like the Hauppage and stuff which are pretty good and WinFast I think.

Just remember that you need to be alright at computers to run it - it usually isn't as easy as watching tv. Also a large Hard drive is good as most record files which are about 4Gb per hour of footage in MPEG-1 (dvd standard) and if you're alright at computers you can convert them to dvd.

Keen

 

[sunny]

MPEG-1 (dvd standard) and if you're alright at computers you can convert them to dvd.

MPEG1 = VCD standard
MPEG2 = DVD standard

 

[sf_diegoxrock]

I heard you need an internet connection if you use a TV TUNER.. is this correct? and if so, how many KB does it take? =\ i'm capped enough as it is these days with a 3GB plan

 

[Templar]

I heard you need an internet connection if you use a TV TUNER.. is this correct?

I believe that's for the electronic program guide.

 

[mr EaZy]

ive got tv on comp, dunno how though....

 

[golfstick]

I am good enough at computers to install the card and get the tv working (and convert recordings, etc), but for a digital broadcast, do you need a special receiver in your house or something? Like, when I put the card in the computer, how does it get the HDTV signal into it?

i just don't understand the theory of how a digital broadcast works. I mean, with analogue, we have arials and stuff and to connect it to a computer we need to connect the card to the aerial (whether it's one of those portable ones or one of the roof)

 

[a21414]

tv tuners use an antenna, not the internet

 

[sunny]

Like, when I put the card in the computer, how does it get the HDTV signal into it?

HDTV is transmitted over the airwaves just like normal TV broadcasts. It is higher in resolution and quality, and is not converted to analogue when transmitted, sparing a quality cut during the conversion.

To see the HDTV broadcast, your TV tuner card (or TV) needs to be able to decode HDTV broadcasts in the first place - otherwise its just a normal TV broadcast.

See DBA