TV Tuner devices for PCs
Phil
As you guys are computer savvy and into TV, I've been told you'd be the
experts in helping me with choosing a TV Tuner (Internal Card or External
device). My choice of Desktop or Notebook, Operating System, and TV Tuner
hardware will be based upon your results.
Could you please reply to this newsgroup (my email is invalid) with the
following information:
1) Brand & Model of TV Tuner device (internal or external etc)
2) PC Operating System used to run it
3) Any problems it has caused other software/hardware
Thankyou.
P.Brent
Koenig
Leadtek do some great TV cards - http://www.leadtek.com/multimedia.html I
personally have the WinFast TV2000 XP Deluxe and it cost me around $100.
You can spend around $200 for a decent digital tv tuner if you need - but if
you just want to watch TV on your PC then the Leadtek option is the way to
go.
> 2) PC Operating System used to run it
A P3 and above should be fine. I run mine on a P4 3.0 and it is smooth as.
> 3) Any problems it has caused other software/hardware
Get a machine with plenty of RAM.
Gavern
Very Decent Leadtek XP TV cards are around $80-$100 and do a brilliant
job of being a PVR - watching and recording analdog tv streams and
capture from external sources - VCR, STB etc... I have one and have been
very happy with it.
HOWEVER, spend a little more and get a DVB-T digital tuner card. wayyy
better quality in picture.
Check out eBay, there are a number in there from $120 (no frills, no
external inputs to record form VCR etc) up to $150 IIRC for multiple inputs.
Cheers,
Gavern
plod
"Phil" <P...@infermode.com.au> wrote in message
news:314472F...@individual.net...
I would also second the Leadtek Winfast TV2000 XP as a very good TV tuner (a
friend has it). Its an internal card which would be suited for a desktop PC
running windows XP. I doubt it would fit in a notebook.
I personally use an older Flyview brand and it is not very good (lacks
decent windows XP drivers).
Brett O'Callaghan
wrote:
If you're after a digital TV card (and I'd recommend it), check out
the forums at
Byeeeee.
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Les Norton
1) Leadtek WinFast TV USB II (External unit for Laptop)
2) Windows XP Pro
3) No probs.
'Onya
Trim Tab
follow.
However, as previously suggested http://www.dtvforum.info is your best
source and in particular the digital TV card round-up pinned to the
top -
http://www.dtvforum.info/index.php?s=336418e5863ca608963cb6ac5e9c2ec2&showtopic=5283
I'd suggest either the Nebula DigiTV, DVICO FusionHDTV DVB-T Plus or
the new DNTV Live! - many have an internal/external model option if
that is important to you. All run on Windows, some also run on Linux.
If you don't intend running any serious video editing software (simple
TV stream capture should be OK), then even the my old Pentium II
266MHz is quite adequate. Typically the tuner card does all the hard
work.
What has to be remembered when considering a card is that most if not
all are derived from PC interface cards and TV tuner software
originally developed overseas. Some have had a lot of effort spent on
hardware and software modifications for our perculiar TV transmission
specifications, but some have been rather quickly adapted often with
little actual software support - just promises of software/firmware
upgrades to follow an abysmal initial version.
I had an analog Spirit TV PCI tuner card that had worked OK, though
the tuner software was obviously a rush local adaptation, but after
upgrading my PC graphics card the tuner card could no longer show a
high-res overlay - just a low-res blocky TV window. Dick Smith/Spirit
were of little use, simply saying there was now a decoder mis-match,
infering I should buy another one.
I intend putting a new PC together soon and have my eye on the above
HD digital models. Digital will be the only choice in about 4 years,
the HDTV cards are relatively cheap, the image streams are clear and
capturing them is relatively easy. I have just replaced my 10 year old
Sony VCR with a Topfield SD PVR 120GB HDD (changes your viewing habits
- marvelous concept!) and the digital reception is great even with a
$5 dish/rabbit ears antenna. I can't wait for the HDTV tuner card in a
new PC.
Good luck!
"Les Norton" <Les.N...@home.in.aus> wrote in message news:<315m6fF...@individual.net>...