What's the point of a TV tuner in a PC?

TV Tuner Cards help!?

• I've been doing a lot of research with TV Tuner cards recently. Specifically, I'm looking at getting a USB Tuner stick, just because of the low price point and easy installation(I'm 95% positive I've used up all my PCI slots!). Where I get lost is in the world of Cable and TV signals. I have regular, extended basic service from Charter connected to my via the standard coaxial cable. No HD or anything special. If I got a ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM tuner for my PC, my plans are to utilize a 2-way splitter to still run that same coaxial cable to my TV for normal viewing, plus run another coaxial cable to my tuner on my PC so I can utilize DVR software on it. The signal can't be decrypted right? Because my TV is nothing special, no CableCard or anything, so I assume the Tuner would output the same as my TV....but I'm just not sure. So, that's why I'm here. Thanks in advance.

• Answer:

  I can probably help, I have some experience with this, but need to know if you have a coaxial cable plugged into the back of the TV from the wall or from a set up box? Tough to be sure which from your description. Add a comment. Additional Comment: Add what OS you are using and whether your TV is an older tube type or LCD flat screen. Another Additional Comment: Cool. You will have no problem getting all the channels you normally get plus there is a good chance you will even get more if you use a TV Tuner that has the specs you listed, ATSC/NTSC/ClearQAM, above. You can split the coaxial cable from the wall and have one going to the TV and the other going to the USB tuner that is plugged into the computer. So you can watch TV normally with the TV itself or watch thru the computer(I am guessing using an S-Video cable) or watch with the TV and record another with the computer to watch later. I had this exact same setup. The reason that I said you might get more channels is because with the Comcast cable I used to have (just the coax cable coming out of the wall like you) I used to get some HD channels with the computer TV Tuner. Used to get an ABC, NBC, PBS, Fox, and a couple others, I used a older tube type TV too, while the TV could not display the HD channels, limitations of the tube TV tuner, the computer TV Tuner could and all you are doing is sending a video signal from the computer to the TV. Just using the TV as a monitor sort of speak. This worked fine until Comcast decided everybody needed set up boxes and it screwed everything up. One last thing. What kind of CPU do you have? The reason I ask this is because I bought a cheap older Dell tower to use as a media center computer, doing exactly what you are trying to do now, and used a USB TV Tuner. The Dell had a faster Pentium 4. Thing is that with USB TV Tuner the CPU has to do all the work. It recorded and played those HD channels I mentioned above fine. Thing is with the analog channels it was to much for the CPU. They would just not record or play properly. So I went and bought another older Dell tower that had a PCI x1 Express slot and installed an internal TV Tuner. The tower still had a similar Pentium 4 CPU. Now since the internal card does all the work the CPU did not even break a sweat and all worked great until Comcast did that thing with set up boxes I mentioned above and totally gummed up the works. Also Window Media Center in Windows 7 will work great assuming you have a dual core CPU or better. If you can somehow use an internal card I would recommend that instead. The links below are exactly what I have used that I talked about above. The internal TV tuner is cool because it is a dual TV tuner. So I could watch one show (thru the computer) and record another. Or record 2 shows and still watch TV with the TV. I have to tell you if there is any chance that your cable provider might start using a set up box do not invest in a TV tuner for your computer. I have since moved and now have Charter but with a set up box. My tuners are pretty much useless now. I have been googling how to do this and all I can do at the moment is record the show I am watching or set up a timed recording and I have to make sure that the cable set up box is on the channel I want. Windows Media Center being set to channel 3 like the TV is when using the setup box. My internal Dual TV tuner can not be used as such anymore unless I actually get a second setup box. At least that is what my research seems to indicate so far. Kinda mad at how all this is mostly useless since Comcast and Charter require the setup boxes around here. Sorry about the length of this and I hope I did not confuse you too much. If you have any questions email me and I will be more then happy to try and help. Operative word being try. Hope this does help. Good Luck. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116036 http://www.deal-stop.com/KS523AAOB_HP-KS523AA-USB-TV-Tuner-Stick.lmsp?refer=froogle