TV Tuner Card

Stealth · 09-16-2006, 06:01 PM

I got no responses from Pistons.com so I thought someone here could help.

I've been looking into these and was wondering if anybody knew anything about them and which one is the best to purchase.

Is it like a DVR or Tivo? I know you can record tv shows on your computer but how exactly does it work? I'm more confused on how these work than anything.

I really want to learn how to make videos for this upcoming NBA season and MLB Playoffs(if the Tigers make it). That's a different story though cause I'm gonna try and learn that by myself.

Any help would be great.

Yugioffmahproperty · 09-16-2006, 09:17 PM

Hmmm........I got curious too so I checked it out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_tuner_card

Quote:

A TV tuner card is a computer component that allows television signals to be received by a computer. Most TV tuners also function as video capture cards, allowing them to record television programs onto a hard drive.

While typically a PCI-bus expansion card, they can also be a USB device. Some video cards double as TV tuners, notably the ATI All-In-Wonder series. The card contains a receiver, tuner, demodulator, and a analog-to-digital converter for analog TV. Like TV sets, each version is designed for the radio frequencies and video formats used in each country. However, many TV tuners used in computers use DSP, so a firmware upgrade is often all that's necessary to change the supported video format. Many newer TV tuners have flash memory big enough to hold the firmwares for decoding several different video formats, making it possible to use the tuner in many countries without having to flash the firmware. In addition to the frequency tuner, many include a composite video input. Many TV tuners can function as FM radios: this is because the FM radio spectrum lies between television channels 6 and 7, and the DSP can be easily programmed to decode FM.

Some provide DVB reception for digital radio, television or data signals (either with or without hardware MPEG decoding capability); these may be used to receive satellite broadcasts but normally provide no analogue input capability.

Most internal tuners do all the low level demodulation needed to convert a radio signal into an on-screen image using a hardware DSP chip or ASIC; some also have hardware MPEG encoders and use DMA to bypass the CPU entirely. Some cheaper tuners don't have much in the way of onboard signal processing and rely on the system's CPU for that task. External tuners may convert the signal into either a video stream suitable for display on the screen, or to an intermediate format such as MPEG; in either case, the CPU is needed to direct the image onto the screen.

TV tuners supporting digital television broadcasts eventually became available; a tuner displaying an HDTV image on a computer monitor is typically much cheaper than a dedicated high-definition television system, but with a smaller physical screen. Broadcasts can also be digitally recorded by the computer for later replay, or distribution (illegal in many countries) to other computer users.

In July 2005 it became illegal to buy or import HDTV cards in the USA that didn't encrypt incoming data when the broadcast flag was set. This FCC decision was overruled by the D.C. Court of Appeals.[/b]

So it says can record programs. Maybe there's a software with it when you buy one?

In that link, the companies that make them are listed below.

I hope this helps.

Combs · 09-17-2006, 09:18 PM

I've seen a few of these for free on Slickdeals.net i'd never use it tho so never paid much attention to it though. A lot of the people said it was a good product on the forum however.

Stealth · 09-19-2006, 03:45 AM

Thanks guys. There surprising cheap on a few websites[70$-80$].

Yugioffmahproperty · 09-20-2006, 09:47 PM

Let us know how it goes.

I don't have a tv on this study room.

Stealth · 09-21-2006, 05:05 AM

I just scored one for 20 bucks on woot.com. According to the site it's for playing videogames(ps2,xbox) on your PC but it also says you can record tv shows on your puter. I'll let ya know how it works when I get it.

09-16-2006, 06:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
Stealth Rookie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: MI Posts: 479	I got no responses from Pistons.com so I thought someone here could help. I've been looking into these and was wondering if anybody knew anything about them and which one is the best to purchase. Is it like a DVR or Tivo? I know you can record tv shows on your computer but how exactly does it work? I'm more confused on how these work than anything. I really want to learn how to make videos for this upcoming NBA season and MLB Playoffs(if the Tigers make it). That's a different story though cause I'm gonna try and learn that by myself. Any help would be great. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-17-2006, 09:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
Combs Star Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,434	I've seen a few of these for free on Slickdeals.net i'd never use it tho so never paid much attention to it though. A lot of the people said it was a good product on the forum however. __________________ HoopsTalk Sim - Utah Jazz GM To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-19-2006, 03:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Stealth Rookie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: MI Posts: 479	Thanks guys. There surprising cheap on a few websites[70$-80$]. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-20-2006, 09:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
Yugioffmahproperty Star Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Somewhere Posts: 1,352	Let us know how it goes. I don't have a tv on this study room. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-21-2006, 05:05 AM	#6 (permalink)
Stealth Rookie Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: MI Posts: 479	I just scored one for 20 bucks on woot.com. According to the site it's for playing videogames(ps2,xbox) on your PC but it also says you can record tv shows on your puter. I'll let ya know how it works when I get it. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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