Can you Recommend a Good TV Tuner Card?

[leopardforest]

I would like to be able to watch TV on my computer and be able to use the Windows Media Player to DVR programs. I dont really need something that supports HD content as I just have basic cable, but I would like something that is just as good as a tv. I am looking for something in the $75 range, but I am open what ever you have in mind.

Anything will help as I dont know a good card from a bad one when I look on the egg.

Thanks!!

 

[elliot_c]

I think most of the digital ones will be good enough as long as you have a good pc and reasonable graphics card. I had a Hauppauge and it was good, I also had a usb one that was okay but I would not reccomend one for a desktop.. (Sorry I just read again you need hd, I dont know much about that)

 

[Jamin43]

What are you going to use as your source? From a cable box output - or antenna - or direct from Cable company with no tuner box?

 

[The_Other_One]

I think most of the digital ones will be good enough as long as you have a good pc and reasonable graphics card.

The graphics card usually doesn't affect the performance at all. Capture cards run completely off the CPU. Any basic/current GPU should be fine for basic playback, but for capturing you need one heck of a PC. That is unless the card has a built-in hardware compressor.

And as mentioned, WinTV (Hauppauge) usually has pretty nice cards. I have a WinTV PVR-150 in my desktop (older SD card) and it works wonders for me. Just try and stick with an internal card with whatever you find. USB cards tend to be rather quirky and major system hogs. Plus you tend to get more for less with internal cards.

 

[leopardforest]

What are you going to use as your source? From a cable box output - or antenna - or direct from Cable company with no tuner box?

It will be direct from the cable company, no box. Just a coax cable out of the wall.

 

[Jamin43]

It will be direct from the cable company, no box. Just a coax cable out of the wall.

Most cable companies offer both Digital and Analog still b/c there are alot of old VRC's and televisions that still have analog tuners in em. Depending on which signal your plan offers wil determine what card you should be purchasing.

* Hybrid cards will take either Analog / or Digital signals
* Most dual cards have 1 analog and 1 Digital signal
* Analog cards will be cheaper since they are older tech - and over air broadcasts have all switched to Digital
* Whatever card you are looking at - you'll need ClearQam to decode your cable signal.

Avermedia A188 has good product reviews for $65 bucks if your Cable signal is Digital. It's got a dual tuner so you get 2 PIP capability off a split signal. If you want a Windows Media Remote add another $15-20 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100041

The Avermedia cards look to have the best value / for performance from what I've read on NewEgg's reviews. Hauppage are decent hardware - but the software appears to be somewhat buggy. I've not used any Hauppage - so others will have to weigh in em beyond that.

What O/S are you using. Before purchasing a card - might want to read through some reviews. I've read quite a few reviews - where some TV cards don't work so well with Win XP.

 

[leopardforest]

Most cable companies offer both Digital and Analog still b/c there are alot of old VRC's and televisions that still have analog tuners in em. Depending on which signal your plan offers wil determine what card you should be purchasing.

* Hybrid cards will take either Analog / or Digital signals
* Most dual cards have 1 analog and 1 Digital signal
* Analog cards will be cheaper since they are older tech - and over air broadcasts have all switched to Digital
* Whatever card you are looking at - you'll need ClearQam to decode your cable signal.

Avermedia A188 has good product reviews for $65 bucks if your Cable signal is Digital. It's got a dual tuner so you get 2 PIP capability off a split signal. If you want a Windows Media Remote add another $15-20 bucks
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100041

The Avermedia cards look to have the best value / for performance from what I've read on NewEgg's reviews. Hauppage are decent hardware - but the software appears to be somewhat buggy. I've not used any Hauppage - so others will have to weigh in em beyond that.

What O/S are you using. Before purchasing a card - might want to read through some reviews. I've read quite a few reviews - where some TV cards don't work so well with Win XP.

Thank you for the great information. I did not realize that cable can be analog. I thought it was digital. I will definately look Avermedia cards. As far was OS goes I am using Windows 7 RC right now and will be upgrading to the release of Windows 7 when it comes out. But I do have a copy of Vista, havent installed, but I have it.