? about tv tuner cards

[Omen15]

Do you have to actually have the tv service from cox or can you just have the broadband cable internet service from them and still use a tv tuner?

Also with a compatible computer it is possible to watch the HD channels like HD ESPN and HD ESPN 2 with a tv tuner card?

Is there much difference from a high end model and a cheap model?

Thanks for answering my questions, I just found out about tv tuners and am very interested in putting one in my first build.

 

[Omen15]

Also would a 8800 gt run well with the tv turner?

 

[Wolfshadw]

You will need the television service from cox cable in order for your TV Tuner Card to receive a television signal. As for HD Channels, if cox sends them unencrypted and your tuner is capable of receiving HD channels, then yes, you will be able to view them. However, it's been my experience that premier channels like HD ESPN are generally not broadcast in the clear.

There are two ways of setting up a TV Tuner card:

1) Set it up with a connection directly from the cable wall outlet. This sets the tuner up just like a set top cable box, but without the higher channels (126 and up). Also, any channel that is sent encrypted (normally decrypted by the cable box) will not come in.

2) Set it up with a connection from the cable box. This essentially turns your TV Tuner card into TV. Just like a TV, it has to be set to channel 3 (or 4) in order for you to see the signal. Also like a TV, you have to use the cable box remote control in order to change the channel.

This just covers the basics. There are other accessories that you can google (HD OTA Antenna, IR Blaster) that can provide other options.

The 8800GT should run just fine with a TV tuner.

-Wolf sends

 

[Omen15]

Thank you very much wolf, I will research them quite a bit more b4 buying. But in your experience do you think they are worth it? My computer will be used 100% for gaming and watching HD movies so I would really like it as a complete entertainment center.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Yes, I think they're worth it (I have two). Particularly if you're limited on space and don't want both a television and computer in the same room. I have a smallish bedroom and I like being able to watch TV/DVDs or listen to music or surf the web all from a single unit.

-Wolf sends

 

[Omen15]

Thanks again, haha... I currently have both cox television and internet but thought it would be cool to just use my internet connection as a tv signal. Anyway's If I bought the digital package with cox my tv tuner card would be able to pick up all the channels including the HD ones with it, right?

 

[roadrunner197069]

I say definately get one. You might not get HD channels but if you have an HD box and your TV/ monitor has atleast 2 inputs you will be fine.

One for regular cable into the computer and one for HD straight to TV.

Next week I'm buying a 42" TV to hook up to my computer. I will be using two inputs so I can have HD and regular cable.

I think there is a card called a cable card that some cable companys have that you can put in your computer to recieve all channels but you have to check with your cable company.

 

[roadrunner197069]

Cox digital isnt necessarily HD it is Digital instead of analog. HD is a add on that cost even more.

Since you say you have COx cable and internet you can get the regular channnels off your connection. TV and internet come through the same cable. When you buy one or the other they just put a filter on your line to close the signal.

I only have internet and one time my signal was weak because of the filter for the TV and they took it off for a week til they got it fixed and I had TV for a week.

 

[gwolfman]

For OTA, check to see which channels you can get: http://antennaweb.org/aw/Address.aspx and which antenna you might need. Some areas have little to no channels available, some get quite a few. Good luck.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Thanks again, haha... I currently have both cox television and internet but thought it would be cool to just use my internet connection as a tv signal. Anyway's If I bought the digital package with cox my tv tuner card would be able to pick up all the channels including the HD ones with it, right?

It depends on how you set it up.

From wall --> tv tuner --> PC Monitor
With this set up you get whatever channels (from 1-125) COX sends to you in the clear (unencrypted). You'll use your TV Tuner card to change channels.

From wall --> cable box --> tv tuner --> PC Monitor
With this set up you get all the channels you would normally get from the package you order from COX, but you have to use the cable box to change channels. Provided the TV Tuner card can accept an HD signal and your graphics card can display HD content, you should be able to watch HD content (ordered from COX).

-Wolf sends

 

[Omen15]

Thank you to all of you, Hmmm if only there was a way to remove the filter yourself, haha... (evil grin)
Anyways I def want to be able to watch high def on computer monitor, so I'll need to run it from wall---> cable box--->tv tuner---> pc monitor
Thanks again to all of you, esp. wolf. I'm def. getting one, now!

 

[philosofool]

An 8800GT is WAY MORE power than you need for HD TV PC. You could get by with any 8000 series nVidia card. (But if you think you might want to play computer games to your TV, get an 8800 series or Radeon 2900 for best performance!)

 

[rukasu]

Not so, fool. For passing video signal, yes you are right. But 5 minutes ago I just solved a dilema that has been haunting me for a month, and I just happened across this thread looking for ways to turn my computer into a QAM reciever.

Long story kind-of short, stuff gets old, gets replaced and put into a box waiting for new orders. Low and behold I had the bright idea of making a 4TB tivo killer. Like you, I thought that an nvidia 7950 gt would be more than enough to do 1080p. I was right, it was. Wanting to add 7.1 surround sound to my HDMI cable (less wires ^_^), I also bought the shiny ASUS Xonar 1.3 slim, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to get it to work. It simply refused to add sound to the signal. Eventually I gave up my theory that it was a problem with drivers/Xonar, so I swapped the video card out for, what else, a EVGA 8800 GT that I had laying around. That worked right off the bat! What happened was the 7950 wasnt HDCP compliant. HDCP is the High Definition Copyright Protection standard that blocks HD signals to unauthorized equiptment. My video card was not HDCP compliant because it wasn't thought to have a major impact on gamers when it was designed.

tl;dr
Think 5 steps ahead. I am where you will be next week, and you'll hate yourself if you cant get that surround sound off of the NFL channel. Get a HDCP compliant video card.

Of course, this could all be avoided if you buy one of those newfangled motherboards that have on board video + sound HDMI built in. -_-