Do i need a tv tuner with hardware encoding for digital tv?

[tootal2]

since hdtv is already mpeg2 do i really need a tv tuner card with hardware encoding? is the hardware encoder of analog cable?

 

[pwhooftman]

No

No you don't,

Card-based hardware encoders were meant to relieve teh CPU from converting analog to digital. Since it's already digital coming in, you don't need a hardware encoder (which is why Digital TV tuners can come as a USB stick).

When decrypting is in order, then things change. Decrypting scrambled channles can be CPU intensive, although less than analog-> digital

 

[Zepher]

No you don't,

Card-based hardware encoders were meant to relieve teh CPU from converting analog to digital. Since it's already digital coming in, you don't need a hardware encoder (which is why Digital TV tuners can come as a USB stick).

When decrypting is in order, then things change. Decrypting scrambled channles can be CPU intensive, although less than analog-> digital

That is somewhat true. You want the Hardware Encoding if you plan on recording analog TV (which right now would only be from your cable provider) to your computer to relieve the CPU. Watching Analog and Digital doesn't require hardware encoding.

There were only a handful of cablecard PC devices that can be used with Digital Cable and decrypt scrambled Digital Cable Channels last time I looked when I was thinking of adding one to my HTPC, the ATI one was one of them but it was quite pricey, almost $300 and not guaranteed to be able to be activated since it wasn't part of a bundled Media Center PC.

here are 2 write ups,
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=2710

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/29/diyers-successfully-build-their-own-cablecard-equipped-htpc/

 

[tootal2]

thanks i got my usb tv tuner hooked up and its working fine. But i i dont iike how wmc displays rerecord with picture icons. i wish it just make a 1 line list of the shows like tivo does. i guess theirs a setting to change it in wmc.