internal tv tuner

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  1. Posts : 3,187
    Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Windows Server 2008 R2
       #11

    padyboy said:
    ...I am still searching for a compatible tv tuner.
    Further recommendations would be welcomed.
    It might be good to link to a few models you are considering. That we we could discuss their specific differences instead of just general features.
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  2. Posts : 61
    win 7 home premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #12

    tuner list


    Thanx for thhe suggestion. I shall commence to makin' a list.
    Be back soon.

    :)
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  3. Posts : 61
    win 7 home premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #13

    profdlp said:
    padyboy said:
    Thank for your comments.
    My cable provider has said that even with a separate tv tuner in my cpu, I will still need their dvr box to watch tv on my computer.
    Thus the computer tuner will serve only to modify the dvr output for use by the tv tuner in my computer. It seems this is not a common situation in other places.
    The cable card I referred to earlier basically turns the internal TV adapter into a replica of the cable tuner, minus the hard drive which is what makes a DVR different from a simple cable box. Not all cable companies offer them. You would also need a TV card with a slot for the cable card to fit into.

    CableCARD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Therefore to have the hardware you suggest would probably be redundant in my situation, wouldn't it??? I would already have dual channel recording available, plus watch a prerecorded program.
    Do you see any advantage in having a second recording capability?
    If all you want to do is watch a show at the time of your choosing, the DVR is more practical in my opinion.

    If you have a portable player of some sort or have any inclination to build up a massive collection of recorded video then having it go straight to your computer hard drive will simplify the process. For instance, a recorded program on your computer hard drive could be transcoded into another format for your iPod, Zen, cell phone, tablet, or whatever. A (free) program like Format Factory makes it fairly easy to do. DVRs can fill up quickly, at which point you either delete something or lose the capability to record something new.

    None of this is a "right-and-wrong" type of thing - it just depends on how you want to use the data.

    How did you connect your computer to your cable signal??
    I have a cable box which runs to the TV tuner card. My TV card permanently sits on Channel 4 and takes whatever the cable box is spitting out. I've discovered that I like the Windows Media Center software better than the WinTV that Hauppage gives you, so in my case the IR Blaster would allow me to use the program info Windows Media Center downloads on a regular basis instead of always seeing the info for Channel 4 - no matter what channel I happen to be watching. This is not a big deal, but I would have paid the extra $20 for it had I known.

    In brief, the TV card stays tuned to Channel 4 and I use the cable box to change channels.

    As for the "massive collection of recorded video", I have a DVR on the "real" television downstairs and a DVD Recorder to make my own DVDs. The world is changing and I see physical media disappearing for the most part (except for a "niche" group of users), but I still like to have my collection on a shelf where it can't be made obsolete due to a change in copyright law, etc. I don't do the video conversion thing because I don't want to buy a boatload of hard drives for digital storage (and their backups), nor do I want to watch Star Wars on a cell phone's postage stamp screen. :)

    Is the IR Blaster compatible with my DVR box? Probably not.
    It appears that I am forced to forego use of an internal tv tuner for recording--at least until some intelligent techno-type again finds a way to beat the greedy monopolysts. I will saty "tuned" for futire developements.
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  4. Posts : 3,187
    Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Windows Server 2008 R2
       #14

    The IR Blaster works just like a generic Universal Remote. The Logitech Harmony® is an example of a Universal Remote. (A top of the line example; you can buy them in the drug store for ten bucks, they're just not as cool.) With those, you either enter a code or manually program the remote to do exactly what the remote from the device manufacturer does.

    With the IR Blaster, instead of you having to be there to manually mash the buttons with your fingers the computer sends the signal for you. After that it works just the same.

    Example 1 - Manual Remote: You press the 1-1-3 buttons on the remote and then press "Enter". It switches the cable box to channel 113.

    Example 2 - IR Blaster: The computer sends a signal down the wire to the IR Blaster which then sends the same InfraRed beam of light to the cable box that pressing the 1-1-3 buttons and then pressing "Enter" would have accomplished had you used the remote. The cable box doesn't know or care how or where the Infrared signal was produced - it just gets the signal and does what it's told.
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  5. Posts : 61
    win 7 home premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #15

    cable box vs. dvr


    I believe that my dvr may be more complex than a 'cable box'. The latter is designed only to change channels. The dvr is designed to also record from 2 channels simultaneously when programmed internally. I don't know how your IR Blaster would know which tuner to change.


    Unfortunately, our cable tv/Internet provider, Eastlink Communications, has fixed it so that one must have either a dvr (as I do) or a digital tuner, both of which must be rented from them. I do not think I am permitted to use my own cable box, as in the past. Needless to say, Eastlink has a monopoly here; there is no alternative. However, I will i


    There is also a Big Government monster in Canada called the 'Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission' which has been granted the power to essentially determine the programming Canadians are permitted to watch. I am certain that Eastlink has their support with their monopolistic policies.
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  6. Posts : 3,187
    Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Windows Server 2008 R2
       #16

    padyboy said:
    I believe that my dvr may be more complex than a 'cable box'. The latter is designed only to change channels. The dvr is designed to also record from 2 channels simultaneously when programmed internally. I don't know how your IR Blaster would know which tuner to change...
    That's for recording straight to the hard drive built into the DVR. Assuming you can be recording two channels while watching a third, the computer could record whatever is on the third channel. Put another way, you can have the computer record whatever would be on the screen whether you were actually sitting there watching it or not. Some of the more expensive TV Tuner cards have dual-tuners so you could theoretically still record two channels simultaneously. To do that you would need two cable boxes (one for each channel), though.

    For my usage, I stick with the DVR/Home DVD Burner combo for recording and just use the TV Tuner in the computer to throw a TV picture on one of my monitors. For instance, I'll have a ballgame going on one screen while surfing the Internet (or even doing actual real live work) on the others.
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  7. Posts : 1,996
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
       #17

    padyboy said:
    I am seeking an internal tv tuner as my 25" jvc tv is about to croak. Still has great picture, though.

    I have HP Pavillion desktop, Win 7 Home Premium, 3.0GHz, 4GB ram, 640GB hd, an open PCI Express slot on my motherboard.

    According to our local cable provider, I must use their DVR to locate channel, and for programmed recording. Thus the computer tuner would only be used on ch 3 or 4 (like in the old days) to connect with computer.

    I would appreciate any suggestions anyone might have regarding specs and desirable features.
    I use the Hauppauge HVR-2250. I simply plug it into my computer and using software like SageTV or MCE, I can record just like a DVR. Usually the channels that you pay for in your package are not encrypted, so a card like the HVR-2250 has no problem recording them, after you assign the channels.
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  8. Posts : 3,187
    Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Windows Server 2008 R2
       #18

    Sardonicus said:
    ...I use the Hauppauge HVR-2250...
    If I were to upgrade My 1250 that is probably the one I would pick.
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  9. Posts : 61
    win 7 home premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #19

    Thanks for the input.
    However, I am still diubtful that I can use an internal tv tuner card with my system. I believe my cable provider, Eastlink, has made that impossible by fixing their dvr signal output.
    My goal is to be able to record/watch tv programming on my computer when my television croaks.

    Presumably, the dvr output must be analog to be transferred to my crt television. Even with a analog to digital converter, I can see no advantage over simply using the dvr as I do now. I cannot see how the ability to record a previously recorded program (playback independent of both tuners) would be of any use to me.


    BUT,
    Actually, it would allow archiving of this program on my HD. So perhaps you are correct; there may be an advantage to this setup, if I can get it to work for me. Is it possible the Eastlink jerks could somehow make that analog signal unrecordable?
    Hmmmm.....

    I am not sure whether to purchase a cheapie tuner card in case the system fails to function, or chance it and get the Hippauge. 1201 WinTV HVR1250 PCI-Express for ~$60 on the Iternet.

    In any case, youse have given me a much better understanding of my situation. The more I think about it now, it does make sense to buy the card and use it to transcribe dvr recordings to my computer. I don't think cable provider could/would go to this much trouble, as long as I am paying themfor dvr rental.

    I will let you know how it turns out.
    Thanx again.
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  10. Posts : 3,187
    Main - Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-Bit; 2nd - Windows Server 2008 R2
       #20

    Good luck! :)
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