Buying Guide : TV Tuner for TFTs Wide Screen [19 or 20"]

[ranjan2001]

You maybe right thats why it did not work as it did not support my native resolution of 1680x1050

[premsharma]

@Ranjan2001 see this what i got reply from them and this was from mediatechindia.com [email: webenquiry@mediatechindia.com]

Dear sir,
Thanks for the query.
Action Pro External TV Tuner will cost you for RS. 3850/-
You can check the specifications on www.comprousa.com

We have our branch at Delhi.
Tel – 011 - 32578081


And the same tuner is sold for 5000 on ebay.in. Same Seller on ebay have all the high end tuners from Videomate, ATI & PixelView. This ebay seller is also from Delhi, so I guess this authorise dealer of mediatech is also on ebay.

Better you go to him directly and not through ebay, because there is price difference of almost 1000 bucks.

For other models you check the price. I could have decided anyone of them, because they seems plenty good but I am looking for a strange feature of listening to TV while working on PC. No body is ready to confirm whether any one of these compro baby have that or not.

If U are in Delhi, you should be the better person to do little research & market survey. But don't look beyond compros, Pixelviews, ATI or Pinnacles.

[ranjan2001]

Originally Posted by premsharma

I am looking for a strange feature of listening to TV while working on PC. No body is ready to confirm whether any one of these compro baby have that or not.

This should be surely possible on any of the tunner, I have one in our office 5 yrs old internal tuner even that has this feature that while working on another software the speaker sound the Tv commentry & we work in phtoshop, any 4s or 6s or an appeal we press alt+tab to switch to another window.

So this is a standard feature, u dont have to be in the TV mode if you dont want to, & on wide screen u can even have both windows, which means watch TV as well work regularly.

I will inquire on saturday when I go to NP

[premsharma]

I don't want that way. i want this button to be on remote as well as on TV tuner box. I wanted to use otherway round from remote. At far from PC and watching TV while some job like download or Video encoding is going on PC, just by that button on remote, without leaving bed, i will be able keep track on progress of job i had put on PC.

This is the way I am use to for past 6 years or so. I really loved that Zenith tuner but it has turned bad now & beyond economical repair. Any information from your side on this from ATI & compro Videomate would be great.

[ranjan2001]

humnmnm...............so u want to be lazy, alrite.

Need to check if any of the models we discussed have this feature or not.

[assasin]

i've used one xternal tuner,dont remember the make but it didnt hav that fuct.

[Rollercoaster]

Originally Posted by goobimama

Just as we sort of on the topic, I need to control my Media Center in Vista. I don't have a remote. I need a TV tuner just to control the Media center and nothing else. I don't have a TV so I won't need the tv recording and all that. And if there's another way other than using a TV tuner, then please let me know, price is not reeeeeeaaaly a factor...

that was my problem some time ago. but sadly, the IR remotes that come with tv tuners have the reciever on the tv tuner board and those dont work with media center or any other app in windows as it is not accessable by the OS

I then needed a wireless key/mouse set so i bought Logitech s510 media remote (a cordless mouse, keyboard and a media remote) it works really nice with media center.

another option is to buy a media center kit from Microsoft and get their actual media remote (but that is costly)

another option is to look for utilities on the net that can process(and fwd it to windows) signals from the onboard IR reciever of the tv tuner. but this one is a 6itch

@to all others
guys i recommed a internal tv tuner as it offers the most features and control. i have been using tv tuners for more then 5 years without a hitch. my home even got hit by lightening once but only the lan card got fried. the tv tuner separates the cable and the reviever from each other so even of u have surge trouble then also only the tuner will fry. a external tuner is only usefull for use with laptop, but watching tv on a laptop is realy not comfertable.

i have used pixelview play tv pro, pinnacle 50i, pinnacle 50e, pinnacle 110i and tata sat. reciever(thru video/audio in only)
__________

Originally Posted by premsherma

I am looking for a strange feature of listening to TV while working on PC. No body is ready to confirm whether any one of these compro baby have that or not.

this is simple with internal tuners. u can use any capture software to listen to only the audio or see only the video stream from ur tuner. like for eg linking the tuner video to the yahoo messenger webcam or recording audio only in virtualdub etc. i have done that many times

[premsharma]

Originally Posted by Rollercoaster

this is simple with internal tuners. u can use any capture software to listen to only the audio or see only the video stream from ur tuner. like for eg linking the tuner video to the yahoo messenger webcam or recording audio only in virtualdub etc. i have done that many times

Sorry you are saying something else. No software is required for that feature and that can only be available in normal externals. Not very many people are aware of that feature here. Thus I will try at my own if I can find any such tuner.

[Rollercoaster]

that is available in external tuners cause u can just plug in the audio out to the line in(or mapped via software). there is not much more to it.

all i ment was that the same is easily possible with internal tuners

[assasin]

personally i think that internal tuners r the best in all respect.

[vivekbabbudelhi]

oh man

a lot of confusion is in the air
i dont know you you dont know me
but we are a front isnt it


i too had same problems as discussed above
mind it different people different needs so are

different solutions
i believe there is no universal solution


i too wanted a tv tuner box for my sync master940bw
i didnt wanted a pc based so i opted for a tv box

instead because internal or usb based suck a bitc$$$

sons a$$
every time you want to watch tv you have to turn pc on &

thats a whore


as of my googling i found a lot of standalone boxes from

compro,pixelview etc for lcd monitor but when i went to

nehru place i cant find any
except
1 techcom lcdtv tuner box ssd-tv-722 for 1575rs
2 avermedia lcdtv tuner box for rs 3500

so what do you think no choices at all for standalone

boxes
so i purchased techcom lcdtv tuner box ssd-tv-722 for rs

1575 inc taxes from computer empire
dirt cheap ist it

now let me explain you one by one what you can do with

it & what can't


1 its a standalone box so you dont have to turn pc on to

watch tv
2 it features
inputs 1 rf or cable in
2 svideo in
3 composite video in
4 stereo audio in
5 vga in db-15

outputs 1 vga out db-15
2 stereo audio out
3 composite video out
4 remote controller
5 audio out via rca (l+r channel)

set up

1 connect vga in of tuner to vga out of pc & vga out of

tuner to vga in of monitor & cable in of tuner
now you can watch tv on your monitor directly without a

pc on


when you turn pc on you can watch tv as well as your

windows desktop by picture in picture function on remote

controller in a same frame
windows desktop in background and tv channels as scaled

down window on front both work simultaneously its great

because it dosent runs through pc so it dosent frags

your cpu's a$$ & memory take a note here

but if you want to record you have to connect composite

video out of tuner to composite in of pc only if you

have a VIVO CARD thats it
if you dont have vivo card you cant record shows with a

damn standalone tv tuner

remember different people different needs so are

different solutions


2 with tata sky or cas connect composite video out of

set top box to composite video in of tuner thats it do

audio yourself


regarding resolutions it has svga 60/75 hz
vga 60/75 hz
xga 60/75 hz 1024x768
1280x1024 60/75 hz

picture quality from rf decoder chip or from cable is

just good at most when cable signal is excellent mind it

cable signal is important or get a rf booster for

yourself to get rid of noise

picture quality from composite video & svideo in is

excellent
dth owners & vcd / dvd players take a note here its best

for you worth price



but if you want better go for avermedia at 3500 bucks

i have connected it to samsung sync master940bw 19" lcd

via vga out db-15 of tuner & audio out of tuner to aux

in of altec lansing mx5021
and through rf cable input
some may find techcom a fuc#i## thing
but thats enough for me as of now

any more queries ???

[premsharma]

First Let me explain that i am not a laymen and i don't need so point by point elaboration. Let me remind you that I have been using such TV tuners for 6 years now with CRT. Presently using Intex TV tuner with TFT.

You have not understood anything, what we have discussed in previous threads. Ofcourse everybody know that PIP [picture in picture feature] but I do not want that. i am looking for a starnge feature, which only Zenith Tuners had earlier.

We were discussing it at higher levels like DVI input, 12 bit audio encoding etc and you have brought it down to cheap Techcom etc. Who said compro is not available in India. It is available with mediatechindia.com and they have dealers at Delhi or else you can buy online. Same way ATI theater pro 550 is also available.

[Rollercoaster]

err. what was this thread about? :-p

[ranjan2001]

Well while u guys posted , I got myself the tech com today for demo, my cablewala came & set it with my cas STB & its working fine separately.

AS of now he has set it independently so I can watch TV without switching on the comp, if I need the comp then I switch the mode & I can use the comp & listen to the TV audio only by pressing a button on the remote (Prem u wanted this same feature na) for some reason as of now I cant get PIP but I know it will work too, so that means small TV image on my desktop along with recording facility in the background, when I am using the comp.

Now this one is not mentioned as specifically as LCD tunner, checking the site I found that this one seems to older model SSD-TV-712 but works fine on my 20 inch widescreen, though seeing the image quality from 1meter distance is not that great.

The same can be attached via graphic card too, but I dont know will that give a better image quality or not, I will try now & let you know.

If you want me to test something let me know before I give this back, its on loan for demo 3 days, monday I may return, but as of now I think I will buy this one as it seems to work fine.

but if you want to record you have to connect composite
video out of tuner to composite in of pc only if you
have a VIVO CARD thats it
if you dont have vivo card you cant record shows with a
damn standalone tv tuner

What is a VIVO card, cant I record tv using my XFX 7600GT??, it does have a S-video connector at the back which I have connected to the graphic card & the card shos TV as detected, now How do I record? what softwaredo I use to record as this does not come with any CD, though my XFX card has some CD for doing so I guess.

UPDATE
I can switch to from TV to comp by switching the display this keeps the sound from the chanels or switch the power off & I see computer but I cant go back & forth once I am on my desktop neither I can use PIP function, how does this gets operated?

[vivekbabbudelhi]

lord
why chilli is burning hot

hey prem i didnt addressed my post to you did i read it

again forbidden i have not mentioned you or anyone there

so why do you take it at your heart

i didnt even knew that you have initiated this thread
and
regarding why i had point by point elaboration
get it man you dont own think digit forum i had this for

everyone each and every person whether layman or a geek

or hardware designer who visit this forum indian or

american
everyone is not a damn genious or a whiz nor everyone

has million dollar bucks to get expensive



even if you feel i own an apology i give it to you dear
be happy man

regarding " higher levels like DVI input, 12 bit audio

encoding etc "

have money & want best go for a lcd tv with srs audio

chip & hdmi & in built recording hard disk with direct

to dvd burning it would satisfy rock bottom
what is a fuc$i$$ tv tuner its a cheap thing whether its
ATI theater or compro
tv tuners are bought for saving some money

[sabret00the]

I had discussed something similar in this thread External or Internal TV tuner?

[ranjan2001]

Vivek
What is a VIVO card, cant I record tv using my XFX 7600GT with this model?

[vivekbabbudelhi]

hi rajan

VIVO is Video In Video Out feature
its an interface in graphic cards it provides video

input from external source like playstation, dvd , vcd

player to your pc via your graphic card only through

composite/s video input for recording or other purpose

its just same as that of internal tuners have this av

capability to record from external sources like

vcr/vcd/dvd

some cards are
agp
powercolour radeon 9600xt bravo
asus ax800xt
powercolour radeon x800xt

pci e
asus extreme n5900
asus extreme ax 600xt
msi rx600 xt vtd128
gigabyte gv rx16t256v rh
gigabyte gv rx19x512vb rh (x1900 xtx gpu)

mostly as you can its popular with ati cards ati calls

it AVIVO technology
you can find more cards at theitdepot . com under

graphic gards category video editing cards

regarding xfx 7600gt i dont know its vivo or not you can

check with site most probably its having a tv/hdtv out

port

[ranjan2001]

Ok that is now clear &I checked that 7600 GT does not have any such facility, neither the techcom external tuner which I got yesterday has this facility.

So I need to look for some internal tuner which has the capture facility, Prem in another thread referred to compro card & I will try those ones & post my comments.

[premsharma]

OK guys, we have been styruggling here and digit have listened to us. They have run a review on TV tuners in this month [Apr 2007] digit. The toppers in all the catagories are Leadtech Winfast, Compro, AverMedia etc. All your queries are anwered. Though no products of ATI theater Pro, are there in the tests. God knows why? I think they are pretty good tuners from ATI.