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

[premsharma]

I know this topic had been discussed every now & then but still there are some confution. Guide for choosing a external TV tuner for say 19" or 20" wide TFT would be great, if someone can come up with. Following factors could be taken care off:

USB interface for TV Tuners - Is there any bottle neck in flow of data

Resolution: What is resolution these Tuners can offer or should offer?? Tjhis is most important part to think of new tuner for TFT. If resolution is same old as your old TV tuner, we don't have think of buying another one.

VGA Connectivity: Most of Tuners comes with VGA connector at one end & S-

Video at other. How about connecting DVI output from graphic card to TV tuner [s-video or composite video].

DVI Interface: Is it available in Tuners ???

DTH /CAS compatibility: I suppose tuners are compatible with set top boxes.

These are just basic points and other features like recording, time shifting, Audio encoding etc can be deliberated as USB tuners also provide these features.

Some good brands like ATI Theater 550 Pro, Hauppauge WinTV, Compro VideoMate [Action Pro External TV Tuners] ,Pinnacle, PixelView etc can be compared and suggested.

So please come up with comprehensive guide. Great thanks in Advance ...

[sysfilez]

Go for hauppauge or compro. dunno whether they r available or not in india market.

[premsharma]

compro is available at arround 3800+

[Sourabh]

Check my article on TV tuners here

http://laptoplogic.com/resources/det...p?id=46&page=2

It primarily discusses USB based tv-tuner for laptops.

It will answer almost all your questions except the tuners which convert your LCD into TV directly. Those are named as set-top box based tv tuners in the article (not to be mistaken with DTH and Tata Sky services)

If you want to know anything else, post it here.

[premsharma]

I have seen that article and still has few more doubts. You mean there is no problem / bottleneck of audio /video data flow in external USB tuners. I am planning it for a desktop with 19" wide TFT monitor. How is USB tuner connected to TFT for video & audio ? Can't we make use of DVI connectivity of TFT & Graphic card.

i.e. are they same like other external TV tuners, where VGA and Audio from PC also pass through tuner so that both PC and TV can be used. If they are same, is there any DVI connectivity in these tuners. What about resolutions?

I have tentatively selected Videomate & ATI theater etc. Please suggest exact model numbers. Great thanks...

[ranjan2001]

Prem the usb port is capable of delivering A/V too & there is no bottleneck as the usb 2.0 is faster.

I have lenovo usb speakers mounted below my monitor & the audio works via usb hub, In sound devices I see a choice between my creative sound card & usb speakers to select.

[assasin]

afaik xternal tuners with DVI is not available.
a usb tuner is not directly connected to ur TFT.u'll haqv to connect it to a USB port in ur pc,install drivers and pvr software and then u can view tv.usb tuners r mainly for laptops cuz u cannot use internal pci ones in laptops.

[premsharma]

Originally Posted by assasin

afaik xternal tuners with DVI is not available.
a usb tuner is not directly connected to ur TFT.u'll haqv to connect it to a USB port in ur pc,install drivers and pvr software and then u can view tv.usb tuners r mainly for laptops cuz u cannot use internal pci ones in laptops.

That is clear to certain extent that DVI is not available in external TV tuners. I also think that USB tuners are for laptop. Bye the way what happens, if anyone like me wants to buy a high end TV tuner external and not intrested in internal. When I say high end, I am talking about High resolution & stereo or 5.1 sound and DVI interface.

Do you mean to say that there is none like this in external TV tuners. I have seen many such high resolution TV tuners on comro site with some features like DVB-S series & DVB-T series, but really do not understand what this means and which one is suitable ??

[assasin]

The xternal tuners ur talking bout r not available in India,and will cost a bomb when they become available.
If u wanna buy 1 now then order in any online store which ships to India.
but why do u want a tuner with DVI interface?theres more or less no diff in pic quality in D-Sub and DVI xcept in games and that too at high res and with a high end card.

[premsharma]

So which one should I go far : ATI Theater Pro, Hauppauge WinTV, Compro VideoMate ,Pinnacle, PixelView etc. I think ATI Theater is only internal. If you can guide with model no. , would be great.

[assasin]

the 1st thing that u need to decide is what u wanna use the card for i.e do u only plan to watch tv or u even wanna capture live tv.
if u wanna view only tv,then buy xternal tuner,as u wont need to switch on pc.
if u wanna capture then u'll hav buy internal.make sure u hav a pretty powerful pc if u wanna capture live tv in divx/mp4 format in windows vista,or wanna use media center in vista.
as far as model is concerned,it depends on ur budget and wat models ur dealer can arrange for u.the main prob is that not all models r available in the Indian market.better go 4 Compro,if possible a digital tuner.

[ranjan2001]

Does it mean that external tuners don't have recording facility for live tv? or may be they dont offer gud quality as the internal might do?

[assasin]

^^^ xternal tuner cards other than usb tuner dont hav recording facility.if u wanna use ur tuner 4 recording buy internal.

[premsharma]

Originally Posted by ranjan2001

Does it mean that external tuners don't have recording facility for live tv? or may be they dont offer gud quality as the internal might do?

External USB tuners have recording facility and as good as internal. That is not a problem. Even they have FM on them.

My interest is different, i.e. not intrested in recording live TV much but if available of good quality in external, won't mind. Why I don't want want to go for internal is simply because no protection for cable surge and don't want to fry my CPU by connecting cable to it through internal card.

I al also not worried about whether PC is required to be switched on or not for watching TV. Infact I want to use both of them. See here is what I meant: Switch on your PC and now your TV Tuner by remote and TV screen overlays your monitor and you listen to TV sound. Now you are watching TV while PC is on and PC display is behind TV display. Now consider that you want to get PC display on monitor and same time TV sound [in other way you want to work on PC while listening to cricket commentary], you can do this if your TV tuner remote has PC/TV button to switch between these modes. While say typing on computer say you learnt from commentary that Dada has hit six to Murali and you immediately want to see the replay, just press this sw PC/TV and you get TV display on monitor and TV sound was ofcourse already there.

I had Zenith TV tuner, which had this feature and now I have seen host of cheap TV tuners like Intex etc, these people even don't know about it forget alone of having it on their tuners.

Compro Videomate, PixelView, ATI Theater, Pinnacle are all available here in India though at little higher prices because they are available through ebay.in

ComproVideomate products are available in India through Mediatechindia.com and thier products can be reached for specifications at www.comprousa.com

However difficult to decide, which one could be better suited to me.

[ranjan2001]

My requirement is almost the same except that I also want live recording of programs when I am not able to watch, but this stupid STB is not letting me do all that.

MY vendor is ready to give me 2 tuners to try, they have got one specially for LCD 1680x1050 & they claim this will give me a better image quality but even he is not sure how will it work with STB, I tried 1 but could not get it running so I have put that on hold.

[premsharma]

Which is one .. specially for LCD 1680x1050 , can you name it
__________

Originally Posted by ranjan2001

My requirement is almost the same except that I also want live recording of programs when I am not able to watch, but this stupid STB is not letting me do all that.

MY vendor is ready to give me 2 tuners to try, they have got one specially for LCD 1680x1050 & they claim this will give me a better image quality but even he is not sure how will it work with STB, I tried 1 but could not get it running so I have put that on hold.

As far as your STB requirements, just have a look at compro videomate site, they mention it of capable of recieving DTH & STB signals. So you can see whether it suits you. I don't understand why STB would not allow you connecting TV Tuner.

There are STB tuners also specifically capable of reording as sland alone and you don't need PC but I think we don't need that type. We need a good tuner which has all the features, we are looking far and to be used with PC and it has to be second TV device in addition to conventional TV. I don't want to replace TV completely with this type of setup.

[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...

[ranjan2001]

Originally Posted by premsharma

Which is one .. specially for LCD 1680x1050 , can you name it
__________

This is what I was talking about, Advance LCD TV box


Now there website is running so u can read details about the product
http://blscomputer.com/1680-lcd-tv-box.html

[assasin]

@goobimama dude i'm using vista media center to view and capture tv.my tuner card is PCTV 100i.as far vista media center remote is concerned i'l get it within 4-5 days.xpecting it 2 cost bou 400-700 bucks.since price is not a fctor 4 u,try to get a higher quality tuner.

@ranjan2001 i dont understand why u ppl r creating such a ruckus over stb and analog tuners.U CAN CONNECT UR STB TO ANALOG TUNER THRU COMPOSITE VIDEO/S-VIDEO IN OF UR TUNER CARD.in this way u can watch tv using a analog tuner.i've poted this a lot of times.the only drawback of this system is u wont be able to use the remote of ur tuner and u'll hav to use remote of stb to change channels.

@premsharma i'm using a inter tuner card for over a year and hav faced no such probs of cable surge.u can use a internal tuner without any fear of frying ur cpu provided u dont hav a very bad luck.
xternal tuners provide only limited level of multitasking.u cant watch tv when ur using ur pc.this level of multitasking is allowed by internal and usb tuners.

[ranjan2001]

Assasin, I tried 2 times & failed so I am not sure may be I was doing something wrong in connecting but the signal was not available to the LCD, hence I just want to be sure that they work with STB & should allow pausing live TV &recording a particular channel from 9-10 Pm on a particular day when I am not there.(I don't think they do)

[premsharma]

Originally Posted by ranjan2001

This is what I was talking about, Advance LCD TV box


Now there website is running so u can read details about the product
http://blscomputer.com/1680-lcd-tv-box.html

This seems same as comprovideo mate & pixel view. They have little bit of more features. How is this brand and what is its tentative cost?

[assasin]

Originally Posted by ranjan2001

Assasin, I tried 2 times & failed so I am not sure may be I was doing something wrong in connecting but the signal was not available to the LCD, hence I just want to be sure that they work with STB & should allow pausing live TV &recording a particular channel from 9-10 Pm on a particular day when I am not there.(I don't think they do)

hav u selected the video source in the pvr as composite/s-video.
on which tuner did u try.i've connected a stb (tatsky) to my PCTV 100i thru both composite and s-video and it worked like a charm.
as far as signal not coming to LCD is concerned,it comes from gfx card/onboard gfx.its not depedant on ur tuner.
as far as xternal tuners r concerned i dont know whether it'll work,but internal will work.

[ranjan2001]

I dont remember the brand which I tried but it was external tuner & I dont have tata sky , I have the regular CAS STB which is supplied by citicable in delhi.
Once I have some time I will try again.

Prem I have not tried that but my dealer told me that they will provide support & assure that it works with STB , but I need to find time to get it going.

I did not ask the cost but should be within 4-5K, just a guess.
You can mail them & ask.

Their delhi service center is
615,Hemkunt Chambers,
Nehru Place
New Delhi-110 019
Tel :- 09313992593

[assasin]

since it was a xternal tuner with which u tried,i think it wasnt a true LCD tuner,so u didnt get any signal in ur monitor cuz the scanning freq didnt match.

[ranjan2001]

That is what even I suspected

[premsharma]

Originally Posted by assasin

since it was a xternal tuner with which u tried,i think it wasnt a true LCD tuner,so u didnt get any signal in ur monitor cuz the scanning freq didnt match.

That is what we have been deliberating for i.e. what is true LCD Tuner?

[ranjan2001]

Thats why my dealer asked me to try this one as its meant for widescreen LCd specifically.

But I am having too many other issues to handle , once I am free I would try it for sure.

[premsharma]

[QUOTE=assasin@premsharma i'm using a inter tuner card for over a year and hav faced no such probs of cable surge.u can use a internal tuner without any fear of frying ur cpu provided u dont hav a very bad luck.
xternal tuners provide only limited level of multitasking.u cant watch tv when ur using ur pc.this level of multitasking is allowed by internal and usb tuners.[/QUOTE]

Yes I had that bad luck once, which fried everything. I am not saying multitasking. Yes I can't watch TV while working on PC but i am talking about Listening TV while working on PC. Haven't you heard about it or you are saying that it is not possible on present breed of Tuners.

I had one External Tuner from Zenith, which lasted 6 years, When I bought, it was prices 5000. TV tuners were very new then. This tuner had that fantastic feature of PC/TV button of remote. Enquired with Zenith, they says they have stopped making now such tuners.

So what I am looking is very different from all you, exept that I also want it for 19" wide LCD monitor with better resolution & sound.
__________

Originally Posted by ranjan2001

I did not ask the cost but should be within 4-5K, just a guess.

If it is 4-5 thousand, it is better you go for Compro Videomate or ATI Theater, They are all within this range. ATI theater series are known to be top class in internal TV tuner cards. They have only internal I beleive. i don't think you should consider any other brand except ATI, Compro, PixelView and they are vista compatible too and are available in India at almost at same price what others brands are trying to sell by saying specific LCD tuners.

[ranjan2001]

Where in India are they available I inquired at Nehru place for many days from different shop, but none had them. Can u tell where specifically its available & what support service is available.
I remember Fortune marketing at NP use to deal in Compro earlier but now they dont.

I am not sure about the price but will let u know on Saturday, my usual day of visiting Nehru place.

[assasin]

Originally Posted by premsharma

That is what we have been deliberating for i.e. what is true LCD Tuner?

afaik a true lcd tuner is one which provides video out in the native format required by lcd monitors.