Speaking of Computers

[Sean Troy]

Why would one want a TV Turner card in their computer if they have TV's in the home already? I'm asking because I really don't know. Maybe I'm missing something. Thanks, Sean

[Joe Pelonio]

I had one for a year or so in the shop, two computers but no room for a TV.
Worked just great, and could play DVD movies.

Since then acquired a free small TV and mounted it on the wall, about the same time they went digital and my software wouldn't work anymore without upgrading.

It's most useful, though, on a laptop or notebook, for watching on the road
(not the driver!)

[Brian Elfert]

TV tuners are often used to make the PC into a DVR especially if the TV card can do QAM or Cablecard.

[Darius Ferlas]

First, I wonder why would anyone want to watch TV in the first place, especially if you have to pay for it. But if you do then you can set up a TV server computer with one or more TV tuners and be able to watch TV from any computer in the house over the LAN. Some TV server software packages allow for multiple users to watch different channels on their laptops at the same time using just one TV tuner.

Some other packages, given the internet access wherever you are, will allow you to watch your own TV channels from anywhere in the world (like from an office where they expect you to work instead).

A number of people forgo the built in tuners in their TV sets and they connect their TV tuner equipped computers to those TV sets. That allows them to have more recording/viewing options and to take advantage of additional experience (web browsing, weather on demand, news on demand etc) that a TV set alone cannot provide.

[Sean Troy]

Thanks all for the info. I assumed what you all said but wasn't sure if there was more to it.

[Bill Huber]

I have had a PC with a tuner in it for years and wouldn't be without it.

I have 2 monitors and use them a lot when working on photos, when not I am on SMC and use one monitor for it and the other to watch TV or woodworking DVDs.

When I had just one monitor I would put the TV in a small window in the corner of the screen and do my work and see what was going on in the news at the same time.

[Mike Cruz]

My computer is actually hooked up to my TV, so the TV is my PC screen. IF I didn't already have Directv, I'd put a tuner in my computer.

[Dan Hintz]

Some TVs actually accept tuner cards, which look like PCMCIA cards, allowing you to forego having a bulky cable box sitting around.

[paul cottingham]

1 word.
mythtv. best dvr out there, features wise. and free!

[Bryan Morgan]

Why would one want a TV Turner card in their computer if they have TV's in the home already? I'm asking because I really don't know. Maybe I'm missing something. Thanks, Sean


Research home theatre PCs. Imagine watching TV (cable/satellite/whatever) plus a DVR feature, streaming internet content (youtube/whatever), surfing the web, ripping and storing DVDs on it so you can watch them whenever you want, playing games, etc. all from one device plugged into your big screen.

Some TVs can do a lot of this nowdays (my Panasonic plasma streams internet content and has a built in DVR) but they still aren't as slick as a home theater PC.

[Bryan Morgan]

1 word.
mythtv. best dvr out there, features wise. and free!

To your one word I also say: "word". :D

Isn't that what the street kids say when they agree with something? :confused: :D

[Todd Trebuna]

I have a computer hooked up to my big screen. it functions as a 500 GB DVR. I use GB-PVR which is free Home theater software. The software allows me to record on my desktop with tv tuner and then I can stream it to my laptop over my wifi network.
I had a desktop that I was not using anyways and this turns out to be a great solution to record ( I don't have a VCR anymore) as well as tivo without subscription fees. I use an xml grabber to update my guide.

[Neal Clayton]

i agree on mythtv.

it was better in 2003/2004 than most commercial alternatives are even now (tivo included).

[Sean Troy]

Sounds like it would be pretty cool to have in the right situation. Hmmmm. I wonder if I can talk my wife into it? I hope to be ordering a new PC in a couple of weeks. I'm sure a Mac would be fine but I have no desire to relearn a computing system. My first computer was a Mac Performa 400 or some such thing. All of 16 megs. It's been a long time.

[Bryan Morgan]

Sounds like it would be pretty cool to have in the right situation. Hmmmm. I wonder if I can talk my wife into it? I hope to be ordering a new PC in a couple of weeks. I'm sure a Mac would be fine but I have no desire to relearn a computing system. My first computer was a Mac Performa 400 or some such thing. All of 16 megs. It's been a long time.


You can start with something simple like a WDTV Live Plus and when she sees how cool it is you can "upgrade" to a full blown media center. The trick I used was to show her a whole hard drive just loaded with ripped chick flicks.