Any ATSC tuner cards with video *outputs* ???

[PC Guy]

Are there any ATSC tuner cards that will OUTPUT a user-selected channel
to (a) composite, (b) S-video, (c) component video, (d) HDMI, and (e)
9-pin VGA output ports?

(if not all of a through e, then at least b, c and d)

All the cards I can find do not have rear-panel outputs. All they seem
to be able to do is output the user-selected channel to the computer's
monitor via software media player (which I would want this hypothetical
card to do as well).

 

[Paul]

Are there any ATSC tuner cards that will OUTPUT a user-selected channel
to (a) composite, (b) S-video, (c) component video, (d) HDMI, and (e)
9-pin VGA output ports?

(if not all of a through e, then at least b, c and d)

All the cards I can find do not have rear-panel outputs. All they seem
to be able to do is output the user-selected channel to the computer's
monitor via software media player (which I would want this hypothetical
card to do as well).

Good hardware is like "hens teeth".

Useful stuff is only released by accident.

You could:

1) Use an older generation video card, with DIN connector and "component hydra"
cable assembly. That would give you YPbPr, S-video, composite or some combination
of those, via your video card. You could continue to use your existing ATSC
tuner, and deal with the output via an older video card. (Assuming the card's
driver is not an issue.) My 7900 family card still has the necessary connector.

2) The BlackMagic Intensity Pro card, can be used for interworking. For
example, you could capture the computer screen output of your video card,
then play it back to another output. The card won't do 1080p60, and does
not use the best of the three Analog Devices converter chips. There is
no HDCP support for example (can't capture HDMI encrypted with HDCP).
There is at least one competing product which is a bit cheaper.

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/intensity/techspecs/

"Analog Video Output: Independent connections for component and composite and s-video.

Digital Video Input: 1 x HDMI input.

Analog Video Input: Independent connections for component and composite and s-video."

I wouldn't expect to find an "open ended" tuner card. Only closed standards.

Another example, at one time, a few set top boxes existed with Firewire outputs.
Those are like gold now, and you aren't likely to find anyone making things
like that any more either.

You can thank the movie industry and DMCA for stuff like this.

Paul

 

[Flasherly]

Are there any ATSC tuner cards that will OUTPUT a user-selected channel
to (a) composite, (b) S-video, (c) component video, (d) HDMI, and (e)
9-pin VGA output ports?

(if not all of a through e, then at least b, c and d)

All the cards I can find do not have rear-panel outputs. All they seem
to be able to do is output the user-selected channel to the computer's
monitor via software media player (which I would want this hypothetical
card to do as well).

Switching box. Say, VGA into a switching box (or adapter cable).
Runs the accessories price up, may drop "native" specs, added
complication. . . . Just be careful what you say about the included
software. Probably had a Conextant chip on some offland tuner-card
brand at one time. The software, however, was a nightmare from take-
control, we're running things now, hell. Eventually found a core
level of driver support that let me through to the Conextant, which
nicely identified the device for anything practical that wasn't on
that packaged disc. Three DLL files for one big ball of twisted
twine. Wouldn't do anything like top of the line ATI cards, of
course, which had features such as running multiple cable-connect
channels simultaneously for a discrete selection/menu preview
thingy;- Maybe a cable guy, in the backyard, was telling me that,
about his ATI setup. Stuff makes sick now, though, not just the new
cable subscription boxes, but an incessant barrage of commercials for
programming cultural deficiency. Weren't for the prospect of a couple
universities broadcasting locally, I'd stick to used books off the
internet.

 

[Paul]

The PVR-350 had S-video and Composite, which was one example of a tuner with outputs.
That's because they had an MPEG2 compressor/decompressor chipset on the card.
But "NTSC only" isn't going to help you.

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16815116609

*******

You could also look for a set top box. I can see one here for
example, with a few different outputs. This doesn't fit inside
your computer, so you'd have to change your setup ideas a bit.

http://www.plasma-hdtv.info/sylvania-6900dte.htm

Paul

 

[Andy]

Are there any ATSC tuner cards that will OUTPUT a user-selected channel
to (a) composite, (b) S-video, (c) component video, (d) HDMI, and (e)
9-pin VGA output ports?

(if not all of a through e, then at least b, c and d)

All the cards I can find do not have rear-panel outputs. All they seem
to be able to do is output the user-selected channel to the computer's
monitor via software media player (which I would want this hypothetical
card to do as well).

A card from the past: Macro Image Technology MyHD has rear panel VGA
and component connectors.
http://www.digitalconnection.com/Support/cn_myhd8.asp

 

[PC Guy]

Are there any ATSC tuner cards that will OUTPUT a user-selected
channel to (a) composite, (b) S-video, (c) component video, (d)
HDMI, and (e) 9-pin VGA output ports?

1) Use an older generation video card, with DIN connector and
"component hydra" cable assembly.

2) The BlackMagic Intensity Pro card, can be used for interworking.
For example, you could capture the computer screen output of your
video card, then play it back to another output.

My goal is to not need to run any software on the PC beyond that needed
to change channels on the ATSC tuner. The Tuner card would be
responsible for decoding the desired TV channel and then outputting the
resulting audio/video through it's own output ports (component,
composite, HDMI, etc). Presumably at some level these signals are
present on the tuner card, and it's just a matter of digging them out
and routing them to the appropriate bracket-mounted connector.

Switching box. Say, VGA into a switching box (or adapter cable).

See my comment above.

The PVR-350 had S-video and Composite, which was one example of
a tuner with outputs. That's because they had an MPEG2 compressor
/decompressor chipset on the card. But "NTSC only" isn't going
to help you.

I've got several ATI AIW-pro cards (with ntsc tuners) but I'm not sure
if they were able to generate a composite/S-Video output signal to an
NTSC monitor/TV without the video image also being simultaneously
displayed on the computer monitor through a dedicated video player
program.

In the case of NTSC, I can't see where or why MPEG2 compression /
decompression would be needed. The baseband video and audio signals
coming from the tuner need only be output to the composite / S-video
output jacks with no CPU processing needed.

A card from the past: Macro Image Technology MyHD has rear panel
VGA and component connectors.

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Support/cn_myhd8.asp

I can't quite tell if that card does what I want - which is to make the
card responisible for generating the output signals sent to my display
device (NTSC monitor/tv and/or HD-tv or computer monitor) without
requiring any CPU processing or involvement with the computer's native
video card.

What I want is, in effect, something that has the functionality of a
set-top ATSC tuner/converter box (with a full compliment of output
connectors) but to have that integrated into a PCI card. If it came
with a plug-in IR detector and remote control that would be excellent.

 

[Andy]

PC Guy wrote:

I can't quite tell if that card does what I want - which is to make the
card responisible for generating the output signals sent to my display
device (NTSC monitor/tv and/or HD-tv or computer monitor) without
requiring any CPU processing or involvement with the computer's native
video card.

In Configuration #2 there is no hardware connection between the
computer graphics card and the MyHD card. If you control the MyHD card
using the MyHD application, then the MyHD control panel will be shown
on the computer display. The only thing that shows on the HDTV display
is the television picture.

What I want is, in effect, something that has the functionality of a
set-top ATSC tuner/converter box (with a full compliment of output
connectors) but to have that integrated into a PCI card. If it came
with a plug-in IR detector and remote control that would be excellent.

The MyHD came with the remote control and IR detector that plugged
into the MyHD card.