[off topic] TV card advice needed (UK)

  • Thread starter Thread starter nicholas
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nicholas

As I intend to buy the ultimate version of Vista when it comes out I want to
get the most out of the OS and as such I am going to get a TV card.
The trouble is I am at a bit of a loss on what one to get.

I need one that that can pick up analogue signals as well as digital signals
(will be needed when the analogue signal gets switched off some time in the
future in the UK)

So is there anyone in the UK who is running Vista have any advice/ comments
or links to products that would suite my needs.

Any help or advice would be gratefully accepted.

NIK
 
Quality picture wise on a pc using a TV tuner card is not that good.
Plus you need good signal strength.
 
When you say that the analogue signals get switched off do you mean the air
(antennae) broadcast signals?
It will be a number of years yet before the quantity of channels that are
broadcast with cable could be broadcast as digital content because the
amount of data would be huge, requiring optical fiber directly to the home.
I am subscribed to 68 channels of analog TV, and there are many more offered
by my cable TV provider. I don't see analog disappearing any time soon.
 
The quality will depend on what TV tuner card you get. Since the only ones
that work with Media Center have built in hardware decoding, the quality is
as good as any TV set can display as far as I can tell.
 
In the United States digital over the air of high definition and standard definition TV has already
begun.
In New York City ALL network, independent and public broadcasting channels are broadcasting over the
air digital content.
High Definition, 5.1 Digital Dolby Surround
I believe that in 2008 analog over the air TV transmission will be switched off in the US.
Fiber optics are NOT required. I receive several 1080i programs, 720p, 480p and 480i channels over
the air.
On the other hand, my cable service ONLY provides 720p signals.

| When you say that the analogue signals get switched off do you mean the air
| (antennae) broadcast signals?
| It will be a number of years yet before the quantity of channels that are
| broadcast with cable could be broadcast as digital content because the
| amount of data would be huge, requiring optical fiber directly to the home.
| I am subscribed to 68 channels of analog TV, and there are many more offered
| by my cable TV provider. I don't see analog disappearing any time soon.
|
|
| | > As I intend to buy the ultimate version of Vista when it comes out I want
| > to get the most out of the OS and as such I am going to get a TV card.
| > The trouble is I am at a bit of a loss on what one to get.
| >
| > I need one that that can pick up analogue signals as well as digital
| > signals (will be needed when the analogue signal gets switched off some
| > time in the future in the UK)
| >
| > So is there anyone in the UK who is running Vista have any advice/
| > comments or links to products that would suite my needs.
| >
| > Any help or advice would be gratefully accepted.
| >
| > NIK
|
 
Over the Air Analog channels must stop tranmissions in February of 2009.
Analog over cable will still be available if it wasn't the problem would be
huge when you considdr the very large number of people who have analog cable
connected directly to their TVs.
My Cox cable supplier provides the Primary digital channels of the local OTA
digital channels in whichever format the OTA brodcasts are in which is
normally 720p for ABC and FOX and 1080i for all others. They also provide
many SD digital channels in 480i and have also tested broadcasting some of
their analog channels (2-99) in 480i digital using different channel numbers
in order to improve their PQ.
 
nicholas said:
As I intend to buy the ultimate version of Vista when it comes out I want
to get the most out of the OS and as such I am going to get a TV card.
The trouble is I am at a bit of a loss on what one to get.

I need one that that can pick up analogue signals as well as digital
signals (will be needed when the analogue signal gets switched off some
time in the future in the UK)

So is there anyone in the UK who is running Vista have any advice/
comments or links to products that would suite my needs.

Any help or advice would be gratefully accepted.
Click to expand...


Out of three three twin-tuner DVB-T cards you can get (Terratec, Hauppauge
and Black Gold) only the Black Gold has already got working Vista drivers,
so I have just got one. It's also got twin analogue tuners, so it's a
twin-tuner *and* hybrid.

It's a bit more expensive than the Hauppauge, but it's worth it. The tuners
are more sensitive and the picture quality is great. It also will have HD
support. It doesn't come with a remote, so I'm going to get a MS MCE remote
to work with it.

http://www.gta-ltd.co.uk/TV_PCIe_Dual_Cards.html

ss.
 
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