usb HDtv Tuner

[skill1414]

Hi I'm sort of a noob in this sort of stuff.

I'm thinking of getting a usb HD tv tuner http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/47319bd0060fecfc2742c0a87f9c0723/Product/View/XH0835 for my computer and I have a few questions.

- I can just stick in a tv antenna and it should work right?
- Do I need a good graphics card for it to work (I have nvidia fx52000)
- Will it allow me to watch digital channels such as abc2, tenhd
- does it require an internet connection?

 

[Xtreme]

I have a HDTV card in my pc - virtually the same as the usb sort

* Yes it should work, of course you could run in to reception issues depending on your local area (i get shoddy reception on Ch 10 & SBS. by Shoddy reception i mean the picture + audio is prone to freezing).

* You need a decent graphics card plus a decent pc (as long as it meets the system requirements on the hdtv cards box, you shouldn't have a problem). I had an onboard graphics card at first (crap intel extreme graphics chip) and it wouldn't let me view the HD channels. Your nvidia fx52000 should be alright for it.

* You will be able to watch digital channels, as long as you can recieve them. As said above, sometimes i can't get good reception for Ch 10 or SBS.... sometimes they don't show up on the digital display at all.

* You don't need the internet, you should be able to plug the device in, attach the antenna and off you go (well once you've installed the drivers + programs for it from the cd). You can use the internet to look for updated versions of the software you would use to view the tv.

 

[melbournemartin]

How much are they for low, medium and high quality?

Where do you live roughly Xtreme? I wouldn't be happy if I didn't get good reception on Ten especially.

 

[Xtreme]

Glen Waverley mate, Ch 10 isn't that bad, it can be prone to drop outs (especially if the aerial is not maintained - where i keep it can get pretty dusty).

I generally get 98% quality - 82% signal strength each channel
7 is generally the best (although it looks the worst... but 7 arn't the best digital tv network) as i can get 98% quality - 83/84% signal strength.

10 can go from 98% quality - 82% signal strength. To anywhere from 91 - 65% quality and 79 - 51% signal strength.


I think you pay $$$ for the brand you want, my digital card (VisionDTV - later renamed as Twinhan DTV) gets bagged a lot, nobody really likes the program you use to view the channels.... but i'm happy with it as it does what i want it to do. Plus if i want to take screen caps with it, i just use an external program to playback the recorded files (eg: powerdvd).

I know of someone who lives near an airport (not quite like in The Castle... but ALMOST right next to it), who has a digital capture card and his goes bonkers with all the planes flying around .

 

[HBK619]

I saw an ad in the paper today advertising for that exact same USB HDTV Tuner, it was $69, the place is TECS Computer Source.

Their website is www.tecs.com.au for their addresses and stuff.