HDTV Tuner Card: What should I get

[billin30]

I think it would be cool to get an HDTV tuner card for my computer. I just have a few questions that I am unsure about.

I have HD cable already, I just dont want to get another box. Is there anything else I need to watch HD or just plug the coax into the card?

Will I be able to watch TV and play games at the same time?

 

[blackened144]

You will not get HD from the cable line on your PC, only over the air broadcasts. If you want to use your PC as an HD cable box you need to get a cable card from your cable company. The cable card is about the size of your standard PCMCIA laptop card and some TV's will allow you to install the card directly into the TV. You can also buy adapters that will allow you to connect the cable card to your PC. I cant seem to find anything newer in the 2 seconds I looked, but you would need something like this.. The article shows the external one, but they also have internal ones.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/atis-ocur-worlds-first-cablecard-hdtv-tuner-for-vista-pcs/

 

[KyleSTL]

You will not get HD from the cable line on your PC, only over the air broadcasts. If you want to use your PC as an HD cable box you need to get a cable card from your cable company. The cable card is about the size of your standard PCMCIA laptop card and some TV's will allow you to install the card directly into the TV. You can also buy adapters that will allow you to connect the cable card to your PC. I cant seem to find anything newer in the 2 seconds I looked, but you would need something like this.. The article shows the external one, but they also have internal ones.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/06/atis-ocur-worlds-first-cablecard-hdtv-tuner-for-vista-pcs/

Untrue. There are patches out there for Vista Media Center to tune in ClearQAM channels, and the programs included with all tuner cards support ClearQAM as well. But, he is correct about encrypted QAM (ESPN HD, etc) content needing a cablecard.

 

[blackened144]

I would call it an over simplification.. I assumed he wanted all the channels he was getting on the cable box on the PC, which he wont get without the cable card.

 

[firebird]

http://ati.amd.com/products/tvwonderdigital/index.html

The only one I know of.