best tuner

[xvga]

what tuner has the best image quality (all prices) ?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Hauppauge and ATI have the BEST tuners. There is no discernable differences in the quality, the main difference is their interfaces and options, and how they set-up their recording options. ATI incorporate them well into the All-In-Wonder line, and Hauppauge has a WIDE range of cards to suite most needs. Read reviews for opinions about the drawbacks of the interfaces.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

 

[jaythaman]

Pinnacle makes good tuners. I have one and it's perfect. I dont know about the hauppage ones.

<b><font color=blue>Go "love" yourself </b></font color=blue>

 

[xvga]

jaythaman would you say your tuner card image quality is equal to a television i.q.?

 

[TKH]

Most decent TV tuner will have the TV quality or sometimes even better. Even my LifeView FlyVideo 3000 gives me good TV viewing. I think the major drawback is if you want play console games by TV tuner you'll get not so great video quality. Anyway, besides other have said, I'll suggest you to have a look at Leadtek WinFast TV2000 XP Deluxe ig you want something good and cheap.

You never know how stupid you are until you have done something stupid enough for you to realize it.
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=22996" target="_new">My System Rig</A>

 

[xvga]

this is my second tuner. iq is not really that bad. i just want a new one with a remote control. hehehehe!

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Actually, I've heard alot of negative things about the Winfasts. But they were mainly infterface issues. I think I read a review in WIRED or CPU saying the PVR function was an issue. But I can't remember which issue, and exactly what. Sorry.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

 

[jaythaman]

THE IQ really depends on the incoming signal actually. When i first installed my Tuner, I did the Cable wire extension myself and the wires were touching each other so i got a lot of snow. But later i called in an electrician and it was perfect. But Really it can't compare to the TV. Esp the FLAT ones.

<b><font color=blue>Algebra was easy for the Romans because "X" was always 10 :lol: </b></font color=blue>
<font color=red>Jay Kay</font color=red>

 

[xvga]

But Really it can't compare to the TV.

can i ask you more jaythaman? why it can't compare to tvs?

and anybody know why tuner cards need the extra sound wire for line-in? why can't it use the normal rca cable to do all?

 

[jaythaman]

I really dont know the reason for it but i find the colours more rich on my sony TV than on my puter. For comparision sake try watching cartoon network on both and you'll see the diff as cartoons have so much colour

<b><font color=blue>Algebra was easy for the Romans because "X" was always 10 :lol: </b></font color=blue>
<font color=red>Jay Kay</font color=red>

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

The reason is that a TV has something called line-blurring/blending, where the adjacent blend together and give a smoother picture.
This sucks for text, try looking at any text on a tv; but it works great for displaying a big picture. The new Foveon CCD works in a similar way but by capturing the information and combining it to give a much larger 'effective' pixel resolution. The problem with watching a TV signal (480i) on a TV is that your computer is likely set to watch it @ 1024x768, and it sucks for that signal but is great for text. Even if your program/monitor resizes there just isn't that form of blending that makes it a technically less sharp picture but a much better looking picture.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Actually Cartoons have less colour usually; They use a limited palette, which is why they look so good on my PocketPC. Yeah the colours they choose are saturated, and the low res. of animation really show well on the blended image since it makes it look like more pixels whereas the computer crt just diplays the raw info.

Try GOLF with the many rich colours (especially the clothing ), or a good fashion show or cooking/gardening show.
Or for a good tests compare a hockey game, gives you faster refresg requirements, plus good colour (notice the differences on the boards and between the ice).

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

 

[jaythaman]

Yea i meant the saturation too. Oh btw i dont get your post ...so what do you say? TV tuners give better IQ than TV? Another thing ....have you ever seen CNBC or any other news channel with tickers? It's so damn hard to read the ticker because of a bit of frame skip i think. It doesnt happen on TV. Am i right or is that a prob with my setup?

<b><font color=blue>Algebra was easy for the Romans because "X" was always 10 :lol: </b></font color=blue>
<font color=red>Jay Kay</font color=red>

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Have I ever seen CNBC? Yes Bring back Emma Caufield. Mmmm British Money Honey, puts Maria to shame!

Anywhooo, what I'm saying is that TVs have the advantage of low resolutions and line-blending. This together makes the picture look good with a low quality signal. You are dealing with a relatively low-quality signal, therefore the line-blending/blurring compensates, and it's like ADDING detail to the signal. TV tuner cards with your computer don't get that advantage, and they will basically show you what you see is what you get. Just like looking at a painting from far away (tv) looks better than from 1 ft away (comp. CRT) because your eyes are compensating an filling in the blanks of the painting in you mind (the detail is lost and a more fluid picture appears). The reverse is also trye, the HIGH quality signal from you computer that isn't usually meant to be seen on the blunt instrument of TV and often it shows by what appears to be 'unclean' letters.

As for the CNBC ticker there could be 2 things, a) your refresh rate and b) if you resolution is 1024x768 and you're playing full screen your card may be interpetting what you should see, this creates artifacts pretty freely. Also it may have something to do with system resources being used somewhere and causing hick-ups in the stream.However with seeing the specific issue it is hard to tell.
I use my AIW pci to watch the Digital Cable in my room (Sat in Lvg Rm) and I have a real CRISP picture without problems, unless I look TOO close and then I notice the 'imperfections' of normal TV.
Anywhoo hope that sheds some light.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <font color=red>RED</font color=red> <font color=green>GREEN</font color=green> :tongue: GA to SK

 

[jaythaman]

Yea it kinda clears the picture up LOL. THe prob is not resources being used up. My computer is preety good for it. maybe it's just because of the signal. We're yet to get digital cable here. It starts from 14july yay!

<b><font color=blue>Algebra was easy for the Romans because "X" was always 10 :lol: </b></font color=blue>
<font color=red>Jay Kay</font color=red>