TV Card - Help me out please

[SnowWar]

Hi ppl,

I am looking at buying a decent TV Card so I can plug the antenna into it, watch TV, listen to radio and capture to video. So basically it should do the function of a TV , Vcr & Radio.
This is the one component that I really do not know that much about. Can you please tell me what features to look for and also what decent cards are on offer. What would your pick be?

Thanks a million.

Snowy

 

[keoh]

I'm researching that one myself, but in the meantime I can point you to some info that might help you out:

dvdrhelp's tv-card comparison page - not sure how up to date it is.
http://www.dvdrhelp.com/comptvcards.htm
And remember, the resolutions are given as PAL - see the note at the top.

For general reference about formats see their page:
http://www.dvdrhelp.com/comparison.htm

Kent

 

[metatrophia]

well fellers, after reading the article on THG, i ordered the compro videomate. actually, i *just* finished installing it and i am watching jay leno as i write this post.
i actually found myself giggling with glee as i installed the hardware, and i was not dissapointed with the picture quality or the clarity of the FM radio.
i cant really offer any more insight into the videomate as i have only been an owner for about 2 hours now...but as i understand it, the only real complaint with the videomate is that it doesnt come with the ability to encode in a certain popular video format (mpeg-4 perhaps? reference the article on THG).
consider the videomate...only sixty bucks on newegg...!

 

[the_Prisoner]

I would suggest Hauppauge <A HREF="http://www.hauppauge.com/html/products.htm#pvr" target="_new">http://www.hauppauge.com/html/products.htm#pvr</A> or Pinnacle <A HREF="http://www.pinnaclesys.com/Category.asp?Category_ID=5&langue_id=7&Family=0" target="_new">http://www.pinnaclesys.com/Category.asp?Category_ID=5&langue_id=7&Family=0</A>

If you want to recrod TV programs. It is great because they have hardware decoders. Much faster. Look for the ones that have hardware decoders.

I wouldnt suggest software decoders. Pinnacle and Hauppauge
have been doing this for years. Check them out, more expensive yes, but figure out they can last for years.

the Prisoner

I'm not a number, I'm a free man!

 

[the_Prisoner]

I would suggest Hauppauge <A HREF="http://www.hauppauge.com/html/products.htm#pvr" target="_new">http://www.hauppauge.com/html/products.htm#pvr</A>
or Pinnacle <A HREF="http://www.pinnaclesys.com/Category.asp?Category_ID=5&langue_id=7&Family=0" target="_new">http://www.pinnaclesys.com/Category.asp?Category_ID=5&langue_id=7&Family=0</A>

If you want to record TV programs. It is great because they have hardware decoders. Much faster. Look for the ones that have hardware decoders.

I wouldnt suggest software decoders. Pinnacle and Hauppauge
have been doing this for years. Check them out, more expensive yes, but figure out they can last for years.

the Prisoner

I'm not a number, I'm a free man!