I'm confused about digital and high definition.

[ronnkillebrew]

Someone please straighten me out!!!

I have a homemade pc with an AMD 65 watt processor (4400 perhaps) and ATI Theater 650 Pro TV tuner card.

My TV will serve as both a TV and a monitor, but mainly for television. I hope to take delivery this week of a Samsung LNT-4671F.

My cable service is through Comcast, and here is where I get confused. Must I get the HD Box from Comcast, or is the output from the 650 Pro considered high definition? The Comcast HD box is $7 per month, which I would like to avoid if I can.

I forgot to mention that I record a lot of shows with the computer using Snapstream software, if that matters.

Thanks to all.

 

[montypythizzle]

Digital- means it does not work on the principle of waves, and works off of 1s and 0s. Meaning less distortion in the picture and means that the picture will block instead of snow when having a low signal.

HDTV- is usually a set standard of certain resolutions higher than NTSC

Your tuner card can pick up over the air transmissions which means you will need an antenna for HD broadcasts. I don't know if your card has QAM support which means you can watch local channels in HD such as PBS/CBS/FOX etc... with basic cable.

If I were you however I would use Windows MCE for recording and such.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: ronnkillebrew
Someone please straighten me out!!!

My cable service is through Comcast, and here is where I get confused. Must I get the HD Box from Comcast, or is the output from the 650 Pro considered high definition? The Comcast HD box is $7 per month, which I would like to avoid if I can.


Thanks to all.

I'd wait until you can get a CableCard unit for your PC.

 

[cubby1223]

The ATI Theater 650 Pro card will tune to any analog cable channels provided by Comcast in your area. It will not tune to any digital channels, including all of the HD channels. You must have a Comcast HD box for that. Cable cards can be had if the tv supports them, but they do not provide full functionality, like premium channels and on demand services.

 

[tw1164]

Originally posted by: Cheesehead

Originally posted by: ronnkillebrew
Someone please straighten me out!!!

My cable service is through Comcast, and here is where I get confused. Must I get the HD Box from Comcast, or is the output from the 650 Pro considered high definition? The Comcast HD box is $7 per month, which I would like to avoid if I can.


Thanks to all.

I'd wait until you can get a CableCard unit for your PC.

CableCards are OEM only

 

[tw1164]

Originally posted by: cubby1223
The ATI Theater 650 Pro card will tune to any analog cable channels provided by Comcast in your area. It will not tune to any digital channels, including all of the HD channels. You must have a Comcast HD box for that. Cable cards can be had if the tv supports them, but they do not provide full functionality, like premium channels and on demand services.

You can get premium channels (HBO, SHOW, Etc..) w/ a cablecard; you're right, you'll lose on VOD services.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: tw1164


CableCards are OEM only

...for now.