Need Help Choosing a TV Tuner Card

[S Freud]

I purchased a Dell inspiron 530s about a year ago...I have made no modifications to it and I'm interested in adding a TV tuner card to it so I can watch TV in the bedroom of my new apartment.

I was looking for tips/suggestions/advice on picking a card for this model or any general advice you guys have on what to get and where I should look.

Thanks

 

[Stev]

I'm a big fan of the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815116036

It'll let you watch and record non-encrypted digital and analog channels through cable (usually just the local channels) and digital channels received through an antenna. You can watch/record two channels at once. Good for Windows Media Center. I've also used it with BeyondTV, although setting up the channel line-up is a pain.

 

[S Freud]

Thanks for the suggestion Stev...I don't know if this helps at all but the type of cable in the apartment is coaxial run to a comcast digital box (at least I am assuming its a digital box since the switch over last February) I get more than the basic channels with it.

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

The switchover had nothing to do with cable, just broadcast. You can run it from the box to the tuner and use the box to change channels, or you might be able to plug it straight to the cable and get unencrypted channels. That is what I do, and it works well.

 

[homercles337]

I use the Hauppauge HVR-950Q, its a USB2 device that you can use with a laptop. I use WMC (in Win7) which works great for basic cable (not sure about expanded cable). I have had many Hauppauge and non-Hauppauge TV tuners and Hauppauge always delivers, just dont use their tuner software.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

Just don't go with AverMedia, buggy products, bad analog quality, even with WMC. I haven't tried Hauppauge yet, but would really like to. My Theater 750 stick is doing fine atm.