Question about HDTV PC Card

[akshatp]

Im thinking about buying this card for my computer..

ATI HDTV Tuner Card

It says I can receive OTA broadcasts, but what if I plug my HD Cable box into this puppy? Can I still watch the HD broadcasts in HD? I dont want to mess around with an antenna...

 

[Goosemaster]

nah.

There are ways to do it using firewire and MCE, but otherwise, you are stuck to OTA broadcasts with THAT card.

 

[conehead433]

You need either an MyHD130 or a Fusion 5. The MyHD130 has an advantage of 2 cable connections, so you can have cable and OTA at the same time.

You might visit avsforum.com under the HTPC forum for more info.

 

[drinkmorejava]

HD is a bitch for tv tuners. Generally the only way that works is through firewire or composite in conjunction with an Ir box for the computer and a DVR program that will support it so you can change the channel and what not. As far as I know, there isn't a single unscrambled HD cable signal in the US.

 

[SLCentral]

If you want to use your HD box from your cable company, FireWire is the way to go. I've done it multiple times, using MCE and Sage, so feel free to send me a PM or IM through AIM if you really are interested, I'd be glad to help you out.

 

[happybelly]

Originally posted by: SLCentral
If you want to use your HD box from your cable company, FireWire is the way to go. I've done it multiple times, using MCE and Sage

Yep. It works without MCE as well, just not as user friendly I would imagine.

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: conehead433
You need either an MyHD130 or a Fusion 5. The MyHD130 has an advantage of 2 cable connections, so you can have cable and OTA at the same time.

You might visit avsforum.com under the HTPC forum for more info.

Neither of those will directly do what the OP wants: watch and capture HD from the cable company.

Like others have said, there are two ways to go:

1) Get an HD TV Tuner for your PC-- but you will need an antenna and HD will be limited to stritcly OTA HD broadcasts.

2) Get a firewire card and connect your HD cable box into it. You will need an IR blaster if you want to control the cable box through your PC, and your functionality will be somewhat limited but it will work.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: happybelly

Originally posted by: SLCentral
If you want to use your HD box from your cable company, FireWire is the way to go. I've done it multiple times, using MCE and Sage

Yep. It works without MCE as well, just not as user friendly I would imagine.

Yup :thumbsup:, but to setup recordings, you'll need to use a mix of CapDVHS + scheduled tasks in Windows. MCE was a much more streamlined solution for me.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: QED

Originally posted by: conehead433
You need either an MyHD130 or a Fusion 5. The MyHD130 has an advantage of 2 cable connections, so you can have cable and OTA at the same time.

You might visit avsforum.com under the HTPC forum for more info.

Neither of those will directly do what the OP wants: watch and capture HD from the cable company.

Like others have said, there are two ways to go:

1) Get an HD TV Tuner for your PC-- but you will need an antenna and HD will be limited to stritcly OTA HD broadcasts.

2) Get a firewire card and connect your HD cable box into it. You will need an IR blaster if you want to control the cable box through your PC, and your functionality will be somewhat limited but it will work.

#2 is incorrect. For most boxes, and I believe all Motorola boxes, you can use FireWire for channel changing, eliminating the need for an IR blaster. On the other hand, MCE requires you have a IR blaster plugged in (but not pointed at the box) to let it work 😉.

 

[conehead433]

Originally posted by: QED

Originally posted by: conehead433
You need either an MyHD130 or a Fusion 5. The MyHD130 has an advantage of 2 cable connections, so you can have cable and OTA at the same time.

You might visit avsforum.com under the HTPC forum for more info.

Neither of those will directly do what the OP wants: watch and capture HD from the cable company.

Like others have said, there are two ways to go:

1) Get an HD TV Tuner for your PC-- but you will need an antenna and HD will be limited to stritcly OTA HD broadcasts.

2) Get a firewire card and connect your HD cable box into it. You will need an IR blaster if you want to control the cable box through your PC, and your functionality will be somewhat limited but it will work.

Excuse me, but if you're paying for HDTV through cable both of these cards do Qam. They won't do any encrypted channels. Both of these cards are HDTV tuners with the MYHD card being able to do OTA and cable at the same time.