Running cable TV to a computer

Vaktathi

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Feb 4, 2006
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So, I moved into a place with an extra cable outlet in the wall and want to try basically running TV to my computer so I don't have to hassle with...a TV.

Now, I've got an older ASUS TV 7133 tuner card lying around but am not sure that's what I need (although it may be).

So, because I'm basically clueless on this front, what all is involved in getting this to work, will the ASUS TV 7133 work, and if not, what all do I need?

thanks in advance.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
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This appears to be an older tuner that can NOT handle any digital TV signals, so you cannot use it for any OTA signals. You CAN use it with your cable TV service IF some of the channels on your cable are still analog. Many cable services are maintaining some analog channels for the convenience of customers who have not made the switch to digital TV's yet. Check with your cable service of availability of analog TV channels.

Note that it also has a separate antenna input for FM radio.
 

corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
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It really depends on where you live and your CTV provider

Here in Tucson, Comcast is providing digital adapters to all TVs. They are free. The cable goes to the adapter, and it in turn to the TV - or in your case, your TV tuner on a card. Very shortly we will have no analog service. BTW - the TV picture improved with the DTA.

http://digitalnow.comcast.com/
 
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Vaktathi

Member
Feb 4, 2006
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So, I'm in San Diego with Time Warner, I do have digital cable, what card should I be looking to get then? Anything I should know other than just slapping in the card and installing drivers?

Thanks for the info so far!
 

mfenn

Elite Member
Jan 17, 2010
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www.mfenn.com
So, I'm in San Diego with Time Warner, I do have digital cable, what card should I be looking to get then? Anything I should know other than just slapping in the card and installing drivers?

Thanks for the info so far!

Getting cable TV on your PC is unfortunately an annoying complicated process. You can buy one of these tuners that will let you watch/record the analog and ClearQAM (unencrypted digital, local channels mostly) channels, but it won't let you watch most of your digital channels because they are encrypted. To watch those, you need either:

  • A card that has IR blasters and some sort of video input so that you can use your existing cable box to decrypt the channels (the IR blasters allow the computer to change the channel on the box
  • A card with CableCARD support that can decrypt the channels on it's own (not currently available to my knowledge).
In short, watching most of your digital channels on your computer is a royal PITA.
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
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I'll agree with mfenn, partially. Again, it depends on your particular cable service. Cable systems MAY provide programs in four technical classes: analog or digital signals, and EACH may be either encrypted or unencrypted. Beyond that, the companies often package certain groups for marketing, so you can buy one group of "Basic" channels for a flat monthly fee, then add another group of encrypted ones for an add-on fee, then another group, etc. Anything unencrypted does NOT need a set-top decryption box. These MAY include older analog NTSC channels and newer digital channels not encrypted, called Clear QAM channels. The older ones you could handle with your old ASUS card. The newer ones would require a new card able to tune into Clear QAM channels. (By the way, the unencrypted new digital channels available as OTA signals broadcast locally to your antenna are called ATSC channels - their digital system is different from the Clear QAM system used on cable.)

As corkyg has pointed out, some cable operators will provide a set-top adapter for little or no money that allows you to tune in a digital Clear QAM channel from the cable and feed it to an older analog TV. Some set-top boxes used to decrypt the pay TV groups on cable may output an analog signal, but most are concentrated on digital HD quality stuff so you still need to feed it into a digital tuner system.

The "IR Blaster" accessory with many new tuner cards lets the computer's software send out IR signals (just like the remote that came with your set-top descrambler) to tune that box to the selected channel; then its output can be fed to your computer's tuner. A CableCard system (IF your cable operator supports this - check with them) allows you to install a special card in your special tuner card so that it takes over the descrambling task for premium pay-TV channels available on your cable, and the computer does not need to use the set-top descrambler.

IF you are considering a system that allows you to watch one channel while recording another at the same time (using the computer as a digital PVR machine), you will need a tuner card with two tuners included. Read carefully the details for these - there are a couple of different ways this is done, and some have each tuner limited to only certain signal types, while others have two all-purpose tuners built in.
 

mikeford

Diamond Member
Jan 27, 2001
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I bought an old (but new in the sealed box) ATi HD 600 tuner card off ebay for $25 shipped, plugged it into my Win7 64 PC and get about 80 channels of stuff from Time Warner in Orange, Cal. Nothing encrypted, but more or less the bottom with twenty or so missing of digital channel 1 to 100 plus some music stuff. Analog channels have some noise, and tuning is a little slow and clunky, but digital looks good and most DVR functions seem to work, but again, kinda slowly.

This link should tell you approximately what channels you will get.
http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
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I am currently fighting this same battle at home.

I'm currently using a standard (non_HD) tv tuner and it works great. Media center ties in for recording and DVR like features, its pretty slick. I get channels 2-99 and the picture quality is fair.

Now to the bad stuff. Any HD channels besides your locals are going to be scrambled (encrypted), so no TV tuner is going to pull those in. Also, cable companies are eventually going to encrypt every channel except the locals. I'm in a Comcast market and they are doing that right now. I need either a box or digital adapter on every TV effective sometime this month. I could just use the adapter but then I wouldn't get the 1080p goodness my monitor can deliver.

I finally broke down and got an HD cable box. It has HDMI for high res and standard coax out for the regular stuff. The bad part is that Windows no longer automatically change the channel to record. Kind of a bummer.