TV Tuner?

[GimpyFuzznut]

I wanted to setup a PVR system of sorts using my PC. I was wondering if there was even any need for a TV tuner card? I currently have digital cable in my house. I do get a regular signal over cable but what I would like to record are my 200+ channels of digital cable. I'm guessing there are no TV tuner cards that can do this decoding so I would have to setup a digital cable box next to my PC. So if I were to do that, couldn't I just plug the cable box into an svideo input and get some sort of software to record from that? Wouldn't this be what I would have to do anyway if I got a TV tuner?

 

[GimpyFuzznut]

Bump. To rephrase in one sentence, if I have digital cable does a TV tuner work or do I need to have an extra digital cable box for the tuner? Can I just skip out on a TV tuner by using a video cards sVIDEO input which would be outputted by the digital cable box?

 

[XxxAminxxX]

I believe ATi's HDTV Wonder can take in digital cable, but I'm not exactly sure.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: XxxAminxxX
I believe ATi's HDTV Wonder can take in digital cable, but I'm not exactly sure.

I don't think it can even receive unencrypted cable (there's no QAM demodulation).

 

[GimpyFuzznut]

Well I know it cannot take in an HD signal unless its over the air. Now... I don't have HD digital cable, just regular digital cable.

Thing is.. if I just plug in cable into the tuner, I'm not going to get my most of channels, the cable company interactive guide etc.. I'm guessing I MUST have a seperate cable company decoder box. So if I get an extra one.. do I even need a TV tuner or can I just use my video card's svideo input and some software to record.