Watching TV on the computer

[olds]

My daughter has a small room and I'd like to eliminate the tv to save space. She has a class that is on tv so she still needs access. I know some video cards allow one to watch tv but how is the quality? She has a Radeon 7000 in her machine with just vga right now. Do I need to buy a whole new video card or are seperate cards available? TIA

 

[InsaneMorphius]

Olds,

Would highly recommend one of the Hauppage WinTV cards. I have the WinTV PVR, and it rocks. You will undoubtedly not need this card, but one of the lesser cards will do the trick.

Morph

 

[Peter]

The PCI TV cards are all fairly identical, as far as the hardware goes (they all use Conexant BT848 or 878 chips). Choose by features included (stereo sound, remote, radio, S-VHS input, ...) and price. If you can get them where you live, the LifeView brand cards usually are the best bargain - and they have the full range of WORKING drivers for Windows.

That's the area where they almost all suck - drivers.

regards, Peter

 

[IMO]

Ati video/tv card have the ability to capture tv program in mpg hardware!

 

[Peter]

Mind the difference - ATi's All-in-Wonder VGA+TV combination cards use the ATi Rage Theater companion chip to their graphics chips. These have much more advanced features (MPEG compression, de-interlace filtering and a handful of other nice bits and pieces) than the Conexant BT8x8 chips used on separate PCI TV cards - including ATi's.

regards, Peter

 

[olds]

Thanks for the input. Just to verify, you run theses PCI cards along with your AGP video cards?

 

[SLAYu]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Thanks for the input. Just to verify, you run theses PCI cards along with your AGP video cards?

Yes you do. Just insert the TV tuner card in your PCI slot and it'll do that magic, but mind you. Don't buy ATI Tv Wonder VE. I have had series of problems with that card's drivers.

 

[Speedy3D!]

The new leadtek TV XP is a great card that comes with a remote.

 

[olds]

Thanks all. I think what I'll do is pick up a cheap one of the FS/T forum. Try it out and if it's what we want get a decent one. If anyone has one for $25.00 or so, LMK. I am leaving for Lake Tahoe in a bit and won't be around a computer till Wednesday morning or late afternoon.