What HDTV tuners and whatever I need to watch all the the channels should I want to get?

[TungFree]

What HDTV tuners and whatever I need to watch all the the channels should I want to get?
What tuners are the best for both HDTV and other Digital channels for my digital subscription on cable? is there one for all or do I need 2 tuners?

 

[mruffin75]

You'll most likely need a Cablecard capable TV tuner card to get all the channels you want.. and afaik they aren't available yet..

http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/003535.html

 

[s44]

You *can* get them I believe, it's just OEM only (for prebuilt systems).

The whole thing is a nightmare. Some channels you can get from your cable box via Firewire, but that's sort of kludgy.

The cable industry is doing a damned good job of making HD viewing on computer near-impossible. Just forget it and buy a HD Tivo (for recording) or a monitor that can handle your cable box (for desktop watching).

 

[TungFree]

Thanks with a sad face...

 

[Throckmorton]

Why aren't there TV tuners with component inputs yet? Or even just plain component cards (that aren't more expensive than tuners)? Almost every SD tuner has S-video slots.. why is the HD generation not like that? Just to prevent recording??

 

[jkresh]

there is at least one card in the $250 range that has component inputs and should let you record anything from your cablebox, however it is not a tuner and last time I looked it did not work with any pvr software so all recordings had to be done manually.

 

[TungFree]

[/quote]there is at least one card in teh $250 range that has component inputs and should let you record anything from your cablebox, however it is not a tuner and last time I looked it did not work with any pvr software so all recordings had to be done manually. [/quote]
What is the name of that card?[

 

[TungFree]

I will be adding market items that I found and wish a reaction to them if you read reviews or use them.

Pinacle
"Couch potatoes, heed my words. If you're still getting your daily dose of television over an analog signal, it's time for an upgrade to the digital realm. Not only will every channel look crystal clear and you'll have the opportunity to watch your favorite sports game in high definition, but more than likely you'll also be exposed to a wealth of new digital-only channels you never even knew existed.
Of course, since not every station is digital yet and Cable TV is still analog, we can't leave those out either. The solution? Get a tuner that supports both ATSC and NTSC. Today we're reviewing the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, a small thumb drive-sized tuner that does just that, along with time-shifting and scheduled recording straight to DVD, iPod, and PSP. (Mac users, you may want to read this too). Press on for the outrageously in-depth review. "

 

[lopri]

Originally posted by: s44
The whole thing is a nightmare. Some channels you can get from your cable box via Firewire, but that's sort of kludgy.

I have a Motorola DCH-3416 that has firewire outputs, and have been trying to figure that out. Trouble is that I haven't found a software to access any channel, not to mention drivers.

Any hint regarding how to use firewire-to-PC as TV source?