USB TV Tuner is the best appliance available in the market to help turn your PC or Laptop in a television set. It is small, portable and easy to use. Some of them can be bigger and less portable. However, they are best for a desktop. The smaller ones can easily pick up signals and record your favorite TV show which you might have missed otherwise. The TV tuner comes with a software installation compact disk. So once you have installed it, you are all set to start using it.
USB TV Tuner records programs in the MPEG 1/2/3/4 format. This gadget comes with a number of features. It may have single or multiple tuners. The device can receive digital or analogue signals. Some models can support both SD and HD digital signals. The USB TV Tuner shape and weight allows it to be plugged into the available port very easily. A good TV tuner will let you record programs. Some of them can divide the computer screen into two or more parts thereby letting you watch two or more programs at the same time. It also has features like rewind or fast forward. Thus, you can watch the program at your leisure and you don’t have to miss any program anymore.
Most operating systems support USB TV Tuners. However, Windows XP and Vista have Windows Media Center (WMC). This feature along with a TV Tuner can transform your computer into a new media experience. It gives you a quick and easy way of watching television. The price for such a TV Tuner usually ranges between $59 and $100. But, before you decide to buy one make sure you have researched enough about the gadget. So, enjoy watching TV in PC!
A TV Tuner Card is a device, which allows you to watch TV in your computer. It allows television signals to be received by the computer. It can be an external or an in-built device. It also allows you to record programs in the hard disk of the computer directly. However, it uses the Internet to receive signals. There are mainly two types of tuners: digital and analog.
A digital TV Tuner Card broadcasts the program in the MPEG 2 format. Hence you do not need any encoder. It can either broadcast the whole program or separate the audio and video. The tuners can rewind or fast-forward the program as per your requirement. Some of them even allow you to divide the computer screen so that you can watch more than one program at the same time.
An analog TV Tuner Card is cheaper and best suited for real time viewing. The more expensive of these tuners can broadcast the program in the JPEG Motion or MPEG format. This relieves the CPU from any load since they do not need any form of compression.
The hybrid versions of TV Tuner Card can broadcast both digital and analog signals. Such a device is more expensive but it comes with a number of features. A TV Tuner allows you to record programs for viewing later. The latest TV Tuner comes with a flash memory, which helps it to decode various types of video formats. However, the flash card can either decode an analog or a digital signal. Some tuners can even work as radios because of the similarity between FM and television signals. So if you feel like it, you can use it as a radio or TV.
If you find it impossible to keep away from your TV, a computer TV tuner may help you. This device will help you to watch television on your laptop as well as PC. So if you are a TV addict and prefer to carry your television to work, this is THE right solution!
The computer TV tuner could be of two varieties:
PCI
These are the most frequently used TV tuners. Most computers usually have one available PCI slot. The speed of these interfaces is usually sufficient for viewing TV and for recording programs. However, it can be installed only in a desktop.
External (USB/Firewire)
External TV tuners are usually connected to the computer via connections like the USB 2.0 and Firewire. These connections enable high-speed transfers. Installing external TV tuners is extremely simple. They can be used with laptops and desktops.
The computer TV tuner is manufactured in a manner that its interface is similar to that of a standard TV. The on-screen display and the controls are quite similar to a television. The only difference being that the television is now in your computer! The TV tuner enables you to watch television in one window while working on the other window. You also have the option of watching TV in full screen mode. The remote control usually accompanies the TV tuner. However, it can also be controlled with the means of the keyboard and the mouse.
The TV tuner also enables you to record the programs of your choice. The recording can be done in a manner similar to that of a VCR or DVD player.
The type of TV programming will affect the type of tuner that you need. If you want to watch television programs from the standard cable connection or aerial antenna, you would require an NTSC or PAL based tuner. On the other hand, if you want to watch high definition (HD) TV programming, you will need a special HDTV tuner.
Thus if you are a TV addict, look no further. Here is an option that enables you to watch TV at any time. The computer TV Tuner is here to help you!
Recent Comments