Watch TV on the PC ????

mosaicwendy

Please can anyone advise me on what I have to do to be able to watch TV on my PC - what equipment/software I have to buy and any pitfalls I need to watch out for?

Many thanks

Wendy

BenL

Hi

You need something like

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=14876819915&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=51198

I have a similar model and have been using it 2 years.

Works fine.

They give you software with it. It acts as a recorder onto the harddrive as well.

They handle radio and teletext.

This is an analogue model.

Freeview ones are available. I had one for a while but sold it and used one of my old freeview set top boxes now instead.

You can also get satellite receiver cards for your pc so you can watch free to air satellite channels - no Sky subscription channels are available though.

You also get a remote control

Ben

johnrp007

You're either going to need a TV card or a USB adapter for the PC. Have a read of this: http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/onyourpc.html

Make sure your PC meets the minimum harware requirements. A decent monitor helps as well. If your graphics card is up to it, you might even want to run two monitors, one for TV and the rest for normal work.

lee3276

Do you need a aerial to use these

johnrp007

Do you need a aerial to use these

Yes you do.

withabix

...and a TV licence if your home hasn't already got one!

mosaicwendy

Thank you for your advice - will have to wait until payday!

Hintza

Get decent coaxial cable...the stuff from B&Q will (possibly) not be upto the job if you are going digital (pointless not to). If you have some old cable try that but don't waste money on cheap cable. Try these guys:-


http://www.tvcables.co.uk/

withabix

Nothing wrong with the B&Q cable!

My Pinnacle 310i is connected using their cable and an aerial splitter from the loft aerial feeding the telly.

Perfect picture with no jaggies - shows low signal strength (<25%) but 100% signal quality. Aerial is a wideband one but points the wrong way!! (Analogue and digital here are from different transmitters).

peter_the_piper

I had a tv card for my computer (Digital terrestrial) as an xmas pressie last year and have not yet been able to get a good picture on any program. New graphics card etc. My problem is we are in a very poor reception area. I am just about to try a realignment of the aeriel. We are unlucky in that the nearest 2 transmitters have a large hill between us and them and my best signal comes from 35 miles away at Dover which is a lowish power transmitter because of France. The point is TV cards are not as good as freeviewboxes/digital tv and if you are in a weak signal area a pc card might no work.
Peter.

mosaicwendy

I'm a bit confused....
I have a Dell 5100, not being very technical I had thought the signal came through broadband, if I buy a Hauppage Win TV USB connector will I need a cable to connect the PC to an aerial socket?

If I do need a cable please can you tell me what sort I need and where it connects into?

Unfortunately we live in a poor area for Freeview - the reception is not good so that may not be an option.

Thanks, Wendy