A PC HDTV tuner card can be installed in a PCI or PCI-e slot of your personal computer or in an
external box connected to your computer by USB. After you load the tv tuner card software to your PC, the PC HDTV tuner card will allow you to watch television programs in high definition on your computer. Most of HDTV tuner cards range in price from $50 to $250.The cards, which also will typically allow you to see analog shows, work a lot like a DVR, allowing you to pause live programs and record programs that can be watched later. When programs are paused or recorded, they are stored on your hard drive. Some tv tuners are controlled by your mouse and keyboard, but many come with remote controls. You can even record two HDTV shows at the same time or watch one live while recording a second show if you have multiple tuners or if you use a dual digital tuner like TBS 6981 pc tv card.
HDTV tuners are popular in the format of PCI cards, which cut down on clutter because once the cards are installed; they are out of the way. But several USB-connected external HDTV tuners are available. Although USB tuners tend to cost more than the cards, they are useful for people who don’t have open PCI slots on their PCs and for people who want to watch high definition TV on their laptops. Some usb tv tuner cards, like TBS 5980, also are design with CI slot, which enables you insert smart card and watch pay tv directly.
Before purchasing, Make sure you check out the PC hardware and software requirements of any Tv tuner cards. Many work with Media Center,Vista ,Linux and XP. Most cards require a minimum of 128 MB memory and an 800 Mhz processor. Keep in mind that a recorded high definition program will use about 9 GB per hour.In addition, the built-in video on your PC may not be enough to support the use of your tuner. You will likely need a video capture card with at least 64 MB memory.
To get your PC HDTV tuner, look for ones that tune unencrypted digital cable, including FiOS, which is also known as clearQAM. Most cable companies, including Comcast, carry the local network stations -- ABC, NBC, PBS and CBS, for example -- as clearQAM.Before you know it, you will be using your PC regularly to catch your favorite shows in high definition.
Recommendation- TBS6981 PCI-E DVB-S2 Dual Tuner TV card
TBS 6981 PCI-E DVB-S2 Dual Tuner TV card is a palm size PC l HDTV tuner card for watching and recording free-to-air high quality DVB-S/s2 TV shows on your desktop or laptop PC. With TBS Purifying Technology, TBS 6981 provides superior HDTV video quality. It brings a world of enhanced TV services directly to your PC, turning your computer into a home entertainment center by bringing digital TV viewing and digital video recording capabilities to your PC.
System Requirements:
* Windows 2000/XP/Vista Linux
* DirectX9.0 or later Version
* Available PCI slot
* CD-Rom(Driver and Software Installation)
* Satellite Dish and LNB
For DVB-S:
* 1GHz CPU or above
* 256MB RAM or above
* Graphic Card with at least 16MB RAM
For DVB-S2 HDTV:
* Dualcore CPU
* 1GB RAM or Above
* Graphic Card with at Least 64MB RAM
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