| By Ldvee on Sunday, July 20, 2003 - 08:08 pm: Edit |
Use your computer as a television! I bought a USB TV tuner for the computer and it works great. The color is perfect. It's a bit pixelated up close but for $69 it can't be beat. Software channel and volume controls plus there's frame capture capabilities but I haven't gotten past page 2 in the manual yet. Very cool.
| By Phoenixguy on Sunday, July 20, 2003 - 10:53 pm: Edit |
Even cooler - the ATI All-in-Wonder card. Just built a new computer and got myself one of those. It not only lets you watch TV, but there's TV Guide software included, and software that acts as a digital recorder and can record shows you select to your hard disk. The only downside is about 10 hours of programs would fill up my 80GB hard disk. But it's easy to delete recorded programs whenever you want. I'm now spending more time watching my computer than my TV.
| By Tight_fit on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 12:03 am: Edit |
Do these TV tuner cards allow you to run a constant picture within a larger changing window? That way you could surf and watch the TV at the same time.
For that matter, question time for the geeks. How can I run two separate windows at once on the same desktop area? I would like to keep both things on the monitor screen at once instead of having each one drop out as I use the other.
| By Tight_fit on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 12:07 am: Edit |
One more question. Phoenixguy, how is the quality and size of the recorded program when it is played back? Are we talking a small blurry window like with Windows Media Player or is it more like a full screen DVD?
| By Phoenixguy on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 12:49 am: Edit |
The playback is full screen. And as far as I can tell, it's about equal quality with the live TV programs. (Note - PC monitors actually have higher resolution than normal TV's. Not sure about HDTV though.) And no, there's no picture in a picture with the ATI All-in-Wonder 7500. Not sure about higher models.
| By Ldvee on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 05:16 am: Edit |
The USB gizmo I bought allows you to resize the TV window. I have this browser window and the TV window both open now (side by side).
| By Frijolero on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 04:13 pm: Edit |
the ati all in wonder lets size the picture any way you want and also have it "always on top". That works good but it also has a plug in for ie that puts a tv picture and channel guide in your "explorer bar". thats on the left side of your browser where the history usually shows up.
| By Dick Johnson on Monday, July 21, 2003 - 06:18 pm: Edit |
I have a viewsonic gizmo where I can plug my vcr/dvd etc in and my flat panel PC display works as a TV. The picture has less flicker but appears less sharp. I don't use it too often.