Wide World of Women

I plan on dumping this standard TV service and going with an HD package this month but there are a few things I want to know before I go too far

Can I have the HD service go directly into a TV tuner card without going into the TV (which isn't HD compatible anyway)
If I can do that then can I keep the tuner card as my primary channel finder and recorder while not having to use one of those dvr machines?

If you have a basic HD tuner, it won't pick up cable channels. I've heard of tuners that work with cable cards, but I don't know what the capabilities of those are or anyone that has one.

My recommendation would be to get get a HD capture device with component inputs presuming you're cable/sat box has component output. I've used the Hauppauge HDPVR, and I give it high marks especially with VideoRedo TVSuite H.264 for editing and cutting out commercials. Others I know use the AVerTV HD card and seem to be happy with it. I've seen them with HDMI inputs, but I don't know what the story is with HDCP and what it's capabilities with encrypted content. With component you won't have to worry about any encryption although TV providers might stop supporting it because of that very reason at some point.

This is what I have
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6815116015

It does pick up over the air HD

With cable & HD service you will get a handful of unencrypted channels, but you won't be able to get the "cable" channels like CNNHD, ESPNHD, and such. You may just want to get a DVR if you just want to record and watch shows. For capping the Hauppauge HDPVR or the AVerTV HD DVR.

Recording HD cable channels is a really, really complicated subject. Kevin is right, you'll need either a DVR with a capture device like one of the two he listed or a CableCard tuner. CableCard tuners for PCs are rare and expensive (there's currently only one option in this category, and that's the Ceton InfiniTV4) so your best bet might be to go the DVR/capture card route.

You should have a look at the Hauppauge Colossus if you have an extra PCIe slot open.

My TV tuner card for the computer does have an HD tuner yet I can't get HD channels on it? What kind of deal is that?

If I get the HD service I have to get one of these things for me to record?


There's no way to watch and record straight from the card?

Can you record the channels straight from the card? Yes, but only the locals. The FCC law doesn't allow them to encrypt a handful of local channels so you should be able to pick those up with a simple QAM scan on your tuner. The rest of those channels will have 100% signal with no picture since you'll need their STB or DVR to unscramble their signal.

What kind of deal is that? Obviously they want you to get their STB so they can make money of the programming & rental fees, but also with their hardware they can make sure people aren't stealing channels or services. Even if you get HD service and a STB, you still need an extra capture device like I said earlier.

BTW, I have the same fios box. If you have a firewire slot on your computer and running on a 32bit system, you have another option to capture a handful of extra channels that aren't flagged with CapDVHS & proper drivers.

Didnt know they had a PCI card???? Thats pretty cool! May need to look into that.
Thanks Chris!

I can't believe a card with an HD tuner can't get anything other than ota signals even from the cable company's own system.
There's nothing to unscramble. It's their channels into my HD capable card and onto a monitor set to get 1080p full HD

If you get ota HD you should be able to get normal HD without any extra gimmick needed.

Believe it. It's nothing new either. If people could just get channels without a STB or DVR, then they would just plug the cable line right to their TV tuner and get all the channels.

Your least expensive option right now would be:

1) Get the HD service and record the locals through your tuner.

2) Get the STB and record the channels that aren't flagged with free CapDVHS and $10 firewire cable. That's presuming you have a 32bit system and firewire port.

If I get the DVR box shown then I can watch cable HD channels but to get screen caps or images to the computer and sites like this I need another card?
(If I just wanna watch the TV then the box itself is all I need...?)

Yes.

Yes.

Like I said, it's complicated. I don't want to have to explain the "analog hole" again.

What's a basic HD tuner?
I don't know if I can pick up other HD service since I don't get HD from the cable company now.


Which I do have. It has input and output for the cable (which I use to get the analog channels now)

I'm thinking the DVR box might not be needed if I can go straight into the TV tuner since my TV has no HD capability.

I believe Kevin was referring to an OTA HD tuner, which just about every tuner card available these days should have.

The OTA channels are unecrypted but the cable channels are. I wish it was that simple to get HD cable channels over any tuner card, but it just doesn't work that way, otherwise there wouldn't be any need for devices like the Hauppauge HD-PVR to exist.

There's really only two options, as I mentioned earlier, to get HD cable channels recorded to a PC. Kevin's suggestion might be your best option.

I guess what I'm saying is this:

What is the DVR used for? The DVR is not the device that gets the signals...the "cable wires" do that. Plug the wire into the card slot output...
The "R" in DVR is for recorder. I already have a recorder in the card that I have. Plus it gets digital and HD signals. I have everything the DVR does.

The DVR has a tuner that talks to the cable company to unscramble the channels you want to pay for
You can get only the Tuner box without the DVR for less if you cable provides one
I get my local HD just by connecting the wall wire to the pc with only basic non digital cable

How tough is it to move a video from the DVR to the computer?
Is it just a matter of something like a USB cable for the transfer?

I don't even wanna watch the TV on the monitor through the card.
I just wanna record the program on the dvr and transfer the file to the computer.
That has to be easier, eh?

Finally got full scale HD service and I see Jacque from QVC with great chestage followed by Giada with the same busty look
I watch but had no way of getting the recording to the computer.

Every time I look, it's nothing great but now that HD is here, I can't do anything with it.
Once I find out how to move the recording from the dvr to the computer I am fine.

How are you watching HD if you said your tv isn't HD compatible?
Did you get a new HDTV?

I would buy this if had the HD Cable box
http://www.factoriesonline.com/ProductI ... id=6898257