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    TV Tuner worth it on the new XPS machines?

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by NoAirBanding, Jan 5, 2011.

  1. NoAirBanding

    NoAirBanding Notebook Geek

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    So I ordered an XPS 14 from Dell Outlet, and I was under the impression that it included the TV Tuner, seeing as the description said "NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M 2GB graphics with TV Tuner"

    I don't have it yet, but looking at the service tag and other systems on the outlet, I've determined that it probably doesn't include the tuner, instead for some reason that's just the description for the video card. Is the tuner worth having? Should I try to get one? It's just a mini-pci card that goes in the WAN slot with an external antenna connector right?
     
    NoAirBanding, Jan 5, 2011
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  2. phatphree

    phatphree Notebook Guru

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    I am on the phone with xps support on this very issue. Got mine today and as you suspected--seems no tuner. But clearly the item description said it had one. Bad Dell.
     
    phatphree, Jan 7, 2011
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  3. phatphree

    phatphree Notebook Guru

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    On phone with XPS support. Wow, I did not get a very good tech. He does not understand what I am explaining at all. I told him I had the order confirmation email showing "And TV Tuner" and he keeps asking, where did you get this email 2-3x? And I'm saying--you know the AUTOMATED email that you get when you order...kind of obvious. He didn't even know how to tell me where to look (e.g. Device Manager) to confirm or how to describe the TV port on the side. This feels like a loooooong call.

    UPDATED: OK we finally agree it has no TV tuner and I asked to talk to Customer Care since this is not a technical issue.
     
    phatphree, Jan 7, 2011
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  4. phatphree

    phatphree Notebook Guru

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    It would seem that nearly all (or all) XPS 14s/15s sold the week I bought mine said "And TV Tuner" next to the description, but they do not have TV tuners. The text inside the item description should have also called out the tuner. This was an error on Dell's part (not totally rare on the Outlet descriptions it would seem). Do with this info what you will.
     
    phatphree, Jan 9, 2011
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  5. tak1234

    tak1234 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I ordered mine last week thinking that a tv tuner was included, but after browsing through some of the 14's today I notice that "w/o tv tuner plastic" means that it doesn't have it. I found one that had a digital tv tuner tvt10 under the description. That's what we should've been looking for in the first place.
     
    tak1234, Jan 10, 2011
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  6. phatphree

    phatphree Notebook Guru

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    Correct. And today on the outlet, they STILL say "And TV Tuner" today next to every single graphics card, but VERY few of them have the TV Tuner.
     
    phatphree, Jan 10, 2011
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  7. NoAirBanding

    NoAirBanding Notebook Geek

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    I briefly considered raising a stink about it, but I already have a USB Hauppage tuner that I don't really use.
     
    NoAirBanding, Jan 10, 2011
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  8. phatphree

    phatphree Notebook Guru

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    I also thought about raising a stink with it with customer care, then I realized it doesn't matter to me and at least we know on this forum to help out our notebook friends.
     
    phatphree, Jan 10, 2011
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  9. Metal_Militia

    Metal_Militia Notebook Consultant

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    i would complain to dell, they're advertising something you're not getting, naughty dell!
     
    Metal_Militia, Jan 10, 2011
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  10. phatphree

    phatphree Notebook Guru

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    Unfortunately, the outlet does have this problem...not the first time descriptions didn't port over correctly. I think they key off certain parts and not others, so it can be...misleading.
     
    phatphree, Jan 10, 2011
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  11. tak1234

    tak1234 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Actually, the "and tv tuner" means that the video card supports tv tuning, but it doesn't include the tuner. The other laptops that doesn't have the description doesn't support it. I read it somewhere but you guys could look it up on google.
     
    tak1234, Jan 11, 2011
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  12. Metal_Militia

    Metal_Militia Notebook Consultant

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    no, this is from my invoice:
    "490-12465 Graphics : 3GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 445M Graphics Card"
    it doesnt say "and tv tuner" because i didnt order one, but ive seen other people's invoices who have ordered the tv tuner and it says "and tv tuner"

    the only problem is dell's wrong descriptions on some systems.
     
    Metal_Militia, Jan 11, 2011
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