TV Tuner Decision Help

Hello,

I recently purchased a HP DV5T (has not arrived yet, still being built) and need a TV Tuner for it. Its specifications are listed below:

Upgrade to Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T9400 (2.53 GHz)
15.4" diagonal WSXGA+ High-Definition HP BrightView Infinity Display (1680 x 1050)
4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
512MB NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT
FREE Upgrade to 250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
HP Imprint Finish (Mesh)+Microphone + Webcam + Fingerprint Reader for HP BrightView Infinity Display
HP Color Matching Keyboard
802.11b/g WLAN and Bluetooth
No High speed 56K modem port
LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
No TV Tuner w/remote control
High Capacity 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope


One of my main purposes in this purchase was to get a laptop that could use a good tv tuner. I did not get the included TV Tuner because I was told by a representative over the phone that it was only wireless and would thus only get local channels (I could not hook it up to my cable box or direct cable and get all the channels I want). So now I am trying to find what external TV Tuner I should purchase instead. Here is what I want to be able to do with the TV Tuner:

Watch, Pause, Rewind, Etc. Live TV
Ability to connect directly with my cable TV boxes (I have Comcast Cable) and direct cable links
Ability to record shows that can be watched later via a remote control in good/high quality on the laptop (does this require a remote control for the laptop that is seperate from the controller included with most TV Tuners?)
Ability to move these recorded shows or directly record them to DVDs

And planning ahead I would definitely prefer that the TV Tuner could pick up HD signals (with cable)
I would also want it to pick up channels wirelessly (so when I go places with the laptop I could still get some channels [and while traveling I could still set the laptop up to record shows right?])
Ability to edit the videos (I plan on upgrading to Vista Media Center, so hopefully the TV Tuner would support its features?)


So I am looking for some help in choosing a TV Tuner (I have seen some that are like modems and some that are like flash drives, the flash drive ones seem much more portable... are those their benefits? Or are they stripped down pretty badly compared to the others). I am willing to pay the money if the TV Tuner is worth it, but from the past two days of research (ATI, Pinnacle, Hauppauge, AverMedia, etc) I am still not sure what to choose. So can anyone please help me with a TV Tuner that can do everything I want?

Thanks for all input!

-AndrewCK

 

There are some reviews. Start here.

John

 

Thanks,

I have been looking at reviews and doing research for the past two days and it is just really stressing me out. I will start looking again here in a few hours though and definitely check that out.

-AndrewCK

 

Well I hope I didn't do anything wrong, just looking for some help because I am getting stressed over finding the "right" card.

-AndrewCK

 

I'm just going to go point by point through some of the things I see that you need, and give you a few tips and recommendations. I'll be back in this thread later in the day to follow up if there are questions or comments!

Most TV tuners (read: all of them that I know of) allow you to record TV and use a computer the same way a DVR works. Either the TV tuner works with MCE or the company provides it own TV viewing software that allows you to use it as a DVR. So you will not need to worry about that.

You say that you are planning on using this with Comcast cable. For most areas, that means that any TV tuner will work. However, I understand that in a few years Comcast will probably switch over to all digital cable and use unencrypted QAM for their channels. That's buzz word number one: QAM.

At this point, most of Comcast's cable signals are just NTSC signals...which all TV tuners are capable of reading in.

Regardless of the TV tuner you get, you can probably just connect it straight to your cable outlet and get most of all of the channels that you currently pay for. That is because Comcast uses almost all NTSC channels. We'll get to using a set top box in a little bit.

You also want to be able to use an antenna to view TV on the road. No problem. Right now, all you need is a set of rabbit ears to get the standard definition TV signals from the air. After next February though, they are switching to unencrypted QAM so you need a tuner that does that. Free HD channels will use Over The Air ATSC signals, so you need a TV tuner that can read ATSC.

Now if you want to use your set top box, Vista and XP MCE can handle that. But what you need is a TV tuner that comes with a USB remote and IR blaster. Again, many offer this as an add-on or it is included.

So to summarize:
NTSC - All tuners use this, and it will get you most of your cable channels.
ATSC - Gets you all the free HD channels in your area, just need to use rabbit ears to get them.
Unencrypted QAM - This will get your all the standard definition airwave channels starting next year, and your cable channels in a few years.

There is also encrypted QAM, but there is no way that you'll get that ability.

So anyway, there are two that I can think of right now for you...
eVGA inDtube - It does ATSC and NTSC, but not QAM. Video quality is slightly higher than the...
Hauppauge HVR 950Q - Does ATCS, NTSC, and QAM...pretty good video quality as well.

Pinnacle products in the TV department are pretty bad, so avoid them. ATI and nVidia used to make good stuff, but ATI's got bad and nVidia (I think) stopped making tuners.

 

Hello again,

Well I just found out that the included TV Tuner (HP Integrated Hybrid TV Tuner) can be used with cable boxes. Does anyone know any details about this TV Tuner? Is it a good TV Tuner or should I just buy a third party TV Tuner (I was told that it cannot record HD signals because of copyright, only ATI All in Wonder Products can record HD signals [because they paid for it]) that is potentially better? If the integrated TV Tuner can do everything I want maybe I should just get it to save the hassle of an external one? But if externals are better anyway I am willing to pay for it, I am not too terribly concerned with price, just useability.

EDIT: Big question about the TV Tuner, does it support QAM? Because next February I want to still be able to use the TV Card (I want laptop to last me for next 3-4 years).

 

Just wanted to thank everyone for the help. I got my order changed and am now getting the integrated TV Tuner in my DV5T. Thanks again!

-AndrewCK