TV on the Envy 14

Does anyone know how to get TV on this laptop, I have no idea how to because I am new to watching TV on computers.

 

you would need to buy a USB external TV tuner

(or sign up for netflix streaming, or hulu, etc.)

 

I believe you would need a TV tuner. I have the HP TV tuner, which works pretty well since I got it for free.

 

So all I would need to do it plug the TV tuner into the computer and it would work? What is all the talk about the computer needing to have an internal decoder or something.

 

I don't know what that is, but I just plugged it in my laptop and plugged cable into the tuner. I then just use windows media player and it works perfectly.

 

Depends on your cable service provider. Many make the first 99 channels available unscrambled. Above that it's scrambled and you need a TV card. Plus you can only get SD, no HD.

 

But if you get a TV Tuner with a QAM tuner, you can get the clear QAM HD channels. For many cable operators, that would be channels 2 - 13 at a minimum.

 

Hmmm, did not know that. Thanks. That should at least give you the major networks, right? Mine are 2-Fox, 4-NBC, 6-CBS, 7-ABC, 13-PBS, but those are all in SD, HD channels are like 231, 232, 233, 234. That reminds me. I remember when I was a kid, my mom bought a new TV with touch button channels, 13 of 'em! Wow were we set!

I have a USB HD antenna tuner I bought cheap a while back. Works pretty decent, except need the antenna near a window.

I may have to look for one if they're cheap enough. Problem is I don't have a cable near where I keep my laptop usually. Oh well, that's what drills and cable splitters are for, right? Maybe a slingbox would be a better investment though.

 

get slingbox pro HD this device maybe expensive but it gets the job done. search it through youtube i seen lots of reviews with this.. good luck mate ^^

 

Yeah, different cable companies map the clear QAM channels, differently. But they include the majors and some fringe channels.

Speaking of childhood, I used to be the official channel changer. I'd have to get up and turn the rheostat on the telly on command being I was the younger. Getting a telly with a wired remote was a bittersweet moment of salvation. Then we got cable and I was back to me old job except now I pushed buttons on the set top box.

Cut to the chase... in my home, I'm lord of the remotes but still have to get up and put a blu-ray in the tray and power on the subwoofers.

The more things change...

 

Thanks guys, lots of helpful information here. Funny stories too

 

I've been considering the Solo for some time actually. If I had thought of it, I would have bought one with TigerDirect Bing Cashback at 15%. Now I'll have to find a new way to make it more affordable.

I'm fine with a Solo. I don't need to stream in HD. 480p is fine with me for the little I'll use it.

Yeah, oh the old days. Now I gripe when my computer has gone to sleep and I have to power it up so I can stream shows for my kids that I, uh, well, mmm, appropriated from various, erm, sources. Kinda bad when you risk prison for lost episodes of Dora the Explorer and Barney.

 

You think you had it bad, as the youngest in a large family, I was the official rabbit ears with aluminum foil holder. I was given directions like "Can you move your arm to the left?" and "there's too much snow, stop fidgeting."

 

LOL LOL LOL, yeah I remember those days. My sister and I would take turns holding the antenna to get crystal clear reception. You go to scratch your nose or something and the screen would completely fuzz out and get yelled at, lol.