TV on Your Computer - TV Tuners Can Do The Trick

TV tuners function by receiving television signals and then converting them into any image that can be displayed on a monitor screen, and normally come with remote controls and an infrared receiver. Most TV tuners can pick up FM radio signals as well because TV signals for sound are transmitted via the FM band.

Kinds

PCI-based TV Tuner: A PCI TV tuner is an internal card that can be mounted unto any free slot in a computer’s PCI expansion rack. Commonly utilized for use with in workstations, desktop computers, and other devices, they may come with hardware encoding for MPEG-2 video that lightens your processor's load.

USB-based TV Tuner: Connected externally with the use of a USB port, a USB-based TV tuner is easy to install, use, and switch between computers. Most models however work only with USB 2.0 ports because the older USB versions cannot handle the transfer of heavy data.

PCMCIA-based TV Tuner: PCMCIA-based TV Tuners are very portable, allowing use with laptops and other devices. They however have fewer features and outlets.

Set-top box TV Tuner: A set-top box TV tuner is connected directly to TFT or CRT monitors and do not require actual use of a computer. They are also equipped with speakers and provisions for connectors that can be hooked up on external amplifiers.

Buying tips

When looking for TV tuners, consider their compatibility and capabilities for channel selection. It will be convenient for you if your TV tuner supports basic video formats like SECAM, PAL, and NTSC and make sure that these formats are supported by your computer screens. In terms of channel selection, look for a TV tuner that will allow you to manipulate channels such as saving and grouping into categories. If you want security for your children, look for one that comes with parental locks.

Complete information / Buy top-rated TV tuners

A complete Guide to TV TUNERS is available in Picky Guide, one of the fastest growing online magazines giving free consumer advice and product information.