Should I get an HDTV tuner for my desktop computer?
March 15, 2010 10:08 PM Subscribe
Should I get an HDTV tuner for my desktop computer? I can think of some reasons for me to get one but I am unsure if I will use it enough to justify buying it in the first place. I have been thinking whether or not to pick one up and attach a homemade antenna to it to get some free OTA HDTV.
However I very rarely watch TV and if I do want to watch something I usually download it. I would prefer if everything was streamed on the internet so I can watch it in a web browser but it seems we are not there yet.
I figure I could get a HDTV tuner to watch the local news or something that I haven't seen before.
As for the news, I don't think that kind of stuff is online yet. I usually get my news via RSS from the newpapers, so would getting a HDTV tuner for news be pointless?
Another thing is I don't like watching 720p, I really wish they would move onto 1080p. Will 1080p HDTV tuners be out any time soon?
As for recording, I don't plan to record anything, anything I watch I usually just watch once and that's it.
What do you think? Should I get an HDTV tuner? Please help me make a decision. Thanks.
However I very rarely watch TV and if I do want to watch something I usually download it. I would prefer if everything was streamed on the internet so I can watch it in a web browser but it seems we are not there yet.
I figure I could get a HDTV tuner to watch the local news or something that I haven't seen before.
As for the news, I don't think that kind of stuff is online yet. I usually get my news via RSS from the newpapers, so would getting a HDTV tuner for news be pointless?
Another thing is I don't like watching 720p, I really wish they would move onto 1080p. Will 1080p HDTV tuners be out any time soon?
As for recording, I don't plan to record anything, anything I watch I usually just watch once and that's it.
What do you think? Should I get an HDTV tuner? Please help me make a decision. Thanks.
I was excited to get a new PC with HDTV tuner, but even after my old analog tv went out of service with the digital changeover, I hardly ever used the tuner. In the past few months I've probably used the tuner for 20 minutes, to catch a bit of olympics. When I do get the urge for TV, I usually watch hulu. If you're anything like me, you don't need the tuner. But they're pretty cheap, so it's not a big risk.
posted by moonmilk at 10:30 PM on March 15, 2010
posted by moonmilk at 10:30 PM on March 15, 2010
Oh, and here's a bit I found on 1080i vs 720p. Again, I'm not expert, so I'll gladly be corrected:
"1080i vs 720p: MOTION CHANGES EVERYTHING
Motion is different issue. If you want to see motion clearly, then live action 720p is what looks best, compared to 1080i. Here's why: the information content of 720p is about the same as 1080i, though what it lacks in spatial resolution, it makes up for in temporal resolution (because the picture is at 1/60th of a second, not 1/30th x 2.) On 1080i, this would show as flickered or jagged edges on bright horizontal objects (like in the background of a camera pan.)"
posted by sharkfu at 10:31 PM on March 15, 2010
"1080i vs 720p: MOTION CHANGES EVERYTHING
Motion is different issue. If you want to see motion clearly, then live action 720p is what looks best, compared to 1080i. Here's why: the information content of 720p is about the same as 1080i, though what it lacks in spatial resolution, it makes up for in temporal resolution (because the picture is at 1/60th of a second, not 1/30th x 2.) On 1080i, this would show as flickered or jagged edges on bright horizontal objects (like in the background of a camera pan.)"
posted by sharkfu at 10:31 PM on March 15, 2010
A decider here might be live sport on local networks (i.e. NFL, various playoffs, Olympics) but since you don't mention it, let's assume it's not a consideration.
One question might be how you choose to watch shows right now -- if you're watching in a browser window on a desktop monitor at a relatively close distance, even if it's at full screen, then you're already making a similar adaptation to the one made when people started preferring MP3s at relatively crappy bitrates over CDs, and you're not necessarily going to feel the benefit over whateve Hulu or iTunes or wherever delivers.
If you want to push back the chair and watch from a distance in full 720/1080i rez, and have the hardware to handle it, then a tuner may serve you well, because any legitimate download source is going to be lossy by comparison to the signal that's coming over the air.
posted by holgate at 11:11 PM on March 15, 2010
One question might be how you choose to watch shows right now -- if you're watching in a browser window on a desktop monitor at a relatively close distance, even if it's at full screen, then you're already making a similar adaptation to the one made when people started preferring MP3s at relatively crappy bitrates over CDs, and you're not necessarily going to feel the benefit over whateve Hulu or iTunes or wherever delivers.
If you want to push back the chair and watch from a distance in full 720/1080i rez, and have the hardware to handle it, then a tuner may serve you well, because any legitimate download source is going to be lossy by comparison to the signal that's coming over the air.
posted by holgate at 11:11 PM on March 15, 2010
Whatever you do, don't get any Elgato tuners. They don't seem to work too well.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:45 PM on March 15, 2010
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:45 PM on March 15, 2010
Regarding your homemade antenna idea - with the antenna on the roof, my house gets about 40 analog channels (pre-DTV conversion... digital added more stations). My rabbit-eared bedroom TV could get about 20 of those. Once I hooked that TV up to a digital converter box, it dropped to a grand total of 3 stations over the air. (The 2 TVs hooked up to the roof antenna still get well over 40 channels.) With analog, you could get a signal that's just slightly staticky but still see it fine. With digital, you get it or you don't. Unless you have an antenna on your roof that you can plug into, it might not work out.
posted by IndigoRain at 12:28 AM on March 16, 2010
posted by IndigoRain at 12:28 AM on March 16, 2010
I think the act of getting a good antenna on your roof might be the bigger task to consider here. A few months ago I did a bit of digging about on roof antennas and there is alot of things to consider and work to do to get it right, and if you suddenly become obsessed with it, it can take over your life.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:42 AM on March 16, 2010
posted by Frasermoo at 4:42 AM on March 16, 2010
You didn't give any reasons why you'd want or use one. So no, don't get one.
posted by CharlesV42 at 5:08 AM on March 16, 2010
posted by CharlesV42 at 5:08 AM on March 16, 2010
Without your exact location, it's hard to really make a good choice. First, you need to input your exact location into AntennaWeb. That should give you a good idea of what type of antenna you need and what channels you can expect to get.
In my case, I live only 13 miles from most of the major transmitters, so I can pick up about 11 transmitters with only a small, multidirectional antenna. I went crazy, and picked up a Channelmaster UHF antenna. This was cheap, 40 bucks maybe? I put it in my attic, and aimed it as best I could, and added a preamp and a distribution amp. Both amps I got at Radio Shack, I think.
After the digital switchover, one channel out of the 11 stayed on their VHF frequency, so if I didn't switch to FIOS to get pay TV, I would probably need a VHF antenna and a way to combine the two together.
As for computer tuners, if you are planning on never getting cable, just get an Air2PC card. I have two, and they are OK as long as you don't live in a city and your signal is reasonably clear of multipath. These are first generation ATSC cards, so they are not the best, but they used to be real easy to find on eBay for cheap. I didn't spend more than $15 or $20 for each card.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 6:45 AM on March 16, 2010
In my case, I live only 13 miles from most of the major transmitters, so I can pick up about 11 transmitters with only a small, multidirectional antenna. I went crazy, and picked up a Channelmaster UHF antenna. This was cheap, 40 bucks maybe? I put it in my attic, and aimed it as best I could, and added a preamp and a distribution amp. Both amps I got at Radio Shack, I think.
After the digital switchover, one channel out of the 11 stayed on their VHF frequency, so if I didn't switch to FIOS to get pay TV, I would probably need a VHF antenna and a way to combine the two together.
As for computer tuners, if you are planning on never getting cable, just get an Air2PC card. I have two, and they are OK as long as you don't live in a city and your signal is reasonably clear of multipath. These are first generation ATSC cards, so they are not the best, but they used to be real easy to find on eBay for cheap. I didn't spend more than $15 or $20 for each card.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 6:45 AM on March 16, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
They do make HDTV tuners that pick up 1080i.
posted by sharkfu at 10:28 PM on March 15, 2010