HDTV Tuner Quick Overview

Quick Overview of PC HDTV Tuners

A PC HDTV Tuner capabilities include most Tivo-like functions for HDTV programs, such as the ability to pause and record live HD/digital programs from cable or over the air, and many come with a remote.

A graphics card or motherboard graphics with DirectX 9.0 or better is required for HD PC tuners.

Most HDTV tuners work with Media Center Edition 2005, Vista, and Windows 7. All work with XP Home and Pro.

HDTV Tuner cards run from around $60-$200.

HDTV Tuner cards cannot record digital/HDTV from DVI, HDMI or component output from a satellite or cable box. However they may have the capability to record composite output (standard definition TV) from set top boxes.

Historically HDTV Tuners have been PCI cards, however now there are several USB HDTV tuners for laptops or for PCs without spare PCI slots. Most recent additions are PCI-e tuners and a local area network connected tuner.

Any HDTV or PC monitor with a VGA input connection can be used for a HDTV PC display, and if your PC graphics card has a DVI or HDMI output connection, virtually any HDTV can be your display.

A recorded HDTV program can use as much as 8-9GB of disk space per hour. These file can be converted to record/play on a DVD player but not in HD format. The new Blu-ray recorders can record/play HD programs.