Do you want to watch TV in your den or study and do not want to buy a new digital TV?
Do you want to record your favorite program in high definition while you are out and do not have a Tivo?
Do you want to be able to pause live TV while you take a phone call?
Do you want to send a DVD of their favorite program to a friend - maybe somebody serving in Iraq or Afghanistan?
Do you want to sometimes watch a big game while you are on a picnic?
Do you want something smaller than the a 19 inch set that seems to be all you can get in the shops?
Do you want to take a snapshot of your favorite while watching American Idol?
All this can be your's for only $29.99
OK stop there, this is not an advert, though it could be. It is not a scam. If you are reading this on a fairly new PC or Mac (desktop or laptop), a simple add-on will convert it into a digital television and recorder. Prices start at about $30.
It's the "third way" to get digital TV and outside of computer geeks nobody seems to know about it. It's so simple even an eight year old could set it up.
If you do not have an 8 year old available or just want to know more follow me over the flip for a step by step guide with (links to) photos.
First a few words of caution.
Which of the features you get will depend on the specification of your computer. Obviously a desktop PC would be difficult to carry around and not all PCs have DVD writers. You also need a lot of space on your internal hard drive or your external backup hard drive (What do you mean, you do not have one) if you want to keep more than a few hours of recordings, especially in HD.
Reception is dependent on signal strength so if you need a big outdoor antenna to receive digital TV on your main set, you will most likely need to use an extra cable from a splitter/amplifier box. These are readily available from places like Radio Shack.
Although I give links to a couple of stores as examples, I am not endorsing either the store or the equipment. You should shop around and get the equipment that suits your needs. Although the $29.99 one I refer to will only work on PCs it does seem to be a good example of the type and at a price which looks a bargain provided your PC is powerful enough.
I am in the UK so some of the details of the hardware are different and the two countries' TV systems cope with things like signals bouncing off buildings in different ways. The principles are the same so my step by step guide will give you an idea of the process. Again, different models of tuner stick may be slightly different in what features they offer. I had hoped to illustrate the diary with photos of my setup but I am awaiting delivery of a new add-on so have relied on linking to pictures elsewhere.
I really like this option because it is very green. You are saving resources by not having to use them to make another box, screen etc and you can recycle a computer that you are replacing to act as a quality video recorder. It also saves space in say, a student dorm room and is one less thing to transport at the start of the semester.
What do I need?
The full name is a "USB 2.0 TV Tuner Card" sometimes called a "TV tuner stick" or "TV tuner dongle". These plug into your PC or Mac. Your choice will depend on what type of computer you will have as not all come with the software drivers necessary for Macs. The one for $29.99 I found on special offer does not. If you have a desktop PC you can also use an internal card and this may solve the problem of having an older computer. Always check the computer requirements information. These are usually the very minimum you need to have.
Your choice will also depend on if you want to use "clear QAM" or unencrypted cable instead of over the air ATSC. Do not bother with NTSC as it is the old analog signals that are being switched off.
What do I get in the box?
All links are to pictures of the $29.99 one. Typically you will get in the box:
The stick itself
A disc with the necessary software and drivers.
Instructions - READ THEM!
A small stick antenna. (on left in this picture)
You may well also get:
A small USB lead (on right in this picture) to save wear and tear on your computer's socket and also to position the stick if it has a sensor to receive signals from:
A small remote control.
A small adapter to change the screw fitting on the end of the antenna lead to any special fitting on the stick itself. Be careful of these sticks as the special fittings are often tiny and fragile as you can see from this pictureof an antenna supplied with a different stick which has the special fitting already in place.
If there is no USB extension lead with your stick, get one. The extra weight of the antenna or cable lead will put strain on the USB socket on your computer.
How do I set it up.
Read the instructions! Seriously, these will be simple but the usual process is to plug in the stick, let the PC recognize it and install the driver from the supplied disc, install the software to view TV and the other functions and finally scan for stations. Here are a few hints which they may not include in the instructions.
For the first set up, do not use the stick antenna. Use a source that you know provides a good signal like your home antenna or clear cable lead. Once you have scanned the available stations, play with the stick antenna.
Screw the antenna/cable lead into the stick or adapter before you do anything else. Tightening the fitting while it is in place, especially if you do not have a USB extension lead, could damage your computer and anyway is a pain.
Always install the supplied software even if you later use Windows Media Center (WMC) That implements Digital Rights Management and may stop you making recordings. The supplied software may not so you are not prevented from making DVD copies for example.
IF YOU HAVE A PC WITH WINDOWS MEDIA CENTER as supplied with most Windows Vista editions and with Windows 7, it will take you through setting up your PC to use a compatible stick. Do this after the initial installation. WMC has an Electronic Program Guide and it may go on line to find out what stations you should be receiving by reference to your Zip code (It does this in the UK using the similar postcode).
Enjoy!!
Any other hints?
Your small computer monitor will obviously not do justice to the HD recordings you might make. Not to fear if you have a big flat screen TV. Some laptops are starting to use HDMI sockets so you can connect to other devices like these TVs. Virtually all laptops allow you to use an external monitor and virtually all flat screen TVs will act as a computer monitor. A suitable lead is all you need and this may even have been supplied with your TV. Use the option to turn off your laptop's screen when you do this.
The base of the stick antenna will very likely be magnetic. As well as keeping in in place easier, putting it on a magnetic metal surface could improve its performance as the metal can act like an extra antenna.
Unlike old VHS tapes, most computers will play DVDs recorded on other television systems. If you have the option when you "burn" a DVD, make it "no region" or "Region 0" if you want to send it to friends in another DVD region. European PAL DVD players will often play "NTSC" discs with no problems of converting the 30 frames per second in the USA to the 25 frames per second of the EU.
You can get some adapters that dispense with the PC altogether. These plug straight into the "computer" lead of a monitor. They are however more expensive and will not record, for obvious reasons. This otherwise standard set top box has an output to enable you to do this. Another way to re-use an old computer monitor rather than recycling, the greener option and, although nearly $100, a lot cheaper than buying a digital televison.
Just as you can get internal cards for a desktop PC, you can also get tuners in a format that will fit the card slot of a laptop. For the same reasons of expense, only look at these if you have an older laptop and the card needs a lower specification than a USB2 stick.
The remote control supplied may not work with Windows Media Center or some functions may not behave (volume changes for example) This is hardly a problem as you have the keyboard.
If your big screen TV has "picture in picture", you can use the input from your computer to provide the second source these need.
Start to not think "television" but "display". At least one company has produced a screen with no tuners or speakers at all. You have a hifi? - why put up with inferior sound from built in speakers? Your computer can receive, decode and record TV signals, why do you need a Tivo? Your computer will also be able to play DVDs and possibly Blu-ray discs, why do you need a separate player? Similarly, your computer will most likely have a DVD recorder or even a Blu-ray recorder built in, why do you need a separate one? The main advantage of having a television as opposed to a display is that you can watch one station while recording another. Even that is going to be redundant as you can get dual digital tuner sticks.