Tv tuner boxes install#

While some don't seem to cause any problems, others cause the video quality to be reduced. Some of the software handles this better than others.

Tv tuner boxes install#

From there, you can install a PVR software-oftentimes, the TV tuner comes prepackaged with a personal video recorder application that lets you record and organize TV shows.īoth types of TV tuners allow recordings that are similar to TiVo, offering the chance to pause live television, record, rewind, and fast forward. The software will need to scan the computer to see which inputs are available. After hooking them up, a few clicks in a few option windows is all it takes to start watching TV on the computer. Both PCI and USB TV tuners are fairly easy to get up and running after they are plugged in or installed.

One advantage of the USB box is that it is simpler to set up, since you won’t have to access the innards of your computer. While some of the boxes taken up quite a bit of space, they are getting smaller, and some of the options already available are about the size of a deck of cards. Internal TV tuners also tend to have faster performance.Īlternatively, the USB boxes are a good choice for laptops, or for desktops without any remaining PCI slots. Generally speaking, they also tend to be cheaper than the USB boxes. Since it is internal, it minimizes the amount of space taken up. While the video quality can vary slightly, most reviewers claim that the differences are small enough not to affect the decision of which option is the better buy.įor customers who are looking for the option that produces the least clutter, the PCI card is the obvious choice. Both options allow you to hook up coaxial, S-Video, HDMI and/or composite cables. There are two basic types of TV tuners: internal PCI cards and external USB boxes. A TV tuner for the PC allows you to watch and record television on your TV, with the ability to watch the video in full screen or to place it in a smaller window while working on something else.