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basic tv tuner suggestions
- Thread starter towndog
- Start date
If you want to loose the box, and keep getting your HD channels, the only current option is to get the Ceton InfiniTV tuner. This is the only card on the market that supports a cablecard (a device you often have to rent from your cable company, but which is cheaper than a cable box), which allows you to decrypt the channels you are subscribed to. There is a discontinued ATI tuner card that accepts cable card which you could get used on ebay. There is also the HDHomerun Prime in the works from Silicon Dust, but that has not been released yet.
If you are OK not getting the HD and premium channels, then you have a number of other options. You need to figure out whether Charter is sending the channels your TV tuner can pick up in analog or digital (or both), as there are different tuners for the different formats (and dual tuners). AverMedia is a brand that makes well reviewed tuners, and they are generally cheaper than the Hauppauge tuners. Probably the cheapest route may be getting a USB tuner, but I personally don't have enough information to recommend on specifically. Browse Newegg for some of the selection, and feel free to ask further questions.
Hope this helps get you started in your search.
If you are OK not getting the HD and premium channels, then you have a number of other options. You need to figure out whether Charter is sending the channels your TV tuner can pick up in analog or digital (or both), as there are different tuners for the different formats (and dual tuners). AverMedia is a brand that makes well reviewed tuners, and they are generally cheaper than the Hauppauge tuners. Probably the cheapest route may be getting a USB tuner, but I personally don't have enough information to recommend on specifically. Browse Newegg for some of the selection, and feel free to ask further questions.
Hope this helps get you started in your search.
With that tuner card if your cable service requires a cable box for all cable channels (or does not use QAM), you can only watch or record your channels in analog. This means that you will not only lose HD, but all of your 16:9 widescreen channels (as well as all recordings made from such channels) will be displayed in a squeezed and distorted 4:3 aspect ratio (or gutterboxed 4:3, depending on the channel). That will seriously affect viewing (since that can't be properly fixed).
In this case, unless the digital channels use QAM signals, you're stuck with receiving only analog cable channels through the tuner card. And in some areas, standard-definition channels are also transmitted digitally, requiring you to get a box for everything unless the tuners in your TV sets are compatible directly with such signals. If three of your TVs are completely dark regardless of the channel, that is a sure sign that your cable provider has switched its transmissions to digital - and of a format that's incompatible with existing TV tuners.
If your TV sets predate the mid-2000s, then your cable service is likely analog (or analog that's converted from the original digital transmission).
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Regardless, the aforementioned Hauppauge 1250 is a Hybrid Tuner, and will work with clearQAM or analog (NTSC), so if the OP can plug the cable directly into a TV and receiver the channels s/he wants, then plugging the same cable directly into the Hauppague 1250 should in theory pick up the exact same channels. Problem solved! No need to figure out whether it's analog or digital being sent, as the tuner is a hybrid tuner. But yeah, if the TVs are older tube TVs, then it's most likely analog. Newegg has $20-30 analog TV tuner card options, where the 1250 is like $45.
You could also go to http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/ and plug in your zip code and check your provider to see what is being sent digitally in the clear (clearQAM) though that site isn't 100% accurate all the time.
You could also go to http://www.silicondust.com/support/channels/ and plug in your zip code and check your provider to see what is being sent digitally in the clear (clearQAM) though that site isn't 100% accurate all the time.
If you are receiving a digital signal from the cable company, I would highly recommend the Silicondust HD Homerun tuners. They are network devices that you can connect a cable to for ClearQAM digital broadcasts from your cable company. With one of these devices on your network, you can just install some software on your PC to watch TV.
I think these tuners are much better than PCI/PCIe/USB tuners because with only one device any PC on your network will be able to watch TV. Of course you will need multiple devices if you want to watch more than one show at a time. I just bought a single-tuner version and like it so much that I'll probably get another one.
I think these tuners are much better than PCI/PCIe/USB tuners because with only one device any PC on your network will be able to watch TV. Of course you will need multiple devices if you want to watch more than one show at a time. I just bought a single-tuner version and like it so much that I'll probably get another one.
I have the HVR 1250 and digital Comcast basic cable. I am running the cable out of the wall straight to the card (no set top box). My card currently scans/detects 26 channels. Some channels come in fine while others say "Call 1-877-XXX-XXXX for a free adapter". Does this mean they are further encrypted and require the set top box? 
Also, none of my channels are coming in 16:9 or HD. But I still need to mess with the settings to see what I may be missing out on.
Also, none of my channels are coming in 16:9 or HD. But I still need to mess with the settings to see what I may be missing out on.
Here is what is happening. You are only viewing the analog content which Comcast is sending out. The free adapter in question is a DTA, which is a small box which is paired with your account, and allows you to view the digital channels you are subscribed to on an analog device (like an old tube TV). It just is a converter (which must be paired with your account, so there is no way to view more channels than what you are subscribed to).
That said, you don't need a DTA, because the 1250 tuner card is a hybrid tuner card and also can accept clearQAM. You need to check your settings. Are you using 7MC? In set up, you should see at least 2 tuner options. One for NTSC analog and one for ATSC/clearQAM digital. You need to select the digital one, and do the scan that way. You should, if you have comcast, get your local stations in HD, if not a couple more. And you should get all the analog stations you picked up (the 26 or so) in digital, though there sometimes isn't 100% redundancy between the two.
After the scan, if you still aren't seeing new channels, you need to open up task settings, TV, guide, edit channels, and have 7MC do an autoselect. Often, comcast doesn't broadcast channel data, and 7MC by default doesn't show channels that you receive but don't have channel data. So this scan is necessary (and then, if you find new channels that way, you need to manually go through each one and match up the channel to the guide listing.
That said, you don't need a DTA, because the 1250 tuner card is a hybrid tuner card and also can accept clearQAM. You need to check your settings. Are you using 7MC? In set up, you should see at least 2 tuner options. One for NTSC analog and one for ATSC/clearQAM digital. You need to select the digital one, and do the scan that way. You should, if you have comcast, get your local stations in HD, if not a couple more. And you should get all the analog stations you picked up (the 26 or so) in digital, though there sometimes isn't 100% redundancy between the two.
After the scan, if you still aren't seeing new channels, you need to open up task settings, TV, guide, edit channels, and have 7MC do an autoselect. Often, comcast doesn't broadcast channel data, and 7MC by default doesn't show channels that you receive but don't have channel data. So this scan is necessary (and then, if you find new channels that way, you need to manually go through each one and match up the channel to the guide listing.
When I first did my install and scan I did select clearQAM and had to sources to choose from: Cincinnati Bell and Comcast. I chose Comcast. Only 26 channels initially with some say that "adapter" message.
Now, after some time and NO additional scanning (but a restart or two) more channels have come in. Roughly 60 or so now. And the guide in WMC 7 is complete with all data and thumbnails.
Awesome! I love it when things work out. It works like a champ now. Responive, clear image, and easy to operate.
Now, after some time and NO additional scanning (but a restart or two) more channels have come in. Roughly 60 or so now. And the guide in WMC 7 is complete with all data and thumbnails.
Awesome! I love it when things work out.
It works like a champ now. Responive, clear image, and easy to operate.I would highly recommend the HVR 1250. Works like a champ and the price is right. Got mine at the Egg. I also recommend using WMC rather than WinTV.