File Format*

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Q. Smith
  • Start date Start date
J

John Q. Smith

I realize that this is slightly off topic, but does anyone know what type of
format Windows uses when using a TV Tuner card while connecting to normal
cable TV via coaxial cable?
I am looking at buying a TV Tuner card, but it states that it only supports
NTSC video format only.
 
I know enough to tell you that the NTSC standard is used for video here in
the USA, and that the PAL standard is used in Europe, and in some other
countries.

But I don't know about the upcoming format changes with HDTV coming around
next year, and whether that will be a problem.
 
I realize that this is slightly off topic, but does anyone know what typeof
format Windows uses when using a TV Tuner card while connecting to normal
cable TV via coaxial cable?
I am looking at buying a TV Tuner card, but it states that it only supports
NTSC video format only.
Click to expand...

It depends on what type of TV signal you receive in your area.
The TV Tuner card will turn that TV signal into video that WinXP can
display on your screen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTSC

Good Luck.
 
Bill in Co. said:
I know enough to tell you that the NTSC standard is used for video here in
the USA, and that the PAL standard is used in Europe, and in some other
countries.

But I don't know about the upcoming format changes with HDTV coming around
next year, and whether that will be a problem.
Click to expand...

FYI: The HDTV formats are different between the US and Europe. The US
format has retained its 30 frame per second format from (the original) NTSC
and the European format has retained the 25 frame per second format. This
was completely unnecessary as the deployment of Plasma and LCD displays has
rendered the adoption of the mains frequency as the frame rate redundant.
The practical upshot is the US HDTV requires 20% more space to record it.
 
John Q. Smith said:
I realize that this is slightly off topic, but does anyone know what type of
format Windows uses when using a TV Tuner card while connecting to normal
cable TV via coaxial cable?
I am looking at buying a TV Tuner card, but it states that it only supports
NTSC video format only.
Click to expand...

This doesn't have anything to do with Windows, which knows nothing
about video formats, but (mainly) with where you live.

NTSC has been the TV signal format in the US for as long as broadcast
TV has existed. In Europe (and Asia?) they use a different
(incompatible, of course) standard called PAL.

Broadcasts in NTSC format will disappear next February, all broadcasts
will then be in digital format. If you're on a cable TV system, you
will probably still be able to get NTSC analog signals through them.
Converter boxes are also available.

Video tapes and non HD video DVDs are recorded in NTSC (or PAL, if
you're not in North America) format. DVDs are likely to stay around
for quite awhile, tapes will probably go away sooner.

Look up any of these terms in Wikipedia if you want to know more.
 
I realize that this is slightly off topic, but does anyone know what
type of format Windows uses when using a TV Tuner card while
connecting to normal cable TV via coaxial cable?
I am looking at buying a TV Tuner card, but it states that it only
supports NTSC video format only.
Click to expand...

NTSC only means it will NOT received DTV (Digital broadcast signals).
If you want to get off-air programming, forget it. Get one with a DTV
digital capable receiver/tuner.


NTSC: Standard North American 4:3, non-DTV format. Also known as
analog TV.

ATSC: North American 16:9/4:3 format for DTV reception. Also known as
digital TV.

Wikipedia.com has some good explanations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_television

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_television

You need a card that will handle Digital TV (DTV) as many of the analog
stations are going dark between now and Feb 09.
 
Tim Slattery said:
This doesn't have anything to do with Windows, which knows nothing
about video formats, but (mainly) with where you live.

NTSC has been the TV signal format in the US for as long as broadcast
TV has existed. In Europe (and Asia?) they use a different
(incompatible, of course) standard called PAL.
Click to expand...

Rubbish! Broadcast TV started in 1926 using the 30 line system. The NTSC
system wasn't devised UNTIL 1941. Meanwhile broadcasting had also taken
place using the 240 line and then the 405 line systems.
Broadcasts in NTSC format will disappear next February, all broadcasts
will then be in digital format. If you're on a cable TV system, you
will probably still be able to get NTSC analog signals through them.
Click to expand...


The digital broadcast parameters (in the US) are still based on the NTSC
standards. If you watch them on an analogue TV then the digital signal
resolves to a standard NTSC signal to be displayed. If you watch them via a
digital link to the TV (DVI or HDMI) then the video format standards are
still firmly tied to the NTSC specification - its just given a confusing
identifier 480i/30 (which also describes NTSC).
 
Rubbish! Broadcast TV started in 1926 using the 30 line system. The NTSC
system wasn't devised UNTIL 1941. Meanwhile broadcasting had also taken
place using the 240 line and then the 405 line systems.
Click to expand...

ROTFL!! You're absolutely right! But not many people were watching
back then. I think I can safely say that NTSC has been the standard
since TV became even remotely mainstream.
The digital broadcast parameters (in the US) are still based on the NTSC
standards. If you watch them on an analogue TV then the digital signal
resolves to a standard NTSC signal to be displayed. If you watch them via a
digital link to the TV (DVI or HDMI) then the video format standards are
still firmly tied to the NTSC specification - its just given a confusing
identifier 480i/30 (which also describes NTSC).
Click to expand...

Interesting, I wasn't aware of that.
 
Tim Slattery said:
ROTFL!! You're absolutely right! But not many people were watching
back then. I think I can safely say that NTSC has been the standard
since TV became even remotely mainstream.
Click to expand...

NTSC (or System M to give it its formal name) is almost exclusively used by
some tin pot little back water on the other side of the Atlantic (with one
or two pockets of resistance in the far east). The civilised world uses the
625 line system with PAL colour (SECAM in France and Russia) also described
as 576i/50. ;-)

What comes a a minor mystery, is why the US clung onto their 30 frame/sec
rate when adopting HDTV. There was no technical reason to do so.

In the systems used before NTSC, I managed to omit the oddball French 819
line system. I mean the system was oddball, not the French. Come to think
of it, scratch that last sentence.
 
M.I.5¾ said:
NTSC (or System M to give it its formal name) is almost exclusively used
by
some tin pot little back water on the other side of the Atlantic (with one
or two pockets of resistance in the far east). The civilised world uses
the
625 line system with PAL colour (SECAM in France and Russia) also
described
as 576i/50. ;-)

What comes a a minor mystery, is why the US clung onto their 30 frame/sec
rate when adopting HDTV. There was no technical reason to do so.
Click to expand...

Cause we don't like the flicker of the 25 frame/sec rates!!
I mean (as yet another example), with a 50 Hz line frequency over there, it
takes some of us a bit of time to get readjusted to the slightly flickering
incandescent lights over there (some of us have quick visual response times,
with low latency).
In the systems used before NTSC, I managed to omit the oddball French 819
line system. I mean the system was oddball, not the French. Come to
think
of it, scratch that last sentence.
Click to expand...

LOL.
 
Bill in Co. said:
Cause we don't like the flicker of the 25 frame/sec rates!!
I mean (as yet another example), with a 50 Hz line frequency over there,
it takes some of us a bit of time to get readjusted to the slightly
flickering incandescent lights over there (some of us have quick visual
response times, with low latency).
Click to expand...

With Plasma and LCD TV sets, what flicker would that be?
 
Back
Top