Media Center TV & Internet

[Geoff]

I currently have an LCD tv being fed the bits directly from the time-warner
digital cable box via a dvi cable.

For my other tv, I would like to do the same thing, except use a large
computer lcd monitor, a pc, and I guess I need to use the t-w cable box.

Using a tv tuner card implies the bit stream will be converted to analog,
however, I do not understand how all 3 can work together so that I can do
the following:

1. Watch tv where the bit stream stays a bit stream (no analog).
2. Use the internet (via a wireless keyboard).
3. Record shows, If I choose to, on the computer.

I looked at some media center pc's and they use a tv tuner and windows media
center but as I said, I want to avoid analog if I can.

Any links or explanations if this is possible is appreciated. Thanks.

-g

 

[Rod Speed]

I currently have an LCD tv being fed the bits directly from the time-warner digital
cable box via a dvi cable.

For my other tv, I would like to do the same thing, except use a large
computer lcd monitor, a pc, and I guess I need to use the t-w cable box.

Using a tv tuner card implies the bit stream will be converted to analog,

No it doesnt. Digital TV cards dont ever convert to analog.

however, I do not understand how all 3 can work together so that I can do the following:

1. Watch tv where the bit stream stays a bit stream (no analog).
2. Use the internet (via a wireless keyboard).
3. Record shows, If I choose to, on the computer.

Still stays digital.

I looked at some media center pc's and they use a tv tuner and
windows media center but as I said, I want to avoid analog if I can.

Thats what any decent system that has a digital TV card does.

Any links or explanations if this is possible is appreciated.

Yes its possible. I do it myself, with 4 digital TV
cards in the one PC, essentially replacing 4 VCRs.

You can watch anything you like on the PC monitor, and I also
use a TV out on a dual head video card to the big glass TV too.
In fact I do that from two different PCs, so I can also watch
other stuff like downloaded movies and TV series etc as well.

 

[David Maynard]

I currently have an LCD tv being fed the bits directly from the time-warner
digital cable box via a dvi cable.

For my other tv, I would like to do the same thing, except use a large
computer lcd monitor, a pc, and I guess I need to use the t-w cable box.

Using a tv tuner card implies the bit stream will be converted to analog,

Well, no. It implies the card can "tune" the appropriate RF channels, like
your cable box does. What happens after it's tuned depends on the signal
source.

If it's receiving an analog channel it'll decode it, to analog since that's
what it is, and convert it to a bit stream (I.E. analog to digital
converter) for feeding into the computer. If it's a digital channel, and
assuming you get a digital TV capable tuner, it'll decode the digital bit
stream and feed it into the computer.

 

[Geoff]

If the cable goes from the wall to the tv tuner card, are all the services
available from time-warner? The t-w box allows me to select movies or I can
call and say I want HBO and they send a signal to the box, etc.

-g

 

[Geoff]

I called time-warner. They told me they have seen people do it but the
interactive services are not available.

This is also true of a tuner card one can get from them to put into their
lcd tv, all the channels are there but no interactive service.

So, given that, the cable channels in my area go up to 1100, hbo and
showtime in the 400 area, encore and some others in the 300 area, etc. How
much would be available through a tuner card? Also, can anyone recommend a
digital tuner card?

Thanks.

-g