I ordered the ATI HDTV tuner for my computer a couple days ago. I haven't received it yet, as it is on backorder, but no big deal because I got a good price. So anyways...

I want to watch the local HDTV channels, you know like LOST and some of the other shows on ABC, NBC, etc as well as football games when they come back. The best buy guy confused me more than I was before I thought I had an understanding of it all. I live in an apartment that provides cable. If I want to watch HDTV on ABC or something, can I do it if I just buy this tv tuner and hook it up to the wall coax? Or do I need something else?

I don't want to have to buy digital cable at this time. I just want local TV. I am also wondering because I am looking at buying a new HDTV LCD with a built in tuner.

Please help un-confuse me. Thanks!

1/26/2006 10:28:34 PM

Aren't the ATSC signals for local channels availible through basic cable if you have an ATSC tuner hooked up to it? You might want to ask time-warner that, but maybe someone here knows. Ask smoothcrim, he's got an HDTV hooked up through regular cable I beleive. I think so... but if not you'd need an antenna.

[Edited on January 26, 2006 at 10:42 PM. Reason : ]

1/26/2006 10:41:03 PM

if the ATI HDTV tuner supports ClearQAM decoding then you can hook it up to a TWC feed and attempt to get the clearQAM channels (usually the local HD feeds, local digital feeds, some other feeds such as TNT, WGN, shopathome crap)

if it only supports ATSC then you'll need to go down to Radioshack or Best Buy and get an UHF antenna. I have a Terk HDTVa antenna hooked to a dvico fusion5 up in the Stonehenge/leesville area and pick up everything except UPN.. and WB comes in a little weak.

1/26/2006 11:00:52 PM

are the antenna's big and how much do they cost?

1/26/2006 11:24:32 PM

I believe the ATI HDTV tuner decodes OTA HD (ATSC) but does not support QAM

so I would be SOL without an HDTV antenna?

1/26/2006 11:41:06 PM

yea you need an HDTV antenna.. depending on where you live determines what antenna to get.. if you live down near state then you can get away with a Silver Sensor or HDTVa(the triangle looking ones..) which are small (foot tall.. little less than 1.5' long).. or you can go with a DB-2 which is a double bow-tie antenna which will work better than a hdtva if you live in north raleigh.. Both are indoor antennas..

if you live more than 20+ miles from the Clayton area.. then you'll have to go outdoor to get Raleigh stations.

I may be selling my HDTVa for one with a longer range. if you're interested let me know.

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 12:30 AM. Reason : ]

1/27/2006 12:03:49 AM

Last time I checked, TW had the ATSC (or QAM, i don't know) through the cable, but the channel mappings were screwed up. Also, a time-warner guy later told me that it was a "bug" in their system, and that feature wasn't guaranteed, although he may have been lying.

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 1:32 AM. Reason : ]

1/27/2006 1:32:33 AM

I'll sell you this HDTV antenna

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7322587&type=product&productCategoryId=cat08084&id=1118844608800

for 30 bucks

1/27/2006 1:48:51 AM

^i have that one, it works pretty damn well.

Also just btw, there is no such thing as an "hdtv antenna".

1/27/2006 3:30:59 AM

I tried running coax from the wall into my tv (has built-in atsc) and got nothing. I bought a qam tuner/upconverting dvd player and get a good amount of channels in hd with only basic cable but I don't get wb, upn, or pbs. I only get tnthd (no sound), discovery, fox, nbc, cbs, and abc. If someone else has a qam tuner and knows what stations to use for the rest, lemme know.

I got one of these, for a lot less than $400
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6294752&type=product&productCategoryId=cat03022&id=1076628571410

1/27/2006 7:10:15 AM

Any HDTV with a cable card slot will be able to decode a QAM signal. The FCC has mandated that all local channels must be sent unencrypted over all cable lines.

And since I brought up cable cards, anyone hear about the new two way cable cards that will allow you to access on demand content?

1/27/2006 8:20:43 AM

that card comes with an antenna

1/27/2006 8:30:11 AM

^^^^^ thats the antenna i have as well..

^^^^ yep. thats more of a phrase.. just onces that are designed to eliminate multipath and reflection since HD/digital is so damn picky about that stuff..

and TWC is QAM only.. ATSC is a broadcasting standard.. if you have an ATSC tuner then you must use an UHF antenna to pick up the HD signals. hooking it up to the cable won't work.

[Edited on January 27, 2006 at 9:42 AM. Reason : ]

1/27/2006 9:41:25 AM

$400

where do people come up with that kind of money for a fucking tuner?

I am getting old. It used to be outrageous to spend more than $500 on the whole tv.

1/27/2006 11:06:48 AM

^$500 on a TV? that can't be a very good TV

1/27/2006 11:14:32 AM

like I said, I didn't pay that much for it. the tuner is very valuable to me though because it had dvi, vga, component, composite, spdif, and digital coax outputs. it also upconverts dvds. on an lcd tv thats 1360x768 native, it makes a world of difference using dvi vs component.

1/27/2006 12:10:45 PM

^ heh, the TV wasn't that bad of a deal either.

1/27/2006 12:37:31 PM

Quote :

"I have a Terk HDTVa antenna hooked to a dvico fusion5 up in the Stonehenge/leesville area and pick up everything except UPN.. and WB comes in a little weak."

WLFL (WB) is broadcasting at low power, and WRDC (UPN) doesnt broadcast in HD at all, so youre not missing out on anything.

1/27/2006 1:07:15 PM

alexwbush, i own the HDTV wonder... if you have any questions, please PM

1/27/2006 8:33:07 PM

HDTV Wonder do not support QAM.

I live in North Raleigh and with the amplified antenna (the one inside is not so go to radio shack and get an indoor amplified antenna) I am able to receive:

WRAL, WRAZ, WTVD, WNCN, UNCTV, WRDC, WLFL and Telemundo

WRAL has two sub channels: TV5 and newschannel 5 (digital ch. 252). During March Madness, WRAL will have 2-3 more subchannels for games.

WRAZ has three: Fox 50, Fox 50 in SD and WRAL Weather Center

WTVD has three: ABC 11, regional radar map and ABC 11 in SD

WNCN has three: NBC17, NBC17 in SD and NBC Weatherplus

WRDC: UPN

WLFL: WB

Telemundo has two: Telemundo and a movie channel?

UNC has FIVE: UNC-TV, UNC-HD (8-11pm), UNC-KD, UNC-NC and UNC-ED

Just aim the antenna to RDU and you should be able to receive the channels without major problems.

ATI's bundled Mutimedia Center is a piece of shit. Download all of the necessity drivers off ATI's website (http://support.ati.com) then go to http://mysite.verizon.net/watchhdtv/home/ to download myHDTV, probably the best HD programs you can get plus it's free.

I have the DELL 24 inch Widescreen and HD rocks!

1/27/2006 8:43:07 PM

so is this card not worth it? should I find one that is capable of handling QAM?

1/27/2006 10:08:28 PM

if you want digital cable HD (ESPNHD, TNT-HD, HBO-HD, etc), then NO

1/27/2006 10:13:53 PM

I want the local station (ABC, NBC, etc) in HD

I didn't really want some kind of bulky/unsightly antenna

1/27/2006 11:53:13 PM

indoor antennas are not huge.

watching dave letterman in HD right now

WRAL and Fox 50 show their newscast in HD

most of the prime time shows are in HD

late night shows (dave letterman, jay leno, o'brien) are in HD

1/28/2006 12:16:32 AM

i grabbed couple pics from tonight's shows:





more pics (since last year): http://www.kevin-yen.net/photos/HD

1/28/2006 12:37:35 AM

great pictures!

Also, if I decided to get an HD Ready TV... I could hook up one of these antennas and get the same effect (HDTV)?

1/28/2006 10:49:32 AM

HD ready means it needs a tuner and does not have one built in.

1/28/2006 12:30:51 PM

^^ yeah for HD ready tv, you have to get an external HD tuner ($200 at walmart), then hook up the antenna.

if you just want OTA (over the air) hdtv, hdtv tuner (hdtv wonder) would be your best bet

1/28/2006 2:00:41 PM

I've been considering buying an HDTV... but I am still trying to decide if it's worth it to me or not.

What tv tuner card is able to deal with QAM?

1/28/2006 5:38:41 PM

for PC's the only QAM HDTV tuner that i know of is the DVICO fusion5 tuner.

For TV's in general.. you might as well get a Time Warner box..
unless you want to wait and get the HD tivo's that are coming out later this year
those have 6 tuners (only 2 at a time can be used) - 2 ATSC (OTA (H)DTV), 2 NTSC (analog), and 2 cable (digital/cablecard 2.0 ready) tuners

1/28/2006 6:10:01 PM

I am thinking about cancelling my order for the tv tuner and just picking up an LCD HDTV. I've always wanted one and it's got the built in tuner, so all I would need is to plug it in. Any recommendations? I've priced the Dell 32" LCD HDTV for ~$1500

1/29/2006 8:52:38 AM

For $1500 there are better tv's and deals to be had. I would check out a 37" olevia for that much money.

1/29/2006 10:44:39 AM

olevia does make a very nice product for the price.

http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?ref=pricegrabber&sku=SYNLT37HVS



[Edited on January 29, 2006 at 12:13 PM. Reason : ]

1/29/2006 12:09:09 PM

if you don't have an HDTV currently.. I'd hold off buying one until later this year.. they are coming out with some new technology and will drop the price of the current tech..

if you can't wait.. look at DLP first for 40"+ tvs, then LCD.. anything below 40" you should go with CRT. You don't have the issues with projection technology (lamps going out.. convergence issues, dead pixels, limited format support)..

CRT's last longer, they have better color, black levels, support all(1080p maybe) formats, and are usually cheaper.

make sure the tv is DCR, so you can lease out a CableCARD from Time Warner and watch digital cable, premium HD, and even QAM HD feeds along with ATSC local feeds on the TV without the need for the external tuner.

[Edited on January 29, 2006 at 1:19 PM. Reason : ]

1/29/2006 1:18:29 PM

That's not true. 36" widescreen hdtv crt's (that's the largest I was able to find easily) run around 1300-1800 bucks and aren't that easy to find. CRT's are also heavy as hell and large ones like that suck to move. My 32" lcd hdtv cost about 1069 BEFORE the 200 dollar mail in rebate and that was like 6 months ago. Smoothcrim got the same screen for about 600 with tuner.

37" lcd tv's have been as low as 1300 or so after rebate and with built in tuners (like the olevia one I just linked above).

You don't mean crt projection tv's do you? Those are pretty cheap, but look like shit.

Anyways, LCD tv's are pretty nice, and it's hard to understate the advantage over CRT tv's if you're going to have to move more than once every couple of years. Plus, when you get to stuff 37" and larger, the LCD tv's can actually be alot cheaper, and are always cheaper to get shipped to you.

[Edited on January 29, 2006 at 2:10 PM. Reason : ]

1/29/2006 2:07:13 PM

I would like to buy before long so I can enjoy it longer. I was looking at the dell because of it's built in tuner and the reviews seem pretty good on it.

Do you really think that a new technology will be out within this year dropping prices by that much?

1/29/2006 4:28:51 PM

I would like some opinions on the following. I am between two choices:

(#1) 32" Dell HDTV LCD with built in tuner (I believe it is able to handle QAM so I can get the HD channels through extended time warner cable).
Pros: built in tuner, really nice looking tv, speakers can seperate, don't need computer to watch hd
Cons: cost, might need to buy another PCI-E card to watch recorded HD

(#2) 26-32" (larger the better) HD-Ready TV. I will be buying an HDTV tuner card for my computer anyways, so I could use the computer as a DVR and watch HDTV through that. I would need to get another PCI-E vid card though as my 2 DVI outputs are in use
Pros: possibly less expensive, easier/more computer interface
Cons: will need digital cable, digital satellite, upconverter, and/or computer for home theater setup, slows down my computer, most of the hd-ready tvs have the speakers attached

help me out please... i want your opinion

1/30/2006 12:16:00 AM