Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

TV Card recommendations for NTL Digital or possibly Sky

  • 04-01-2007 7:12pm
    #1
    heggie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭


    hey guys, looking to get preferably a usb tv card that I can hook up ntl digital to (also maybe changing to sky if thats an issue) if anyone can offer any advice i'd appreciate it!


Comments

  • #2
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    For third party media centre software like Media Portal, GB-PVR etc either this or this will do the trick, they both come with s-video & composite video inputs.

    For MCE compatibility all you have is this.


  • #3
    heggie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭heggie


    thats great 8t8 thanks, usb was a preference as i have a laptop i wouldnt mind using this on also, but its primarily for a desktop so maybe a pci / express would be a better option ? does that come with everything I need or do I need to get that scard to svideo/composite adapter for the ntl box ? thanks


  • #4
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    For a desktop PC get this it will cover MCE & third party media centre software.

    As for the scart adapter yes you will need to buy separately. Any A\V store should have them but Komplett also stock them.

    Note those little adapters are really only good for composite connections for s-video you need something else. You will probably need to get the cables it is just the standard yellow/red/white cables you may have seen on many A\V devices, the yellow is composite video and the red/white are audio.


  • #5
    heggie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭heggie


    nice one thanks for that :) is this stuff good enough to use as a main tv or is it a bit gimmicky ? getting a new monitor, and getting rid of an LCD TV/Monitor so want this to do as a tv also!


  • #6
    8T8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,757 ✭✭✭8T8


    I would say no as here we are heavily reliant on set top boxes.

    * PC's are slow to boot.
    * You would need the PC to watch TV what if someone else wants to watch TV while you want to use the PC/laptop.
    * Image quality is subjective but there will be a noticeable hit in terms of picture quality whichever way you slice it (using scart RGB to s-video converters helps here).
    * Changing channels has a delay with set top boxes so you cant quickly cycle through the channels.

    So in short useful as a PVR or for watching media with a STB but not for LiveTV or replacing a TV.

    Note that you can get converters that will take the STB and give it a VGA output that can plug into a monitor if you do want to lose the TV but it's not ideal. A far better idea to get a good TV with a VGA input so you can lose the monitor.


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    heggie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭heggie


    alright thanks! its for a bedroom, but I like the tv on sometimes in the bg if i'm working late! have to reconsider :/


Advertisement