What's a monitor with TV tuner?

zoe

For example this monitor has what's called a TV tuner...
http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/657/864/-/3348756/LG-M228WA-22-Widescreen-LCD-Monitor-With-TV-Tuner/Product.html?P36=5WBR94

Does this mean the user has the option of flicking between using it for pc purposes and then watching tv?

Or is it possible to divide the screen into one area for pc use and one area for TV? Therefore having both at the same time?

Or does it mean something else?

nbooradley

zoe wrote:

For example this monitor has what's called a TV tuner...
http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/-/657/864/-/3348756/LG-M228WA-22-Widescreen-LCD-Monitor-With-TV-Tuner/Product.html?P36=5WBR94

Does this mean the user has the option of flicking between using it for pc purposes and then watching tv?

Or is it possible to divide the screen into one area for pc use and one area for TV? Therefore having both at the same time?

Or does it mean something else?

Hi Zoe,

It would appear this monitor has a built in Analogue Tv tuner meaning you can plug in a TV aerial and get the stations picked up on it.

As to watching them at the same time I doubt thats possible, its more likely you flick between tv and computer.

I found using a cheap tv card like a pinnacle TV card installed in the pc gave me the option on any monitor to have the TV in a window and the rest of the desktop workable.

i'll have a look at the online manual for this TV but off the bat I dont think you can run them in tandem.

*UPDATE*

checked the manual and it appears you can only select one at a time so the answer is a firm NO.


regards

zoe

nbooradley wrote:

I found using a cheap tv card like a pinnacle TV card installed in the pc gave me the option on any monitor to have the TV in a window and the rest of the desktop workable.

Thanks nbooradley

I didn't know that. If using a TV card does that mean the user is watching TV via the internet or by analogue reception?

nbooradley wrote:

i'll have a look at the online manual for this TV but off the bat I dont think you can run them in tandem.

That'd be great, thanks!

nbooradley

Hi again,

I checked the manual and its a def NO NO for running in tandem.

you basically have a remote and select what you want to watch
TV/DVI/HDMI etc etc you cant have them both on the same screen.

as to the TV card I have a pinnacle PCTV RAVE I got it cheap in the uk a few years back and even then I only paid about 25 sterlin so they are not expensive.

here is the link to pinnacles website on the card i'm talking about

Click here for Pinnacle page

The card looks like this click here for image of card

It works off analogue so you plug a TV aerial in the back of it, it comes with software to scan for the channels and you can also record what you watch to hard drive.

This method though I can guarantee will let you have TV and a desktop at the same time.

You would need to have the card fitted in the pc, its not rocket science all you need is a spare PCI slot inside the computer and a philips screwdriver.

If you know someone tech savy get them to check you have the pci slot available first and it takes less than 5 minutes to install.


hope that helps.

regards

zoe

That's brilliant nbooradley!

Thanks very much for that info, I didn't know about those cards. I'll have to get one.

Great help, thanks!

nbooradley

No worries glad to be of assistance, however just want to know IT IS a PC you have like a desktop or mini tower?

or is it a laptop?

If its a laptop there is also a PCMCIA card available from pinnacle which is the same but slots in the little card slot on the side of the laptop same place you can put card modems in.

If its a laptop this is what you are looking for something like this

click here

zoe

nbooradley wrote:

No worries glad to be of assistance, however just want to know IT IS a PC you have like a desktop or mini tower?

or is it a laptop?
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It'd be a Dell VostroTM 200 MT ( D08V02) desktop which I'm thinking of purchasing

http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ie&cs=iedhs1&kc&l=en&oc=d08v02&fb=1

nbooradley

ok thats great its certainly compatible with the internal card option.

was just looking at pinnacle cards, they have come a bit of a way since I got my one.

I would recommend looking at this one

Click here

Has some nifty features, being it can pick up digital tv stations too

The feature I really like is the time shifting, I mean people are PAYING serious money for that feature with sky tv

You can watch (or record) Digital TV and Analog TV at the same time. Time-Shifting function provides pause, rewind, fast forwards with live TV shows playing at same time. Schedule Recording means you wont miss another favourite TV show ever again.


regards

zoe

nbooradley wrote:

You can watch (or record) Digital TV and Analog TV at the same time. Time-Shifting function provides pause, rewind, fast forwards with live TV shows playing at same time. Schedule Recording means you wont miss another favourite TV show ever again.

Thanks for the link. It sounds impressive. If you're using it for recording does it record the programmes onto the HD or onto a DVD?

nbooradley

It would record to the HD but then you could burn those files to a DVD however might need to be converted into the DVD format first.

The software for these cards has come a long way since my old one.

I'm sure I remember recording something but had to convert it into DVD format to burn.

regards

zoe

Thanks for that! With the Dell pc that I'm thinking of purchasing...
http://configure.euro.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=ie&cs=iedhs1&kc&l=en&oc=d08v02&fb=1

I was thinking of buying the Dell™ 22" Black Wide Flat Panel (E228WFP) monitor.
(I had originally thought of purchasing the 19" but the 22" isn't much more expensive).

I'd imagine this 22" monitor would provide a reasonable picture for watching tv on...?

zoe

I've been told that a tv tuner specifically means the monitor can be used to watch TV without the PC running.

I wonder if it's possible to add a TV tuner to a TFT monitor so that TV can be watched on the monitor without the PC running?

Can the tuner be added in the way a card can be added to a PC?

Or is the TV tuner a feature which can only come with the monitor when purchased; it can't be added later?

ethernet

zoe wrote:

I've been told that a tv tuner specifically means the monitor can be used to watch TV without the PC running.

That's if it's built into the monitor itself. You must have the PC on if it's connected to the PC.

I wonder if it's possible to add a TV tuner to a TFT monitor so that TV can be watched on the monitor without the PC running?

Yes. Usually come as a small box with a remote. Here is such a device.

Can the tuner be added in the way a card can be added to a PC?

See above.

zoe

That's great ethernet! Thanks for that info. I don't really know much about this stuff...!