TV Tuner Cards

[[MenaceMovies]]

I have a bit of a problem with getting a TV tuner card. I'm not sure on the right one to pick because I'm new to hardware stuff. I also don't know what they do exactly.

 

I want a device which I can plug into either my PC or Monitor and can record footage of me playing my PlayStation3.

 

I have around £60 to spend. A friend of mine has a USB Tuner Card, so I wouldn't mind getting one of them. Is this one any good for the job I want it to do?

 

http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?...d=8230-10022-51

 

Thanks in advance

[anus]

Yep, that would work fine for what you want to do .

[K^2]

I might be worrying about nothing, but personally, I'd avoid USB device for this task, and go for PCIe instead. Of course, that would mean you'd have to take the case off your PC and put the card into a PCIe slot yourself or find someone to do it for you. That also means you'd have to check in advance that you actually have a PCIe slot.

[Otter]

I don't think a TV tuner is what you're really after. If you want a simple USB video capture solution, try Dazzle, or something like this:

 

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...2720&CatId=1428

 

or:

 

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...4456&CatId=1428

 

Of course, you'll need a video and audio output from your TV, or a splitter to split the signal from your PS3. AND, I think these will only capture SD or 480p video. If you take up K^2's suggestion, you can find great all-around cards like this:

 

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...0579&CatId=1427

 

... that have a TV tuner, HD capturing capabilities, AND a software suite the works like a PVR.

Edited January 16, 2009 by Otter

[[MenaceMovies]]

 

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/Sea...0579&CatId=1427

 

... that have a TV tuner, HD capturing capabilities, AND a software suite the works like a PVR.

I was thinking about purchasing Dazzle until I found it wouldn't hook up to my LCD Monitor

 

The only ports on the back of my monitor are:

 

D-SUB - (Which I use to plug my PC into the monitor)

AUDIO IN

AUDIO OUT

POWER SOCKET - (I'm not sure what its real name is, but its the big black cable with the main socket at the end which plugs into the wall)

HDMI - (I use this for my PS3)

 

I'm not really bothered about it recording in HD or not. Just want it to record at a good quality, and that I can export the recorded footage onto my PC and edit it with Sony Vegas.

 

 

Now about the PCI-E tuner cards, how would I know if I have a PCI port (if thats what its called)? And would that allow me to record footage from my TFT monitor.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice

[anus]

If you want to record at good quality, I personally would avoid the USB models.

 

PCI-E or PCI would be best.

 

Its not a PCI-E port, its a PCI-E slot. To find out if you have one, the easiest way would be to tell us your motherboard model and we could tell you if you have one or not.

 

Or you could open up the case and see if you have one of these (the black one).

[Picolini]

I would stay away from Pinnacle. I got one of their USB tuners a while back. It worked ok, but the quality was bad. It was pretty damn fuzzy.

Then a few months later out of no where it went all white, like the brightness was turned WAAAAAY up.

 

As for the PCI TV tuner by them, it doesn't work with Windows Media Center, and my guess any other program for that matter. And the bundled software is a gigantic piece of sh*t from what I hear. I'd just stay away from them completely.

 

Otter is right, you don't need a TV tuner if you want to capture video game play. You want a capture card/capture device for that.

[[MenaceMovies]]

How do I find out which motherboard I have?

 

Also, could somebody recommend me a capture device which could work with my monitor? By monitor has the following slots/ports:

 

 

D-SUB - (Which I use to plug my PC into the monitor)

AUDIO IN

AUDIO OUT

POWER SOCKET - (I'm not sure what its real name is, but its the big black cable with the main socket at the end which plugs into the wall)

HDMI - (I use this for my PS3)

 

[Picolini]

You can always get converters for the connectors.

 

As for what mobo you have, if you have a brand name PC (HP, Dell, Gateway, etc) then you can post the brand and PC model (eg, Gateway 507GR). Most likely we'll be able to find it for you, if it's a big(ger) brand.

[Otter]

Slowdown a second, cowboy - why do you need to hook this up to your monitor?

 

Best solution would be to have your TV and computer in the same room, and play on the TV while the PC records. But even if you play specifically through your PC, you won't need to hook anything up to your monitor. The software will play the input video at fullscreen if you want it to.

[[MenaceMovies]]

Slowdown a second, cowboy - why do you need to hook this up to your monitor?

 

Best solution would be to have your TV and computer in the same room, and play on the TV while the PC records. But even if you play specifically through your PC, you won't need to hook anything up to your monitor. The software will play the input video at fullscreen if you want it to.

Wait, wait... now I'm really confused.

 

I'm playing on a TFT monitor (I think thats what they are called), I use the monitor for my PC but when I switch channels I can also play my PS3 on it. So if I get a capture device and hook it up to my PC, it would record my PS3 footage on the other channel?

 

I might buy one today.

[Otter]

Yeah, you see, it's capturing directly from the PS3. So, if it plays on your capture card at the proper framerate and without delay, you wont even have to "switch channels".

 

If it IS delayed, however, you can 'split' the signal, and switch channels to your heart's content.

 

Are we on the same page, now? Sorry if I'm being confusing. I figured you played your PS3 on your tv, regularly.

 

 

[[MenaceMovies]]

Yeah, you see, it's capturing directly from the PS3. So, if it plays on your capture card at the proper framerate and without delay, you wont even have to "switch channels".

 

If it IS delayed, however, you can 'split' the signal, and switch channels to your heart's content.

 

Are we on the same page, now? Sorry if I'm being confusing. I figured you played your PS3 on your tv, regularly.

I see...

 

So does the capture card slot into the tower?