external tv tuner...?

[VJ]

Hello,

I was wondering if this device exists: I'm looking for an external TV-tuner, that takes a cable input, and allows one to tune in to stations, and present that station on an Svideo and/or RCA output. Ideally, it should be controlled through a computer (e.g. USB).

Anyone know of such a thing ?
Or alternatives ?


Thanks!


Jörg

[GNEP]

You mean one that is merely controlled (like with an IR remote control) by the computer, but the actual signal is not going to the computer at all? Hmmm - doubt it....

[Debbie]

I would'nt be at all surprised if sutch a t.v. tuner exists.

I built one from on old Grundig t.v., I forgot which model.

On that model the tuner also had the I.F. stage incorporated and it was a question of building a power supply that deliverd 5v,12v, and 33 variable tuning voltage.

I still use it on an rgb monitor and since its output is via rca plugs I can also capture or record to vhs.

Regards,

Debbie

[VJ]

Originally posted by GNEP
You mean one that is merely controlled (like with an IR remote control) by the computer, but the actual signal is not going to the computer at all? Hmmm - doubt it....

Yep, that is the idea...
I als fear of finding it. Any knowledge of stand alone TV-tuners (that aren't computer-controlled) ?

Or perhaps PCI-cards that do provide the output signal ?

On a slightly different note, is it possible to control a VCR through the SCART (I know the cables are reserved within the SCART somewhere, and Windows used to have some media-drivers IIRC) ?


Jörg

[Nowhere]

maybe some old (could be even broken...you won't use the tapes anyway) VCR will be enough?

it has tuner and very simplistic controls through remote...

[VJ]

Well, the problem is, the only old VCR I have lying around is a Video2000, which has the terrible feature that it turns itself into standby after 5 minutes (if it is not used); this makes it inappropriate to use as a tuner...

Alas, I have no other devices I could use for this purpose. (and the computer-control aspect would be interesting )


Jörg

[Nowhere]

computer control would be rather easy I think - just get some IR transmitter for the PC. The software probably won't be a problem either...

the only problem are those 5 minutes...perhaps this old VCR of yours have some function on the remote than won't ruin your playback, but it'll "wake it up"? In that case sending this signal through PC IR transmitter once every, let say, 4 min 40 s, will be constantly waking the vcr.

[J1NG]

Hmmm, not entirely sure what you're looking for there. Have we looked at this?

http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/freeview

Not sure if it does exactly what you want.

J1NG

:: Edit for text ::

I mean something like the DEC 2000-t from hauppauge.

[Fred H]

I am using an old JVC VCR, model HR-D600E connected to a 14” TV via the VCRs RF (Antenna) Out to the TV-Antenna Input.
At the same time a SCART-RCA cable fom the VCR (In/Out) is connected to my Matrox Marvel G400 BOB.
It works very fine for me. It's tuner covers all TV and cable channels here.
Before I used the Marvel TV Tuner, but now the VCRs tuner gives better and more stable control and versatility (thanks Debbie for it )

Fred H

[VJ]

Nowhere: I have tried looking for an operation, but can't seem to find one... Even eject (I thought of an open/close sequence; in that type of VCRs it is possible - the part containing the V2000 cassette moves up/down electrically) isn't enough.

J1NG: No, I don't think that is it; as far as I can tell, it appears to have to do with digital television...

I have found some products by Avermedia:

http://www.aver.com/products/tvtuner.shtml

(none of them are computer controlled, but they are all standalon tuners; I'm refering to the AverBox3, AverBox and AverBox Hotcha) Of course, it might be cheaper to just buy a simple VCR...


Jörg

[VJ]

This is the VCR I have laying around...

http://v2000.palsite.com/v2334spec.html

Jörg

[Maggi]

Originally posted by VJ
Yep, that is the idea...
I als fear of finding it. Any knowledge of stand alone TV-tuners (that aren't computer-controlled) ?

Or perhaps PCI-cards that do provide the output signal ?

look here

http://www.technotrend.de/

they offer quite a few variants for watching digital TV (cable, satelite and terrestrial) for PCI and USB and all have external A/V outputs, plus there are quite quite a few independant projects that offer for example remote control via a web interface ...

let me know if you need more details

[VJ]

Maggi:
Thanks for the link !
I just looked at it, but the cards don't seem to have A/V outputs...:

http://www.technotrend.de/english/products/pcproducts3-2.html

Not needing DVB capabilities, wouldn't these things be overkill for my application ? I also can't seem to find other sources for this hardware.


Jörg

[Maggi]

trust me, at least the PCI cards do have external outputs and additionally, they have internal connectors on the PCB for building your own RGB, analog audio and S/PDIF outputs ...

These cards are sold in license to Hauppauge, Siemens-Fujitsu and all others that offer DVB cards.

Afaik, the USB cards are somewhat crippled so that the MPEG2 decoding will take place on the main CPU, whereas the PCI series have their own dedicated decoder chip.

About DVB itself, well it's gonna be the only standard in the next couple of years, at least here in Germany broadcasting analog TV will cease completely and hence you might want to upgrade before the same thing will happen on your end too.

I switched to analog satelite TV already quite a few years ago and made the switch to digital maybe two and a half years ago and was overly surprised how many more programms (TV and radio) there are on digital.

not to mention the theoretical possibility of descrambling pay TV and radio ...

[VJ]

Originally posted by Maggi
trust me, at least the PCI cards do have external outputs and additionally, they have internal connectors on the PCB for building your own RGB, analog audio and S/PDIF outputs ...

These cards are sold in license to Hauppauge, Siemens-Fujitsu and all others that offer DVB cards.

Ok, thanks!
(I can't see the outputs for the A/V, which is why I asekd) Are the same outputs still present on the Hauppauge cards ? Is building your own outputs hard, or do you just have to connect certain pins to certain cables ?

About DVB itself, well it's gonna be the only standard in the next couple of years, at least here in Germany broadcasting analog TV will cease completely and hence you might want to upgrade before the same thing will happen on your end too.

Well, Belgium is quite densily cabled, and there are not that many digital stations as of yet (or they are pay-channels). There is some talk about digital coming this way, but I don't see it happening in the first couple of years.

not to mention the theoretical possibility of descrambling pay TV and radio ...

Well, it turns out to be a problem here, as several pay TV channels have encrypted their audio. So while you - of course still theoretically - are able to decode the video-signal, decoding the audio-channel often is not possible... But euhm, still theoretically, doesn't that require a card with the Booktree chipset ? Or do these use a booktree chipset ?


Jörg