I want to install a TV tuner card in my PC, something along the lines as this. Before I go ahead, I was wondering if I can use a splitter on the coax that is feeding my cable modem, so I have one leg going to the modem and the other to the tuner card. I'm worried about not having adequate signal to the modem, since the cable is already being split from the wall outlet. Currently one leg goes to my bedroom tv, and the other I have going to the next room on a somewhat long (~25ft) run of cable to feed the cable modem. If I go ahead with my plan, the cable modem (and the tuner card) will only "see" 1/4 of the signal strength. I seem to recall the Comcast install tech commenting that the signal strength was excellent on all of my outlets, but I may be pushing it now. Adding another jack in my office is not an option, as I am leasing.
On a separate but related question, would the card in the link fit the bill? Funds are not currently available to build a separate HTPC/PVR, but right now all I need is something to watch analog TV in stereo, with the future capability of using it as a PVR. I'm running Win2k, so that rules out some models.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
TV tuner - signal strength - advice?
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Lawrence Lee
Spliting the signal will reduce its strength. I don't think you need to worry about the TV tuner having a strong enough signal. But you do need to be concerned about your cable modem since these need a much stronger signal than does a TV tuner. The cable modems normally have a 20db range of signal strengths that work and most cable vendors try to get this near the middle of that range. In the case of my cable modem there was a time when I would have occational network outages and this was traced back to the signal strength at the modem. Even after they upped the signal as far as they could my signal was only in the middle of the specified range. If your signal is in the lower part of the range and you split the signal you will lose about 6db at the modem and this could result in network connecivity issue. If you have a strong signal then it should not be a problem.
Another option is to use a three or four way splitter at the source (3dB per split?). The cable company around here lays out a line for every device this way. We have 1 broadband and 3 for TV in the house (no extra charge). Check your service for more info on that.
As for tuner/capture cards.. I'd go with a MPEG2 hardware solution because they require less resources. The Hauppauge cards have good 3rd party support.. the TV Wonder Elite would work too. They cost more but I think it's worth it.
Card TV tuners are rather limited if you have digital service. I wire mine right from the cable box via composite or svideo. Don't know if that's an option for you though.
ddd
As for tuner/capture cards.. I'd go with a MPEG2 hardware solution because they require less resources. The Hauppauge cards have good 3rd party support.. the TV Wonder Elite would work too. They cost more but I think it's worth it.
Card TV tuners are rather limited if you have digital service. I wire mine right from the cable box via composite or svideo. Don't know if that's an option for you though.
ddd