External Tv Tuners: Lcd Monitor Upgrade

An external TV tuner is a device that allows you to connect a TV cable to a monitor without using a PC. This is useful if you have a TV cable but only HDMI, DVI, and VGA ports on your monitor. There are a variety of external TV tuners available, including digital tuners, analog tuners, and hybrid tuners. Some external TV tuners also offer additional features such as DVR functionality, remote control, and the ability to connect to a PC.

HDMI output external TV tuners

An external TV tuner is a device that allows you to connect a TV cable to a monitor without using a PC. These devices are particularly useful for cord-cutters looking to access free over-the-air TV stations.

There are several external TV tuners with HDMI output available on Amazon. Here are some options:

Mediasonic HomeWorx HW180STB

The back of the unit has a coaxial connector from an antenna and outputs HDMI or Component video to a TV. It also has recording features but will need an external hard drive added to save TV shows or movies. The Mediasonic HomeWorx is a low-cost unit that converts an over-the-air signal and outputs HDMI.

Leelbox Converter Box

This unit converts HD 1080p OTA broadcast and sends it to a TV via HDMI or Composite Video. It can also pause and record live TV once set up with a flash drive, which is not included. It is a low-cost unit that comes with all the items needed to convert an over-the-air signal to an HDTV, including remote control.

ViewTV AT-263

The AT-263 converts an OTA signal and outputs via HDMI, YPbPr, or Coaxial. It includes many features such as Auto Tuning, Program guide, Recording PVR, Closed Caption, Favorite Channels List, and Parental Control options.

Vmade F01S

The Vmade F01S is a simple unit that can convert an over-the-air TV signal and has multiple outputs, including HDMI. It also has a USB slot for a flash drive to be used for storage.

Tablo 4th Gen 2-Tuner Over-The-Air (OTA) DVR

This device allows you to watch, pause, and record live TV, news, sports, and movies throughout your home over Wi-Fi. It pairs with any TV antenna and offers up to 50 hours of recording without any subscriptions.

Mini Digital Converter Box for TV

This compact device is a 1080P Digital TV Tuner Box with HDMI and 3RCA Output. It also supports recording and playback and includes a USB multimedia player, ATSC tuner, HDMI and 3RCA cables, and a 2-in-1 remote control.

ATSC3.0/1.0 OTA Signal Meter, ATSC3.0/1.0 USB3.0 TV Tuner Stick

This digital terrestrial signal tuner supports 4K OTA channel broadcasts and TF DVR recording. It is compatible with TVs, phones, tablets, and car computers.

MyGica Type-C USB TV Tuner Card

The MyGica Type-C USB TV Tuner Card allows you to watch ATSC digital TV anywhere without an internet connection. It is compatible with Android phone tablets, PC pads, and other devices.

These are just a few examples of the many external TV tuners with HDMI output available on the market. Be sure to read reviews and compare features to find the best option for your specific needs.

Digital tuners

An external TV tuner is a device that allows you to connect a TV cable to a monitor without using a PC. If you have a standard TV cable and a monitor with HDMI, DVI, and VGA ports, you can use an external TV tuner to connect the two without the need for a computer.

When choosing a digital tuner, it's important to ensure compatibility with your TV or monitor. Additionally, consider the type of connection ports available on your devices, such as HDMI, VGA, or USB.

• Tablo 4th Gen 4-Tuner Over-The-Air (OTA) DVR: This device allows you to watch, pause, and record live TV. It pairs with any TV antenna and offers 50+ hours of recording capacity.
• SiliconDust HDHomeRun Flex 4K ATSC 3.0: This tuner comes with two or four tuners and supports 4K resolution. It enables you to watch live TV on your devices over Wi-Fi.
• Digital TV Converter Boxes: These boxes convert digital TV signals to analog signals, allowing older TVs to receive digital broadcasts. They typically connect via HDMI and may include additional features like recording and media player functions.
• USB TV Tuner Sticks: These compact devices plug into the USB port of your laptop or PC, allowing you to watch and record digital TV on your computer. Some examples are the MyGica Type-C USB TV Tuner Card and the U6 Mini Analog USB TV Tuner Card.
• TV Tuner Cards: These internal expansion cards are installed into desktop PCs to enable TV viewing and recording. They typically connect via PCI slots.

Analog to digital converters

An external TV tuner allows you to connect a TV cable to a monitor without the use of a PC. However, if you have access to only standard TV cable, you will need an analog-to-digital converter to connect it to an external TV tuner or a monitor.

Analog-to-Digital Converters

Analog-to-digital converters are devices that convert analog signals to digital signals. In the context of TV tuners and monitors, these converters are used to convert the analog signal from a standard TV cable into a digital signal that can be displayed on a digital screen or device.

There are various analog-to-digital converters available on the market, and they can be purchased online or from electronics stores. Here are some examples:

• ZJBOX Digital TV Converter Box: This device allows you to convert analog TV signals to digital and supports 1080p resolution. It includes features such as TV recording, playback, HDMI output, and a timer setting.
• Mediasonic HomeWorx ATSC Digital Converter Box: This converter box comes with a TV tuner, TV recording capability, and USB multimedia functionality. It supports 1080p HDMI output and has received positive reviews for its performance.
• Ematic AT102 Digital Converter Box: This is a compact digital converter box that allows you to convert analog TV signals to digital. It has received good ratings from users and is available at a reasonable price.
• IView 3300STB ATSC Converter Box: The iView converter box offers recording, media player functionality, and an analog-to-digital QAM tuner. It includes an HDMI and USB connection and has received positive feedback for its performance.
• Insignia NS-DXA1 Digital-to-Analog TV Tuner Converter Box: This converter box is designed for regular TV sets and enables you to convert digital TV signals to analog. It has earned a rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from users.

These are just a few examples of the many analog-to-digital converter options available. When choosing a converter, consider your specific needs, such as input and output requirements, additional features, and your budget.

TV tuner cards

The interfaces for TV tuner cards are most commonly PCI bus expansion cards or the newer PCI Express (PCIe) bus for many modern cards, but PCMCIA, ExpressCard, or USB devices also exist. Some video cards double as TV tuners, such as the ATI All-In-Wonder series. The card contains a tuner and an analog-to-digital converter (collectively known as the analog front end) along with demodulation and interface logic.

There are many types of tuner cards, including analog television cards, hybrid tuner cards, and combo tuner cards. Analog television cards output a raw video stream, suitable for real-time viewing but ideally requiring some sort of video compression if it is to be recorded. More-advanced TV tuners encode the signal to Motion JPEG or MPEG, relieving the main CPU of this load.

Hybrid tuner cards have a single tuner that can be configured to act as either an analog or a digital tuner. The card operates as a digital or analog tuner until it is reconfigured. Combo tuner cards have two separate tuners on the same card, allowing the user to watch analog TV while recording digital TV, or vice versa. Combo tuner cards are advantageous as they only take up one expansion slot in the computer.

While most TV tuners are limited to the radio frequencies and video formats used in the country of sale, many TV tuners used in computers use DSP, so a firmware upgrade is often all that's necessary to change the supported video format. Many newer TV tuners have flash memory large enough to hold the firmware sets for decoding several different video formats, making it possible to use the tuner in many countries.

Many TV tuners can also function as FM radios due to the similarities between broadcast television and FM radio.

TBS Technologies offers a range of TV tuner cards that provide great picture quality and allow users to watch/record up to two or four terrestrial or satellite TV channels simultaneously. These cards are physically small and can be fitted with a low-profile or standard-height PCI backplate, allowing them to fit into a low-profile or full-size case.

USB TV tuner sticks

One example of a USB TV tuner stick is the Geniatech A681 ATSC USB TV Stick, which has a pen-sized design and is compatible with the ATSC digital TV standard in North America. It allows users to watch and record ATSC and Clear QAM TV on their PC or laptop, and supports multilingual programming. The device also includes an electronic program guide (EPG) and automatic station searching, making it easy for users to find and watch their favourite shows.

Another popular option is the Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-955Q, which is a USB TV tuner designed for notebooks. It allows users to watch and record live TV on their laptops, and is compatible with both Windows and Nvidia Shield PCs.

Other notable USB TV tuner sticks include the MyGica Type-C USB TV Tuner Card, which is compatible with Android phones, tablets, and PCs, and the U6 Mini Analog USB TV Tuner Card, which works with MacBook laptops. These devices enable users to watch and record digital live TV without the need for an internet connection.

In addition to these options, there are also digital converter boxes available that can be connected to a TV or monitor using a USB port. These boxes allow users to tune into digital TV signals, record programmes, and play media files from a USB drive.

Frequently asked questions