HDTV with PC

[Neutron]

I know my video card will do component in. Is it possible to connect a second monitor to my video card (it allows two), and connect our Directv HD-DVR box to it and push the tuner output to the second monitor?

We may be consolidating TVs to make room and was just curious. I have Vista Business now and I would have to upgrade to Ultimate for it to work of course.

 

[concord]

What PC video card do you have? Nomally, video cards do not have inputs...

 

[Neutron]

I have an 8400GS that came with a dongle that has component inputs.

 

[concord]

Double-check you manual/specs, I believe they are component outputs....

http://www.orpheuscomputing.com/downloads2/Nvidia-8400GS-features.pdf

 

[Neutron]

That may be true, in fact, I bet it is.

I guess I would need to look into a tuner card then.

 

[concord]

The only (relatively cheap) way to get content from your Directv receiver to a computer is via s-video/rca composite. I think there are one or two PC cards that can take in component, but you are talking big bucks.

For s-video/composite, I recommend haugauge pvr-250/350 cards...it has a builtin mpeg encoder so it doesn't burden your CPU...however if you have a real fast CPU, you can get away with a capture card that doesn't have the mpeg encoder.

For locals, get a HDTV tuner card also.... recording doesn't use much CPU, as the stream is already in MPEG format....it's just writing to the hard drive.

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

i got a ATI hdtv card and love it for PC