DVB-T card for watching TV on a PC

Does anyone have any of these yokes? It allows you to have TV on your laptop painlessly. And yes I do pay my GEZ fees.

What do you want to hear? Reception good, TV becomes portable, sound poor (LapTop speakers or headphones), picture not special (primarilly because a LapTop display is not the best for TV viewing). A settop box with existing TV is cheaper, and better, but can't be carried in your bag... Of course - German only TV (in Germany) and not available everywhere (in fact, only in the centre and around a number of major cities).

YL6

I'd be interested in people's experiences with these PCMCIA cards as well, I was thinking about buying one at some point in the near future. I see there are models with a less conspicuous aerial as well (hangs on the back on the Laptop LCD).

The aerial can be quite important, depending on where you are exepcting to receive the service. DVB-T signals are VERY strong in the first place (the intent is to supply TVs with built-in aerials, so you won't be bound to an aerial socket in the home). Through most of Munich, especially north (the transmitters are on the Olympic Tower) a wet piece of string suffices, but as you move away from the centre, you need initially a decent twig with reasonable gain, or eventually a powered ("active") aerial with built-in amp. If you want true portability to reception limits, don't skimp on the antenna at least as an option for times of need.

Will the analog part work where ever I am in the world that has analog broadcast ? say in the UK or in Holland , or other parts of Europe. I assume they are on similar bands.

I have a big enough screen so I'm not too worried about looking at it to catch the news or documentary, also it would be handy as a backup TV in the house.

Not all TV tuner cards for PCs are digital AND analogue compatible (but the one in the picture above is!). Most will receive PAL TV signals across Europe (which are marginally different in different countries), but are not necessarilly worldwide compatible. You need to check the specifications to be sure. Some will also receive DVB-T signals in different countries - usually this is software dependant in any case (how the digital stream is decoded).

The Genius Videowonder Cardbus shown above seems to be "Worldwide" compatible. It claims to support all Free-to-Air DVB-T and all analogue transmissions (NTSC, PAL BG/DK/L/I, SECAM BG/DK). This includes USA, Eastblock and France.

YL6

Purchased the USB version yesterday and it works fine for me. Surely the USB version would be easier with a laptop as well. Less effort than messing about with PCMCIA cards.

Quality isn't bad and for 70€ I'm not complaining. Bought the Yakumo Quickstick DVB-T. Got it in Hertie.

Does yours have a remote control? I think I would need that with any system I get (yes I know I am a lazy ass). Do you think I would be able to use it on the train or S-bahn? Or would moving cause problems with the signal?

It should work, but not in the tunnels.

It won't work very well - a train is a Farraday cage, and there is a lot of electrical noise flying around. It definately won't work underground in the UBahn tunnel. Bear in mind too that DVB-T is limited to major city centres and their near environs. If you were travelling from Munich to Frankfurt you'd lose reception around Ingolstadt (and even there need a large aerial), might get some patchy reception around Nürnberg (but need to re-tune your system), then not pick it up again until Darmstadt (for which another re-tune would be required).

Hi

I'm considering buying a TV, but have discovered that you can also get a pc card which has an inbuilt DVB-T thingy. something like this

I was just wondering, has anyone had an experience using these cards to watch TV on a PC? Is it easy to set up and operate? Or am I better off getting a TV and a set-top box?

I have a pretty standard Dell PC (xp, 1gb ram, standard grafix card) and a 19" monitor.



Many thanks

Topics merged by admin

I'm was using this one in my home-office during the Football-Worldchampionship
http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000ALAWQ6...3721406-3214138
It was absolutely easy to install and no problems using it.

Hey thanks I will check it out!

The one in your picture looks like a card that you'd plug a satellite into. Just make sure you get the right one if you want to use DVB-T and not DVB-S.

They work fine, but I'm not sure you would want to use one for long term domestic viewing. The reaction time on a computer monitor is far less than a TV screen/tube so the picture can be grainy, and a 19" monitor isn't the largest of viewing areas...

By using this kind of DVB-T card in Munich, exactly how many TV channels are available? How about English channels like BBC? Thanks... Do I have to pay additional subscription fees for certain channels? THanks.

22,none,no,my pleasure.

Are the TV channels the same ones that you get on the basic package with cable? I.e. Eurosport, CNN, etc?

DVB-T Programs Munich ...

For some reason if you live on the edge of the Dtv signal area you don't get all the channels. I've got an elgato EyeTV thing for my mac and I don't get ARD or a couple of others.

I have an analog / DVB-T combo via USB.
The original antenna is way too small. Buy an extra antenna, at least 30 cm wide and your reception will improve.
DVB-T has very limited coverage, especially with a laptop you need to be in clear sight of a repeater.
The analog part worked in Italy.

I've got a bigger room antenna, like this, the little stubby aerial was useless, whereas this one gets good reception, except for the missing channels.

6 Frequencies are allocated to DVB-T services in Bavaria. Each frequency carries up to 4 programmes. 5 of the frequencies are in the UHF band, 1 is in the VHF band. VHF signals do not propagate over longer distances as UHF ones do and are more directional, so people on the fringe may not receive them. The 4 programmes on the VHF frequency (Channel 10) are ARD, ARTE, Phoenix and Plus-1. It's also the case that simpler antennae are optimised for UHF where the majority of programmes are to be found. Another reason for losing the VHF material unless the signal strength is good.

To get the FTA (free to air) digital cable channels you would need a DVB-C card plus a cable TV connection.
To get the subscription channels you would need a DVB-C card with a smartcard reader. Although would be interested to know if this actually works without any compatibility issues.

Another TT discussion here:
Watching Kabel Deutschland TV via a computer

I just did an auto tune on my Elgato eyetv thingy and suddenly I can get all the missing channels as well. Which means I can watch the football whilst reading Toytown! I wonder if it's to do with the weather or they've boosted the signal?

Could you buy a connector to connect your PC to your satellite where you could also get English TV saving the expense of buying a TV in a room we have a satellite connection and box but no TV as yet?
Thanks in advance

Yes..

Its a DVB-S card...