Laptop TV tuner

josh81 · 1st April 2007, 7:15 PM

I'm looking for a Digital tv tuner for my laptop, i would prefer an express card slot one, but i dont know if they exist (even though there are PCMCIA ones, express card slot seems to be useless).

I want express card slot, cause most usb ones stick out to far, and are obtrusive, but the part that sticks out on a card is running parralel with the laptops side, not tangent to it. The only problem is, that i know my analog AVer Media PCMCIA card tuner had poor reception, and i read that a laptop has a lot of electronic noise inside, which disturbs the reception. So i don't know if this would be a problem with a digital one.

Otherwise, anyone can recommend me a good usb one to buy? Either a usb stick style, or a seperate box.

PS: Anyone know how much more electricity would be used to watch television on a Core 2 Duo laptop, compared with a standard television, say a 51cm flat screen CRT?

thanks

GooSE · 1st April 2007, 7:57 PM

I have an Asus My Cinema U3000 Mini USB 2.0 digital tuner. I haven't really used it that much yet but the picture quality seems good and the reception is better than the PCI Leadtek DTV-1000T in my PC (sometimes it can't get ABC or SBS, the Asus has no problems at all). It's compatible with Windows Media Centre and all that, too.

My only gripe is that it seems pretty laggy (compared to my Leadtek) when changing channels.

josh81 · 1st April 2007, 9:45 PM

It looks a little bit big for laptop use (even though it''s called "mini"), ok for a desktop, cause it's stationary, and usually not going to be sticking out in the way, most of them are that big, that's why i was wanting a express card one.
Shame, cause it looks pretty nice, and sounds good.

I found this AVerTV media one, looks to be what i'm after, only worried about the laptop internal interference as mentioned earlier.
Unfortunately i can't find this version anywhere. There's the square cut out on the right hand side, but all the models of this do not have the MCE at the end of the model number, or have the square cut out. I can't believe this other version will fit into a express slot if it doesn't have the bit cut out. Plus it has an FM radio port, and a RCA/S-video port adapter.

shaddo · 1st April 2007, 11:21 PM

My HP Notebook come with a HP Branded one of these

http://www.yuan.com.tw/en/products/vdo_ec300.html

Seems to do a fairly good job in Bendigo Vic with the included antenna :-)

josh81 · 2nd April 2007, 12:39 AM

Another express card without the square cut out. My dummy card that sits in the express card slot has the square cut out of it, and as far as i can see into the slot, it wont fit if it doesn't have the square cut out.

GooSE · 2nd April 2007, 10:04 AM

Depends how wide it is. Some ExpressCards are only the width of the 'non cut-out' bit of the full size cards. I hope that makes sense...

josh81 · 2nd April 2007, 12:58 PM

Yeah it makes sense, but i find that hard to believe, seeing as it would have to be half the width of the whole card slot.

GreasyBear · 16th April 2007, 6:23 PM

If you do get the ASUS U3000 Mini, get a proper antenna for it as the one supplied does SFA.

SLATYE · 16th April 2007, 6:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josh81

Yeah it makes sense, but i find that hard to believe, seeing as it would have to be half the width of the whole card slot.

There are two different ExpressCard standards.

ExpressCard-34 is the thin one (34mm wide). ExpressCard-54 is the "L-shaped" one (it's that shape so that it can still connect to the ExpressCard-34 interface; they both use the same plug).

The Wikipedia article on ExpressCard has some good info.

josh81 · 18th April 2007, 4:04 PM

Ok, thanks Slatye.
I like the look of the AverTV Hybrid Volar. And just wondering whether anybody can recommend something better, before i make the purchase? I'm still considering the L-shaped express card one, cause it has all the same ports as the USB Volar one, not sure which would be the most conveinient to use. The usb one, i can use with other computers, including desktops, which is a bonus.

Pros of Volar:
- Good brand
- Remote (thin one)
- RCA and S-video input (good for PS2 and maybe DVD/VCR input)
- FM radio
- usb cable for extension
- attractive

Cons:
- big for usb stick model (usb cable for extension)
- might be a bit pricey, around $130 with shipping.

http://www.averm.co.uk/avermedia/ave...828.asp?show=1

josh81 · 23rd April 2007, 2:07 AM

Went and got the AVerTV Hybrid+FM Volar yesterday from Gamedude for $129. From what little i've used it, i think it's good. More comment later.

josh81 · 27th April 2007, 12:28 AM

Ok, i've used it a bit, and it's pretty sweet. Seeing as it's digital, the quality is obviously great. It came with a mini antenna which gets pretty good reception, even though it's just one tiny pin sticking up. But with a $12 mini radar dish (non-amplified), with rabbit ears, i get reception for all the TV stations, and great radio as well.
But for some reason my $60 big indoor amplified antenna dish doesn't get good reception, it actually gets worse reception than the little mini pin one.

It's great that the mini portable antenna gets good reception, for portable use. And the medium sized one, is also pretty portable, and great for window sill.

The software is great, and the remote is great too, although i wish the remote had a record button, and a full screen button, but other than that it's great.
The size isn't any problem either, i thought i would use the usb extension cable more.

I would definitely recommend this if you want RCA input and FM radio (FM radio can be used with the same antenna used for TV). Great for my PS2.

$129

sanjay · 28th April 2007, 9:28 PM

thats good to hear - my current PC has an avermedia DVB-T 771 PCI digital tv tuner card (got my current PC before the DViCO models became commonplace, that was the one i really wanted)

its SHITE. randomly drops stations, causes blue screens of death if i have to force the buggy program guide to shut down, and takes a good 2 to 5 minutes to even start up. this is with the latest software.

havent been bothered to chuck it out primarily because...it works in the end. but id NEVER buy another avermedia product again...

SSJX · 28th April 2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by josh81

. But with a $12 mini radar dish (non-amplified), with rabbit ears, i get reception for all the TV stations, and great radio as well.

can we get a pic of this mini radar dish josh?
coz im thinking of getting a dvb-t tuner for my 9400 (expresscard like you), but don't really want an external antenna [at all really] but hearing from many external card/usb tuner users, an external antenna is necessary.

how does the reception go with no external antenna plugged in too?

1st April 2007, 7:15 PM	#1
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	Laptop TV tuner I'm looking for a Digital tv tuner for my laptop, i would prefer an express card slot one, but i dont know if they exist (even though there are PCMCIA ones, express card slot seems to be useless). I want express card slot, cause most usb ones stick out to far, and are obtrusive, but the part that sticks out on a card is running parralel with the laptops side, not tangent to it. The only problem is, that i know my analog AVer Media PCMCIA card tuner had poor reception, and i read that a laptop has a lot of electronic noise inside, which disturbs the reception. So i don't know if this would be a problem with a digital one. Otherwise, anyone can recommend me a good usb one to buy? Either a usb stick style, or a seperate box. PS: Anyone know how much more electricity would be used to watch television on a Core 2 Duo laptop, compared with a standard television, say a 51cm flat screen CRT? thanks __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

1st April 2007, 9:45 PM	#3
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	It looks a little bit big for laptop use (even though it''s called "mini"), ok for a desktop, cause it's stationary, and usually not going to be sticking out in the way, most of them are that big, that's why i was wanting a express card one. Shame, cause it looks pretty nice, and sounds good. I found this AVerTV media one, looks to be what i'm after, only worried about the laptop internal interference as mentioned earlier. Unfortunately i can't find this version anywhere. There's the square cut out on the right hand side, but all the models of this do not have the MCE at the end of the model number, or have the square cut out. I can't believe this other version will fit into a express slot if it doesn't have the bit cut out. Plus it has an FM radio port, and a RCA/S-video port adapter. __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

1st April 2007, 11:21 PM	#4
shaddo Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Bendigo.vic.au.earth Posts: 118	My HP Notebook come with a HP Branded one of these http://www.yuan.com.tw/en/products/vdo_ec300.html Seems to do a fairly good job in Bendigo Vic with the included antenna :-) __________________ Ross Miles MCP Windows XP Professional SFF owner/modder club member #2 Reccomended Traders+++: FreeFrag, Craigglez, epo299, Pluscorp, keiith, cybergeco52, Refl3ct, Zooba, jimmytim903, Chuna, mister_e, Heist, MrChameleon, ralphy140, sanousie, hungryman, Arc, Triffid Hunter, Khanage, Kogi

2nd April 2007, 12:39 AM	#5
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	Another express card without the square cut out. My dummy card that sits in the express card slot has the square cut out of it, and as far as i can see into the slot, it wont fit if it doesn't have the square cut out. __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

2nd April 2007, 12:58 PM	#7
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	Yeah it makes sense, but i find that hard to believe, seeing as it would have to be half the width of the whole card slot. __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

1st April 2007, 7:57 PM	#2
GooSE Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 5,147	I have an Asus My Cinema U3000 Mini USB 2.0 digital tuner. I haven't really used it that much yet but the picture quality seems good and the reception is better than the PCI Leadtek DTV-1000T in my PC (sometimes it can't get ABC or SBS, the Asus has no problems at all). It's compatible with Windows Media Centre and all that, too. My only gripe is that it seems pretty laggy (compared to my Leadtek) when changing channels.

2nd April 2007, 10:04 AM	#6
GooSE Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Sydney Posts: 5,147	Depends how wide it is. Some ExpressCards are only the width of the 'non cut-out' bit of the full size cards. I hope that makes sense...

16th April 2007, 6:23 PM	#8
GreasyBear Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sydbourne Posts: 2,789	If you do get the ASUS U3000 Mini, get a proper antenna for it as the one supplied does SFA.

18th April 2007, 4:04 PM	#10
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	Ok, thanks Slatye. I like the look of the AverTV Hybrid Volar. And just wondering whether anybody can recommend something better, before i make the purchase? I'm still considering the L-shaped express card one, cause it has all the same ports as the USB Volar one, not sure which would be the most conveinient to use. The usb one, i can use with other computers, including desktops, which is a bonus. Pros of Volar: - Good brand - Remote (thin one) - RCA and S-video input (good for PS2 and maybe DVD/VCR input) - FM radio - usb cable for extension - attractive Cons: - big for usb stick model (usb cable for extension) - might be a bit pricey, around $130 with shipping. http://www.averm.co.uk/avermedia/ave...828.asp?show=1 __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

23rd April 2007, 2:07 AM	#11
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	Went and got the AVerTV Hybrid+FM Volar yesterday from Gamedude for $129. From what little i've used it, i think it's good. More comment later. __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

27th April 2007, 12:28 AM	#12
josh81 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bellbowrie, Brisbane Posts: 2,414	Ok, i've used it a bit, and it's pretty sweet. Seeing as it's digital, the quality is obviously great. It came with a mini antenna which gets pretty good reception, even though it's just one tiny pin sticking up. But with a $12 mini radar dish (non-amplified), with rabbit ears, i get reception for all the TV stations, and great radio as well. But for some reason my $60 big indoor amplified antenna dish doesn't get good reception, it actually gets worse reception than the little mini pin one. It's great that the mini portable antenna gets good reception, for portable use. And the medium sized one, is also pretty portable, and great for window sill. The software is great, and the remote is great too, although i wish the remote had a record button, and a full screen button, but other than that it's great. The size isn't any problem either, i thought i would use the usb extension cable more. I would definitely recommend this if you want RCA input and FM radio (FM radio can be used with the same antenna used for TV). Great for my PS2. $129 __________________ feeBay & PayPay =

28th April 2007, 9:28 PM	#13
sanjay Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Lockleys, Adelaide, SA Posts: 10,320	thats good to hear - my current PC has an avermedia DVB-T 771 PCI digital tv tuner card (got my current PC before the DViCO models became commonplace, that was the one i really wanted) its SHITE. randomly drops stations, causes blue screens of death if i have to force the buggy program guide to shut down, and takes a good 2 to 5 minutes to even start up. this is with the latest software. havent been bothered to chuck it out primarily because...it works in the end. but id NEVER buy another avermedia product again... __________________ My Ride: MY02 Mitsubishi Ralliart Magna Build #75 - 5sp Manual, 2.5" exhaust with Pacemaker extractors, 17" Enkei Alloys Over 120 Successful Trades on OCAU - Most Recent: dche5390, Rugal, Tornhelm, ummmz, darknight84, bumography, b4sk3tb4ll3r, marktadros, MoveIt, Maxknott, NoBooze, bnyboy, Stooge007, caddy, the_rick, Soupratt, Doktor, Logik47, KraniX, Talisman, start, gizmo_melb, Omarko, Arkanite, WooKiE_MaN, PM for full list