- HubPages»
- Technology»
- Audio & Video
Laptop TV Tuner
Laptop TV Tuner
Introduction to the Laptop TV Tuner
For those of you who like entertainment on the move a Laptop TV tuner can provide great TV entertainment, wherever you are based. Whereas some laptops have internal TV tuners, other laptop TV tuners come in USB form.
If you are looking at this page then the chances are yout laptop TV tuner is not built in to your laptop, instead you will be more than likely need a USB laptop TV Tuner. USB Laptop TV Tuners are a great way to watch TV on your laptop, wherever you are, even when you don't have an internet connection!
While a USB TV tuner will always be the best for laptop users, if you have a Desktop PC you might also want to check out a PCI TV Tuner, which are faster and cheaper than USB TV Tuners!
What Kind of Laptop TV Tuner Do I Need?
When it comes to knowing what type of Laptop TV Tuner you need, many people get brushed off with the answer "A USB TV Tuner". However there are a couple of things you should really look at if you are going to buy a new laptop TV tuner.
The first thing you need to consider is where you will be watching TV on your laptop. If you will mainly use your laptop TV tuner at home then you might want to consider going for a simple laptop TV tuner which does not have it's own aerial, but instead links in to your own home TV cable.
If you like to watch TV using a laptop TV tuner on the move, then you will need a laptop TV tuner with it's own aerial. These laptop TV tuners come in two main forms, those with attached aerials, and those with detachable aerials.
Laptop TV tuners with detachable aerials can often also be hooked up to your home aerial. They also can usually allow the aerial to be placed further from your laptop to give you a better signal.
Laptop TV tuners with fixed antennae are usually slightly larger than other laptop TV tuners, however they will often have an arial which can be flipped up to allow instant TV viewing. Unfortuntely these Laptop TV tuners can often have worse reception than those with seperate aerials!
Should You Buy a Laptop TV Tuner?
Deciding to buy a laptop TV tuner is not necessarily a big step, after all, a laptop TV tuner is pretty cheap and will provide a lot of entertainment!
I would definately suggest buying a laptop TV tuner, they work well, provide TV on the go, and most modern laptop TV tuners come with plenty of extra software, allowing you to even record live TV on your laptop and play it back later!
Comments
Interesting information may even purchase one as I'm always on the move. Great hub.
Helpful article. I've thought about a USB TV tuner, but nervous about reception and quality of the playback because of bandwidth. Have a PCI tuner on my desktop, but that is direct connected to a cable input.
- Author
With rapidly improving technology most USB TV Tuners are reliable, and becoming an increasingly sound choice for those looking for a laptop TV tuner. The real downside of a laptop TV tuner is usually a low quality aerial for when you are on the move. This can often cause problems if you are travelling through low reception areas.
If you use your laptop TV tuner at home you should be fine though, since a home aerial usually carries a pretty strong signal.
but if I can watch TV already on my laptop then I dont need one correct? or if I get one will the reception improve? I am a total newbie as far as electronic gadgets are concerned so sorry for the dumb question but would appreciate your input and thank you!! great articles too by the way I am learning from you...albeit slowly :)
- Author
If you already have a laptop tv tuner built in then you do not need to buy a USB TV Tuner. If you are having trouble with reception then buying a USB TV tuner with a large antennae might help, but if your reception is really bad you might be out of luck!
5