Capture card question.

  • Thread starter Tornado
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Tornado

Tornado

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So I bought a big the monster Dell laptop with a 17 inch screen and 1920X1200 resolution. I want to know if it is possible to use that screen as a TV when combined with a capture card, and also if any capture cards that can be used with laptops can accept a component signal. All of the capture cards I have seen have been composite input only. If not I will probably be fine with a composite signal, but would prefer being able to capture HD stuff.
 
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Whether you can use it as a TV in conjunction with a capture card depends on the software used.

Most that I have seen will display the video signal and wait until you tell it to record, but I have some DVD authoring software that will only show what is coming in while I am recording.

Are you ever planning to actually use it to record or are you just wanting to use it as a TV? If just as a TV then you really want a TV Tuner card. I have one for SD signal that has a coaxial input on the back and composite inputs on the front and back. Then the Sony GigaPocket software that came with my PC will either display live TV (can switch channels on its own), a currently recording signal, or previously recorded GigaPocket files. The recorded stuff can't be viewed any other way until I run it through my MPG editor.

A capture card with just composite/component inputs will only show what channel you have on the device that is putting out the signal.

I think that there are HD capture cards that should have inputs for component or even HDMI, but I haven't ever looked for them.

Yep, a Google search for HDTV Tuner Cards found this:
http://www.ramelectronics.net/audiovideo/computer-i-o-cards/hdtv-cards/c20000-c22000-c22006-p1.html
http://store.snapstream.com/tvtunercards-hdtv.html
 
FoolKiller
Are you ever planning to actually use it to record or are you just wanting to use it as a TV?
Click to expand...
Essentially, I want to use my laptop screen as an HD monitor. The ability to record would be nice, but isn't necessary. I've heard that no capture card on the market will accept a hi-def signal other than over the air broadcasts, so I was wondering if that had changed.
I've read that Firewire could be used to display HD video if it is first converted with something that accepts component inputs and outputs in Firewire, but the only thing I have seen that does that is a couple grand.
 
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Toronado
Essentially, I want to use my laptop screen as an HD monitor. The ability to record would be nice, but isn't necessary. I've heard that no capture card on the market will accept a hi-def signal other than over the air broadcasts, so I was wondering if that had changed.
Click to expand...
Unless you get a card with component or HDMI inputs (if they exist) then you are likely only ever going to be able to use a Tuner card for over-the-air stuff.

I think the reason why there is little demand for a card with Component or HDMI is because many stand-alone monitors now come with a way to run the signal directly into them. I know that doesn't help you, but that is the most likely reason for there not being any out there, yet.

Hopefully they will create one as currently I use my PC as a DVR and I would hate to lose that ability. I imagine after the HD switch in February that we will start seeing them in the market.
 

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