Hi there folks,
I'm on the lookout for a good value USB digital tv tuner for use with my laptop.
Doesn't have to be the cheapest on the market as I know that cheap products often mean compromises in quality when it comes to technology. I'd like something that will prove useful, not something that I'll buy and then a few weeks later think to myself "it was cheap but a waste of money"!!
cheers
Do you have a roof-top antenna? I think this should be the most important factor to consider before shopping around for a digital TV tuner.
In my experience with the cheaper digital tv tuners, I can barely get any signal using the supplied antenna or even with a rabbit-ear antenna indoors. Unfortunately, I do not have a roof-top TV antenna so most of the cheaper tuners are pretty much useless to me. If you plan on connecting the dongle to a roof-top antenna, then you should have no problems with most of the $20-$40 USB TV tuners.
If you don't have a roof top antenna or don't have a spare outlet to plug your tv tuner in, then I would recommend getting a TV tuner that has dual-antenna to enhance signal reception. I got the terratec twin tuner about a year ago and it has not given me any reception problems like the cheaper ones do. The downside is, they are also much more expensive. :(
Thank you Davo1111 and pauly, great posts. We do have a rooftop antenna… but I was hoping that I wouldn't be required to use it.
Will probably go for the cheaper option, though the terratec tuner does look good. Wouldn't mind doing a test run of both options, I'm sure some of my mates have similar tuners in use at home.
anyway thanks again !
From pauly's post we have been quite lucky in signal strength… I have found if the signal isnt very strong a $30 arlec tv tuner (with Ac adapter) helps. Thats what ive got connected up in Canberra. Should probably invite a mate over and seeing if you can get some signal.:)
I have an Asus one, but it's outdone by the $24 WandTV from DX. Seriously I would go for the WandTV…
The comments on that WandTV one aren't really that great.
4 out of 5 stars from 61 votes? I just know it does the job and does it better than the Asus one I have.
yeah, I saw that it had 4 out of 5 stars, but when you read through the comments it doesn't seem like a decent product ! I think petergreen's comment sums up what I mean… "good but not great".
Also using a similar Gigabyte TV tuner, pretty good value for money and great :)
I use the roof antenna as the tiny ones these can come with are often not very strong.
its interesting, i actually get worse signal from roof antenna and better signal with the small one.
The little black spike the grows about a foot tall didn't work out well for me. I'm Sydney metro though. Perhaps I get a lot of interference?
This is the model i bought for my brother. He was so happy with it, he bought one as a birthday present for a friend too.
Gigabyte "GT-U7200"
http://www.staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=Gigabyte+GT…
We bought the first one for $43, then the second for $49 inc free delivery. (from 9289.com.au, but it looks like they are sold out).
It does the job fine, and there are no lag issues.