I'm a little confused about TV tuners...

[EidolonSavior]

The laptop I am looking at has the option to add a Integrated Hybrid TV tuner. I understand it allows me to watch cable, etc on my laptop... But I do not subscribe to cable or satellite tv. I have the free channels only, with an antenna above my tv. I recently bought a converter box for the tv for the DTV transition. Will I be able to receive free DTV signals with my laptop? Do I need some form of antenna? Are there antennas to improve quality?

Ultimately, I don't like paying monthly payments and don't need cable. I would like to use my laptop extensively in my car and would add an antenna to my car if I could within reason/aesthetics to watch the DTV channels for free while traveling through different states without having an Internet connection.

Possible? Or should I not get the TV tuner for my laptop?

[aerowerks]

"hybrid tuner" means it can receive standard analog as well as digital crodcast signal; most devices are configured to receive both air and cable signals and most come with some sort of high gain "digital brodcast" antenna that is good enough to pull in local stations; IMO the integrated hybrid tuner is a worthy option;

[record]

how can i Record from TV to PC? can i do this with hdmi?

[fred2179]

The integrated tuner picks up analog TV signals and feeds them into your laptop.  [Just got mine working.] Doesn't matter if it is cable or over-the-air.

The laptop software (e.g. Quickplay) allows you to watch or record the signal coming in from the tuner.

Playing it back is the trick - if you want to watch it on a real TV, you may need an HDMI if you have recorded HD programs and want to see them in HD.

[susoab1791]

....only problem with intergrated tv tuners is that its intergrated thats why you cant upgrade the antenna even if you wanted to

because its bulit in...and i also heard of the mother board failing because of the tuner card so .... get an usb tuner because you

can get the annena upgraded and use it on any system you have acess to... 

and hybrid means  you  get anlague and digitial  tv ... try  a better antenna

get an external usb tunner

[dineash]

i have dv4 1318tu laptop .is there integrated tv tuner for my laptop ,if not where can i buy it

[fred2179]

I'm using the HP USB tuner, which comes with an external antenna and an i/r remote.  If you want cable, unplug the antenna.

I see no advantage to the integrated tuner other than physical convenience.  There are so many bits (i/r recevier, etc.) that you're going to get a mess of cables anyway.

Incidentally, I discovered the drawback to the external monitor output.  It only displays what is on the screen, so if your laptop isn't 1080p Hi Def, (displays 1080 pixels vertically) then you won't get 1080p Hi Def even if you TV can take it.

[bowlasoup2893]

The part about the motherboard failing makes sense.  I purchased a pavillion dv4t about two three weeks ago with the integrated tv tuner and i've been having problems since the start.  The OS was screwed up so i had to get it replaced and once that was fixed, i began to get the blue screen of death every time i turned it on.  I sent it in today to get a replaced, and it just so happens that the tv tuner is no longer availble.