Choosing a TV tuner

First, let's define the tuner. In order for you to watch TV, your TV needs a tuner. It is such a device that receives a radio signal, which later becomes a picture. Also, the TV tuner is still needed to decode the signal, to correct errors, and in some cases also for reformatting.

Tuners are divided into two types: digital and analog. The analog tuner receives a normal broadcast signal, where the image quality is not always good, with the digital tuner on the contrary - the image quality is ideal. You can see even the smallest details without any distortion.

In addition to the built-in, an external TV tuner is used for the TV, which has a number of advantages. For example, you have a TV and a computer, and you do not expect that they can be combined. That is, watching movies on the Internet in real time, entertainment programs, etc. On the TV. What should I do to get a high-performance device that will outperform the most modern TV? Connect an external tuner to the computer, then a special cable from the TV.

I think you understand what a TV tuner is, and the principle of its operation.

Now let's talk more specifically about tuners, first about analog ones. Such tuners receive a signal from the TV tower and then convert it. You can watch TV shows in PAL and SECAM formats, you can set the scale of the picture. You can also watch and record video via the dedicated S-VIDEO input.

Digital TV tuner can be of several types. Basically, they are divided by the type of screen resolution. This is HDTV, SDTV and EDTV. The tuners SDTV and EDTV can not be considered yet, since we did not have digital TV, but on HDTV it is worth paying attention.

Cable TV is widespread everywhere. There are a lot of programs, it reaches a hundred channels, the picture is good, if not excellent. And all because of what? It's simple. HDTV tuners are designed not only for receiving HD-signal by home antennas, in cable television they serve as a storage device, or a receiver.

If you only want to view cable or satellite TV, you do not need to purchase a TV tuner. The fact is that almost all peripheral video equipment already has a built-in tuner.

In the world there are several standards for digital television broadcasting. Therefore, a TV purchased in another country, for example, in Japan, in Russia will not work properly. The broadcasting format does not fit into the European one. That's why you need a tuner for your TV. As mentioned above, an external TV tuner for TV is just right. You do not have to disassemble, re-solder, just connect and select the necessary standard for broadcasting.

In our country, not everyone has a modern TV. Quite a lot of people do not have the opportunity to purchase it. Therefore, the production of TV tuners that accept the analog signal of the PAL system (European standard), SECAM (French and Soviet broadcasting), NTSC (America and Japan) continues.

At present, hybrid tuners are available in Russia that can receive both analog and digital signals. A purely analog, as such, from production disappeared.

The difference between analogue broadcasting standards is the screen resolution and frame rate. Digital TV often encodes some channels, so some tuners have a built-in decoder for decoding. This applies to paid channels.

In mass sale, there is basically a TV tuner without additional options, so it is suitable for viewing only free channels. By and large, these channels are more than 60, so tuners with a decoder do not buy everything.