Satellite TV to PC

Determine existing PC hardware. Determine if there are unused High Speed (2.0) USB ports. Open the computer (after shutting down) and check for unused expansion slots and type. Most common slot types in modern PCs are PCI and PCI Express. An unused AGP slot will not be suitable. Use the image below to help identify slots. Click on any image for an enlarged view.

Determine the existing outputs of cable or satellite set top box. If using a cable or satellite converters to provide TV signals, inspect the back of these devices. There will likely be a range of output jacks from which to choose. Use the image to help identify the jacks listed below:

• Coaxial or RF - This provides a single threaded jack that usually produces both a 480i Standard Definition (SDTV) video and audio (mono) signal on TV channel 3 or 4. This jack looks like the one used to connect cable from dish or cable company to the set top box.
• Composite - This is a single yellow jack and can output an SDTV video signal only.
• S-Video - This single jack output provides video signals of slightly better quality than coaxial and composite.
• Component - This is a red, green and blue jack output of 480i SDTV and 480p EDTV (Enhanced Definition), 720p, 1080i and 1080p HDTV (High Definition) video only.
• HDMI - This single jack provides uncompressed resolutions of SDTV through HDTV video signals and high quality digital audio (though not Dolby Digital 5.1 signals) in a single cable.

Locate an NTSC (or newer, ATSC) Tuner / Capture card (referred to as a "tuner card" forward). Obtain a tuner card with a matching (a) slot type (PCI or PCI Express) and (b) matching input signal / jack type to the cable or satellite output / jack type.