October 6, 2001 Update - I changed references to the HDTV PC tuner cards for less than $300 to less than $400. I was confusing DTV cards with HDTV cards.
News Flash - Hauppauge is now offering a PC tuner card for $400 that is capable of both receving and displaying all 18 ATSC formats. That's the whole ball of wax as for as both DTV and HDTV are concerned. Check it out at Hauppauge Web Site.
HDTV Sticker Shock - If you are like me, you have seen one of those big, wide-screen HDTV receivers in your local electronics store from time to time. For me, the experience is always the same. I see the big HDTV label. I look at the TV. I think to myself that it looks pretty cool. And, then, I nearly collapse from sticker shock when I see that the price is somewhere between $4,000 and $6,000. And, that's when I turn and walk away.
PC TV Tuner Cards - I have also found myself in the local electronics store looking over the computer selection. From time to time, a computer display will catch my eye. Why, there's live televison playing on that PC! I think to myself that that's kinda cool too. I read that the tuner card can also capture images and clips from TV as well. But, when I consider the fact that I already have a TV and VCR, it seems to be a little overkill to me.
HDTV Brings It All Together - Now that I have encountered the first sighting of a TV tuner card on the Internet that will bring both NTSC conventional television and HDTV high definition television to my PC for under $400, I am seeing things a little differently.
A TV tunner card for my PC doesn't seem like overkill anymore. To read about the NTSC/HDTV tuner card for yourself, click on the link below to go to the Hauppauge Web site and check out the WinTV-D card. You can look at screen shots from HDTV on a PC using this card at this site too.
NTSC/Radio TV Tuner Cards - Even if you're not looking for HDTV now, tuner cards for conventional TV and radio have a lot of features to offer too. The best site I've seen so far on the Internet for information about these cards and lots of links for specific boards is called Ruel.Net. Click on the link below to go to this site.
HDTV FAQ - If you are just looking for more information about what HDTV is, its available, or what programs are being produced in HDTV, just click on the link below to go to my HDTV FAQ. Hope if helps!
The NetTable Forum - Click here to check out the NetTable message board. Discuss HDTV and PC TV tuner cards with other forum members.