# Do I Need a Tuner?



## SYKi (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi guys. I'm new here - so I guess this is where this question should be? Warning you now, I don't know much about anything electronic.

I decided to try to turn my desktop into a TV instead of shelling out major monies (that a student such as myself does _not_ have), but I've hit a stumbling block:

If I have a cable connection, but no actual cable box, do I need a tuner card/stick? And (regardless if the answer is yes or no), how can I connect the coaxial from the wall to my computer? There is no (as far as I know) coaxial-DVI converter cable. Is there a box, or am I confused?

Thanks!


Sofia


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## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

Welcome to TSF :wave:

You're correct - to use your cable service, you need either a TV Tuner card that you install in the PC or a divice such as THIS. In both cases you can use the cable directly from the wall to provide the signal (no set top box required.)

There are also ways to get TV via the internet such as Hulu.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

This is assuming that you already have cable TV service (i.e.paying for it).

BG


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Channel selection will be limited to basic cable services and you will need the tuner for your desktop. 

Nice link by yustr..... I have been thinking of getting a tuner card for my PC but the usb is an easy install without opening the case.


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## SYKi (Jan 7, 2010)

I get "free" cable as part of my dorm fee. But where, exactly, does the (coaxial) cable plug into? I can't find any port, on the cpu or the monitor. Am I missing something?


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## V0lt (Sep 14, 2002)

This is where the tuner such as the one that Yustr linked to comes in. The tuner will have a coaxial input, and you'll use a piece of software to tune to a channel and watch.


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## SYKi (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh, sweet! I suppose I didn't quite realize what a tuner _was_, exactly. I enmvisioned something more along the lines of a vid card. Thanks for your help, everyone!


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