TV Card Reviews - Find the Best TV Cards

A TV card turns your computer into a TV, and that even if it is a notebook, as there are external cards as well. If you are not going to use your TV card that much you can easily go for a less expensive TV card, but it is often worth choosing one of the well-known brands. If you, on the other hand, are going to use your computer as a movie player and/or recorder you need to give you TV card some consideration.

There are a lot of different types of TV cards on the market, analog, digital, all-in-ones and so on, therefore you first have to decide what type of signal you want to receive, and then find a version that fits your computer. Today some models come in an USB flash drive that contains all you need including software and tuner which of course is very convenient and makes it easy to use with different computers. Could come in handy, for example, if you have a computer but no TV set in your summer house. Just connect the USB flash drive to the computer and an antenna to the USB and start watching!

Make sure that the TV card of your choice has all connections you need, not only to connect it to your monitor - which could be connected via analog or digital sockets, but also the connections needed to connect it to, for example, a sound system, a projector or a TV set. As many new features, connections and software have been released the last couple of years, make sure that your system will work together. Digital connections like HDMI and DVI are almost standards today and there are adapters available between some of the different connection types. Remember that if you connect it to external devices as media centers or DVD burners, cable length could be an issue – so wireless might be an option if possible.

Other nice-to-have features are built-in radio tuner which some TV cards have and Tele-text functions to keep you updated; remote control which is almost necessary to control all channels available today is also an option for some TV cards. If you are going to edit videos you will need editing software.

After deciding which TV cards to choose between, read the tests of interesting models and be sure to check that the motherboard of your choice works together with the TV cards you have chosen.

TIP:
As a lot of new versions of components, softwares and so on are released over time, log on regularly to the home page of the manufacturer of your TV card to check for upgrades. That will make your computer work smoother and more efficiently in the long run.