external tv tuner cards for lcd monitors free sample

Our digital signage software fully supports external HD input using our PCI-Express capture device. This allows you to connect a live video signal from HDMI, composite, component and S-Video directly into your LCD sign. The live video feed is assigned to the screen division of your choice. Fully supporting 1920x1080 High Definition interlace, the PCI-express capture card gives your live feed free and smooth playback. The television capture device is available in two versions, including both internal and external hardware. The external is designed specifically for our signage players while the external can be used with any standard PCI-Express compliant computer. The video source can include any audio/video (AV) device. This includes DVD players, coaxial cable feeds, IPTV set-top boxes, satellite receivers, game consoles, video camcorders, security cameras or tablet PCs.

The following diagram demonstrates the physical connection between the media player, LCD/LED screen and the capture device. Be sure to connect the audio to the TV using the supplied mini-jack to composite cable. You will connect the back panel/pink audio output connector from the motherboard to the TV using the supplied component (RCA) (Red/White) cable. If you are use HDMI (which also carries sound with it) you should set the TV to disable the HDMI sound input and use the composite analog input instead. You can also use VGA or DVI which eliminates the need to disable the HDMI digital audio on the TV set. For a more detailed instruction on inputting live feeds, please watch the HD Component video for inputting live feeds.

The live television capture device is designed to pass all of the video information directly onto the PC video card thus bypassing the central processing unit. This special design offloads an processing from the CPU and provides a super smooth HD image right onto your digital signage presentation. The TV capture device does not have a built in decoder. This means that you will need to use an analog or digital AV source such as an external DVD or cable box. If you wish to use Live TV from a cable or satellite provider (Comcast, Cox, DirectTV or Dish Network) you will use the cable/satellite set top box provided by them and connect the capture device using one of the available dongle ports. Selecting channels and controlling the volume is performed via the standard remote control that was supplied by cable/satellite provider.

The capture device is available in both internal and external versions. The internal capture device uses a standard PCI Express interface and can be used with any standard PC running the sign player Desktop version. If you own a computer with a standard motherboard you must likely have multiple free PCI-E slots available and the internal card is all you need for Live Capture / TV.

The external version is designed specifically to work with our signage players using the Windows XP/7 versions. The XP/7 versions are already pre-configured to work this HD capture device so installation is plug-and-play.

The external / internal HD capture card is equipped with HDMI input and through the included Dongle Cable, users will have Component, S-Video and Composite Video input interfaces as well. This Allows users to connect to their Cable / Satellite Set-Top-Box, Gaming Console and HD Video recorders to capture High Definition and Analog video content on their PC. Great for Sports bars and other location that require HD quality inside any screen division. With the HD capable card you can run full screen in 1920x1080 or any 16:9 desired screen division size equipped with crystal clear high definition image.

The AVerMedia AVerTV Volar Hybrid Q USB TV tuner is a standout option that supports Windows computers and Android TV. Compatible with ClearQAM, analog, OTA FM Radio and ATSC, the AVerTV is a feature-rich choice that doesn"t cost a fortune.

With intelligent features such as picture-in-picture, smart channel grouping, time shift, closed captioning and an available electronic program guide, the AVerTV has everything you need to duplicate traditional cable. The extendable High Gain antenna is powerful enough to allow for smooth streaming of digital TV channels, as well as strong FM radio reception. Connecting your analog devices through a composite cable or S-Video input allows for even more videos with alternative digital formatting. It hooks up to the PC via USB and adds DVR software directly onto your Android and iOS devices with the downloadable app (no file conversion required). The intuitive user interface makes navigating channels, adjusting volume, or selecting live TV a breeze.

To use a television signal you need a tuner. If your monitor doesn"t have a tuner built in then you can not hook a television signal into it. Some monitors have tuners in them that are marketed as Television Monitors and have various inputs such as coaxial and HDMI in. No matter how much you twist your cord coming from the wall or set-top box to fit into your Monitor"s inputs, it simply won"t work.

Ideally you just want to buy a TV, but otherwise I would recommend an internal PCI-based tuner card (marketed as TV Tuner Cards). Unfortunately this requires some of your processor power to run (and the computer obviously to be on) but the plus side to this is you can record TV directly on your computer. Some graphics cards also have a built in TV Tuner as well. You could also buy a monitor that is also a television as I mentioned above, and use it as a second monitor. That is the setup I have, and it works great. I can use my computer on the primary screen and switch between TV and a second display (thanks to Ultramon for turning off the signal to the second display) whenever I need.

There’s thousands of options for watching shows and movies on your TV: Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max are just a few popular options. But what if you want to watch live TV, including local channels? You can watch live TV through your PC just as you would watch Netflix, or you can kick it old-school with a TV tuner and an antenna. Here’s how.

Do you have a cable subscription? If so, you may already have access to live TV on your PC. Many cable companies offer streaming live TV as part of their standard cable package. Comcast’s Xfinity and AT&T’s DirectTV Stream are examples of Internet-enabled cable packages that can stream to not only a PC, but also to mobile devices like an iPhone or Android device.

This is the best option for streaming live TV to your computer. A cable subscription will offer access to dozens if not hundreds of channels, including location television and live sports events.

The interface and apps offered by Xfinity, DirectTV, and similar services are mediocre, but they have the benefit of bringing your cable subscription to multiple devices. Most services will let you pause or record live television on a device and then pick it up later. You can schedule to record a favorite show from your PC, for example, then watch it later on your TV.

Live TV streaming had a moment around 2015 to 2016, led by the introduction of Sling TV and PlayStation Vue. The pitch was simple: it’s like a cable subscription, but with a Netflix-like interface and pricing. These services failed to dethrone cable with the speed many anticipated (and PlayStation Vue has since shut down) but several great options remain.

The top options include YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, fuboTV, and Philo. Signing up and using each service is as simple as using Netflix or Hulu, and live TV streaming services typically lack the installation service and contract fees common to a cable subscription. Pricing varies significantly. The most affordable services are around $30 per month, but the most full-featured services can reach $100 per month.

Although easy to use, live TV streaming services are limited when compared to a cable subscription. Sling TV looks affordable at a glance, with service starting at $35 per month. Yet you’ll soon notice the basic level of service is missing many popular channels, like Discovery, USA, and major cable news channels. The next most expensive level of service has those channels but lacks several live sports channels. To access both you must upgrade to a plan that starts at $50 per month.

Even then, Sling TV doesn’t include access to local news channels or bundle any premium channels and streaming services, like HBO Now or Disney Plus. You might end up buying those separately or hop to a different, more expensive service like YouTube TV, which does offer local channels. Sounds confusing, right? It is, and that’s the problem with live TV streaming.

If you’re willing to spend time comparing tables of available channels, though—or perusing our sister site TechHive’s guide to the best live TV streaming services—this can be an excellent choice. Pricing usually beats the price of a cable subscription and service is generally available the moment you sign up. Most live TV streaming services even offer a free trial.

A TV tuner converts radio waves into picture and sound for a television or other device. Adding a TV tuner to your PC will let you attach a standard television antenna and watch free, over-the-air TV broadcasts on your computer. Some tuners support Android devices, as well.

You’ll find two basic types of TV tuner: USB and add-on cards. USB TV tuners are easy to install because they attach to a USB port on your PC. Just plug the tuner into USB, attach an antenna to the tuner, install a compatible software or app, and you’re good to go.

TV tuners and OTA DVR options are niche devices designed for enthusiasts. You will need to use the software that came with the tuner, which is easy but leaves you limited to the features that came with it, or figure out how to connect the tuner into third-party software, like Plex or Kodi. This might be more than you bargained for. (Our sister site TechHive’s guide to the best DVR options for cord cutters can help you make sense of it all.)

Over-the-air television has limits even when the TV tuner works. It’s best for live sports broadcasts, as most major events will be shown on over-the-air networks. A TV tuner is much less useful for television, as you’ll be limited to major network shows, and useless for movies or niche live events, like concerts or less popular sporting events. These aren’t typically available on over-the-air television.

Check your cable subscription first. Cable and satellite TV still make up more than half the market for live TV in the United States (and its global market share is only slightly lower). Odds are good you have access to a cable subscription that can be used for live TV on your PC.

If you don’t, live TV streaming services are a good alternative (with YouTube TV being the best option for most people). They’re available to anyone with an Internet connection fast and reliable enough to stream video, and you’ll typically pay less than cable. You won’t have access to as many channels but, with a little research or the help of our guide to the best live TV streaming services, you can find a solution that delivers what you want.

TV tuners are only useful if you want to watch and record over-the-air television. It’s not great as your main source for live TV but it can work well alongside a live TV streaming service. For example, Sling TV is affordable but doesn’t include local channels. A TV tuner can fill that gap.

For most people, streaming live TV through a cable service or live TV streaming service is the best option by far. It’s easy, affordable, and provides access to the channels you want.

There is little time to watch our favorite TV show in front of a TV set in an information age. What we need most now is the way to record TV shows and watch them whenever we want. A laptop is the best device to record television to a computer because of its compatibility and portability.

Here comes the question: how to record TV screen with laptop? This tutorial will show you how to record your TV screen with a laptop free using the best TV screen recorder. There are several solutions, and you can choose a suitable one according to your PC"s operating system.

Microsoft has removed Windows Media Center from Windows 10 so that Windows 10 users lack a handy built-in recording tool to capture TV shows. Hence, to successfully record your TV screen with a laptop, especially Windows 10, you will need a powerful third-party screen recording tool, such as EaseUS RecExperts for Windows.

Before you start recording the TV screen, you need to connect the laptop to the television. Follow the steps below to learn how to record TV shows on a PC using HDMI.

If you use a laptop with a Windows system other than Windows 10, you don"t even have to install any third-party application. Since your computer may be equipped with Windows Media Center, only a TV tuner is needed to capture a signal that can be recorded.

External TV tuners are also available with simple USB connections. So, there is no need to open the computer tower or laptop to install special cards.

To check if you own a Windows Media Center on your computer, you need to click the "Type here to research" button on the down-left corner and enter the "Windows Media Center" in the search box. If the program pops up, you can use it to record a TV screen directly. If it doesn"t, you need to download it from the Microsoft APP store and install it on your device.

Step 5. Set the tuner to the desired channel for recording, using the tuner"s control buttons or the remote control that typically comes with most external TV tuners.

People who have some specific demands always want more options. Therefore, we also offer you some other screen recorders that can enable you to record your TV screen on a laptop. You may also improve your recordings by adding effects or cutting out unnecessary parts.

OBS is also equipped with live-streaming capabilities that you won"t find in major operating systems" default screen recorders. You can stream live on YouTube Gaming and Twitch, save projects, and convert your footage in FLV format.

Camtasia is a robust screen recorder with an inbuilt video editor for both Windows and Mac. This tool can help you make a creative and neat video easily. It enables you to record your system screen and also an external web camera for live streaming videos. Besides, you can edit the recorded videos with the built-in video editor.

However, you will be required to pay a high amount of money before you can use its unique feature. Still, Camtasia is considered to be one of the best video recorders you find on our list. You may start with a template or record your screen and add a few effects.

DU Recorder is a cross-platform TV screen recording tool that you can use on iPhones and Android phones. This recorder enables you to capture whatever on the phone screen in high quality. When you only need to record the sound instead of both the video and audio, it also supports audio recording.

In a nutshell, there are many ways to record a TV screen with a laptop. The key is to find an effective and easy-to-use screen recorder that you can use conveniently on your computer.

In this article, we have introduced several screen recorders. Among them, EaseUS RecExperts is undoubtedly the best choice for Windows novices. Download it by clicking the blue button below, and you won"t regret it.

Step 1. Connect the external TV tuner to your laptop by plugging the USB cable, and attach the cable from the signal source to the external TV tuner. Then program the available channels into the tuner by pressing the Auto-Tune or Scan button.

Did you know that it"s possible to watch and record live TV on your computer? All you need is Windows Media Center, a TV signal, and a compatible TV tuner device.

There are different types of TV signals available in different regions, and it"s important that your TV tuner is compatible with the TV signal you"re trying to connect to it. Here are some common TV signal scenarios that will help you determine what type of signal you have, and what type of tuner you"ll need. (Check the documentation that came with your tuner or visit the manufacturer"s website to determine what type of signals your tuner is compatible with.)

If you have multiple TV tuners connected to or installed in your computer, it"s possible to set up multiple TV signals. This allows you to record shows on different channels at the same time. It"s even possible to tune two different signal types using a hybrid TV tuner. However, Media Center might not be able to access both signals simultaneously.

An OTA antenna can pick up any free-to-air channels in your area. You can pick up cheap OTA antennas at your local supermarket, but for a high-end option, check out the ever-popular Mohu Leaf.

Like OTA, you will need a TV tuner. TV tuners come in many forms; the most common are internal Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) cards, external USB cards, and network-attached devices. A network-attached device---such as the HDHomeRun---is the preferred option.

Getting a cable TV signal onto your computer is further complicated by the channel encoding format. It is called Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM). QAM frequencies vary between cable providers; it can be difficult to establish the correct frequencies for your provider.

One of the best features of Plex Pass is access to live TV. If you pick up an antenna and a digital tuner, you can watch any OTA channels in your area. The content is displayed on a full electronic program guide (EPG).

Using the providers" services has both advantages and disadvantages. You won"t have a physical copy that you can take with you anywhere, but you will be able to access your recording on any device via the services" apps. Keep an eye on time limits---some providers only make recordings available for a limited amount of time.

If you set up a TV tuner that doesn"t have a built-in DVR feature, you could use a screen recording app to grab the footage. In theory, you can also use screen recorders to grab live TV from services like Sling, but more and more the providers using security features that prevent such recordings.

When the recording is over, you can convert the file into the format you want at the end of the process. There are other options to consider for recording your screen, including OBS Studio and Screencast-O-Matic.

The two solutions we"ve discussed above both assume you want to record TV footage that"s coming through your internet connection. But what if you"re not a cord cutter? What if you still have a cable subscription and want to retain copies of shows, just like we used to do with VHS cassettes? You will need a Hauppauge 1512 HD-PVR 2 Personal Video Recorder.

Setting up the device is relatively straightforward. You need to connect component video and audio cables between your cable box and your Hauppauge device, then connect the USB cable from the PVR to your computer.

Install the necessary drivers and software on your machine, then follow the on-screen instructions to start recording. You can configure the audio and video settings, the recording format, and the bitrate.

Once you become proficient in using your new setup, you can perform more advanced tasks such as scheduling recordings, burning Blu-ray disks, and digitizing old VHS cassettes.

You can record TV on a PC with the HDHomeRun. It"s a TV tuner, so you will need to pair it with an OTA antenna to receive channels. HDHomeRun devices come in either a two-tuner or a three-tuner model. Both have the ability to record footage.

However, like SlingTV, HDHomeRun requires a subscription in order to use the DVR features. The subscription costs $35/year but also adds a 14-day TV guide, the ability to pause and rewind live TV, and a way to watch live TV while simultaneously recording another channel. There are even a few quirky options, such as being able to set your favorite sports team and automatically record all its games during a season.

HDHomeRun recordings can be managed from your computer or through one of the mobile/smart TV apps. Unfortunately, it"s not possible to remove your recordings from the cloud and share them offline.

One of Tablo"s most popular models is 2019"s Quad. It has an internal hard drive so you don"t need to worry about dongles and external hard drives to save your recordings. It was one of users" biggest criticisms of earlier models.

MythTV is a free, open-source video recorder. It started life back in 2002 as someone"s pet project but has since grown to become a usable alternative to the now-defunct Windows Media Center.

The feature list is impressive. You can record analog and digital TV, pause live shows, automatically skip commercials, and even deploy parental controls.

For example, some methods will create an offline version of the show which you can watch anywhere, while others don"t provide you with portable copies of your recordings. As always, it"s about finding an app that meets your usage needs.

Capture cards are used for recording and streaming on-screen content – most commonly by video game streamers. Nowadays, some game consoles, such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, have built-in streaming capability. So, do you need a capture card to stream? The short answer to that question is no.

Due to limitations in computer power and data-speed, current generation consoles aren’t able to render and encode video in real-time at a high-quality. That’s where game capture cards come in.

A capture card is a device that’s used in conjunction with a computer to capture on-screen content and encode it for playback in either a livestream or a high-quality video file. Capture cards can be used with video game consoles new and old, as well as computers and cameras. Today, capture cards are most frequently used by video game streamers.

Game capture cards take the raw feed of gameplay and put it into a language that a video player, like YouTube or Twitch, can understand. Capture cards don’t encode the data itself, but they facilitate the transmission from one end (a computer) to another (a video player).

What does a capture card do? How do we know if a capture card is going to be compatible with our system’s needs. The best capture cards, but not all, are compatible with the following devices:Current gen video game consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

The most important thing to look for in a device you’d like to use a capture card with is an HDMI output. The purpose of a capture card is to take a video feed from one device and transmit it through an HDMI cable to another device so that it can be encoded for playback or streaming.

Perhaps the most important question is whether you should buy a capture card with a USB interface or a capture card with a PCI-e interface. As the video above states, USB external capture cards are more versatile because they allow you to take them on the go. However, PCI-e capture cards don"t have the bandwidth limitations that USB external capture cards do.

For a USB video capture device, you’ll need two HDMI cables and a USB cable. This next video explains how to install an Elgato HD60 for use with a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

What is a PC capture card? Since all capture cards require a “personal computer,” all capture cards are PC capture cards — but when people say “PC capture cards,” they’re usually referring to a PCI-e capture card.

For a PCI-e internal capture card, you’ll need two HDMI cables and a compatible motherboard. This next video explains how to install an AverMedia PCI-e capture card. Note that mostly all PCI-e internal capture cards should follow this installation guide.

It may take a little bit of trial and error before you get things working perfectly. If you run into an issue, go to the OBS Studio website and click on the “help” tab for more information.

We’ve answered the question “what is a capture card for streaming?” So, let’s ask a more important question: why use a capture card? There are a lot of capture card uses — from cam link connection to game streaming. By understanding how to use a capture card, we’re one step closer to delivering great content.

Now that we’ve reviewed what capture cards are and how to use them, let’s look at some of the best capture cards to buy in 2020 – whether you’re looking to upgrade or buy one for the very first time. By the end, you’ll know what the best USB and PCI-e capture cards on the market are and what makes them so great.

Multiple MPEG programs are combined then sent to a transmitting antenna. In the US broadcast digital TV system, an ATSC receiver then decodes the TS and displays it on a TV.

An ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) tuner, often called an ATSC receiver or HDTV tuner, is a type of television tuner that allows reception of digital television (DTV) television channels that use ATSC standards, as transmitted by television stations in North America, parts of Central America, and South Korea. Such tuners are usually integrated into a television set, VCR, digital video recorder (DVR), or set-top box which provides audio/video output connectors of various types.

The terms "tuner" and "receiver" are used loosely, and it is perhaps more appropriately called an ATSC receiver, with the tuner being part of the receiver (see Metonymy). The receiver generates the audio and video (AV) signals needed for television, and performs the following tasks: demodulation; error correction; MPEG transport stream demultiplexing; decompression; AV synchronization; and media reformatting to match what is optimal input for one"s TV. Examples of media reformatting include: interlace to progressive scan or vice versa; picture resolutions; aspect ratio conversions (16:9 to or from 4:3); frame rate conversion; and image scaling. Zooming is an example of resolution change. It is commonly used to convert a low-resolution picture to a high-resolution display. This lets the user eliminate letterboxing or pillarboxing by stretching or cropping the picture. Some ATSC receivers, mostly those in HDTV TV sets, will stretch automatically, either by detecting black bars or by reading the Active Format Descriptor (AFD).

An ATSC tuner works by generating audio and video signals that are picked up from over-the-air broadcast television. ATSC tuners provide the following functions: selective tuning; demodulation; transport stream demultiplexing; decompression; error correction; analog-to-digital conversion; AV synchronization; and media reformatting to fit the specific type of TV screen optimally.

Selective tuning is the process by which the radio frequency (RF) of the television channel is selected by a receiver from within a band of transmitted RF signals. The tuner usually performs the function of frequency-agile selection, along with rejection of unwanted out-of-band signals.

"Demodulation" means transforming the signal from the tuner into a signal that a TV set can use to produce images and sound without further consideration for the frequency at which it was transmitted. It is separation of a standard baseband signal from the RF carrier that was used to transmit it through the air (or down a coaxial cable or other long-distance medium.) ATSC as implemented in the US uses 8VSB modulation, which requires less power to transmit, as opposed to the also proposed COFDM modulation (used in European DVB-T, which is less prone to multipath distortion and therefore better received in mobile installations).

In the US, multiple digital signals are combined and then transmitted from one antenna source to create over the air broadcasts. By the reverse process (demultiplexing), an ATSC receiver first receives the combined MPEG transport stream and then decodes it to display one of its component signals on a TV set.

Since digital signals that are broadcast over the air are compressed (packed smaller), once they are received by the ATSC tuner, these compressed packets of digital data are then decompressed (unpacked to their original size). The ATSC system uses lossy compression, so while the decompressed data size is the same as the original compressed data size, the data produced is not exactly the same as the original data fed into the system at the transmitting site, but it is close enough that most people will not notice a difference.

Error correction is a technology that is used by the ATSC tuner to make sure that any data that is missing can be corrected. For instance, sometimes interference or a poor-quality signal will cause the loss of some data that the ATSC tuner receives. With error correction, the tuner has the ability to perform a number of checks and repair data so that a signal can be viewed on a TV set. Error correction works by adding some extra information to the signal before transmission that can be used upon reception to fill in gaps. Therefore, error correction has the opposite effect of compression—it increases the amount of data to transmit, rather than reducing it like compression does, and it improves the quality and robustness of the signal rather than reducing it. Compression removes redundant (and some non-redundant) data, while error correction adds some redundant data. The reason for using error correction rather than just using less compression and keeping the redundancy that was already there is that error correction systems are specially designed to get the maximum benefit out of a very small amount of redundant data, whereas the natural redundancy of the data doesn"t do this job as efficiently, so with error correction the net amount of data needed is still smaller.

For the transmission of HDTV at 720 or 1080, an extra 1% to 3% added error correction codes will help reduce some of ATSC"s poorer performance with weak signals under adverse multipath conditions.

AV synchronization is the coordination of audio and video signals being displayed on a digital TV in proper time. AV synchronization ensures that the audio does not lag behind the video that is being displayed on the TV set or vice versa, so that both audio and video are in sync.

Media reformatting is extremely important because the formatting of images on TV sets differs significantly according to the technology employed. For instance, some televisions have an interlaced picture, whereas others have a progressive-scan picture. Different televisions have a different aspect ratio.

By March 1, 2007 all televisions regardless of screen size, and all interface devices that include a tuner (VCR, DVD player/recorder, DVR) must include a built-in ATSC DTV tuner.

Devices manufactured before these dates can still be sold without a built-in ATSC DTV tuner; the lack of digital tuners legally must be disclosed to consumers and most name-brand retailers have incurred FCC penalties for non-compliance with these requirements.

As of June 12, 2009, TVs and other equipment with legacy NTSC tuners are unable to receive over-the-air broadcasts from United States TV stations, unless the broadcast is from a repeater or low-power transmitter. However, Class-A stations shut down analog transmissions on September 1, 2015 followed by a complete shutdown of all low-power and repeater stations by July 13, 2021. Canada had a similar analog TV termination date set to September 1, 2011 (except in some remote northern regions).

It was feared that the US switch-off would cause millions of non-cable- and non-satellite-connected TV sets to "go dark". Viewers who did not upgrade, either to a television with a digital tuner or a set-top box, ended up losing their only source of television, unless they relied only upon the aforementioned non-full-power broadcasters. A Congressional bill authorized subsidized converter boxes in a way that allowed viewers to receive the new digital broadcasts on their old TVs. The transition proceeded with about 235,000 people requesting coupons after the June 12, 2009, transition date.

In Canada, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) had set August 31, 2011, as the date on which over-the-air analog TV transmission service would cease in 31 major markets of the country, including all provincial capitals, plus Ottawa (the national capital), and most other major urban centers.

As of the end of 2008, there were 22 Canadian DTV transmitters on-air and all existing digital transitional television licenses explicitly proscribe, as a condition of license, the broadcast of more than fourteen hours a week of programming not already on the analogue service. Unlike in the United States, there is no plan to subsidise ATSC converter purchases and no requirement that newly imported receivers decode the digital signal. Canadian retailers are also not required to disclose the inability of new equipment to receive DTV. The Canadian market therefore has been flooded with obsolete new NTSC equipment which lawfully cannot be exported to the US. A limited number of ATSC receivers are in Canadian retail stores as high-definition television (HDTV) receivers. ATSC CECB converter boxes were first carried nationally in October 2008, with chains such as Best Buy and Home Hardware offering limited selection at higher prices than in the US with no government subsidies. ATSC tuners may also be present in most recently manufactured televisions, as well as DVD recorders, HDTV FTA receivers, and personal computer TV tuner cards.

As of the beginning of 2012, almost all Canadian broadcasters are broadcasting an ATSC signal, with a handful of exceptions granted for low-power and regional stations. These signals can be reliably tuned in most cities with a good indoor antenna and an ATSC tuner. US-based ATSC signals can be reliably tuned with an outdoor antenna and an ATSC tuner in Canadian markets within 60 miles of the US broadcast towers. These markets include Toronto (from Buffalo), Windsor (from Detroit and Toledo), Vancouver (from Seattle and Tacoma), Montreal (from Burlington and Plattsburgh), Ottawa (from Watertown and Plattsburgh), and Fredericton (from Presque Isle). Indoor antennas (both passive and amplified) are easier to install, but outdoor antennas are better at tuning stations from further distances.

Most ATSC tuners have relatively simple on-screen menus, and automatically bring the user to a setup screen when turned on for the first time. This allows the user to pick the time zone and daylight-saving time mode (as all stations transmit time in UTC), and bandscan for stations. The scan "listens" on every channel from 2 to 69, and pauses when it detects a digital carrier wave. If it is able to decode the station, it reads its PSIP data, and adds its virtual channels to the channel map. If no PSIP is transmitted, the physical channel number is used, and each transport stream is enumerated according to its TSID (converted from hexadecimal), or starting sequentially at .1, .2, .3, and so forth, depending on the tuner.

Several TV stations are using or have used a temporary channel to send their DTV signals and, upon terminating analog transmission, move their digital transmission either back to their old analog channel, or to a third channel (sometimes the former analog of another local station), chosen in the digital channel election in the U.S. This requires all viewers to re-scan or manually add the new channel and possibly delete the old one. Doing a full re-scan will usually cause other channels to be dropped if they cannot be received at the moment the scan passes their physical channel, so this is typically undesirable, although many ATSC tuners only have this option. Some have an "easy-add" feature which does not delete what is already mapped in memory. Some allow the user to enter the physical channel and an unmapped subchannel, causing the tuner to search the physical channel. Depending on the tuner, this may or may not automatically add the station and its digital subchannels to the map, and/or to the user"s "favorites". This may also leave the old "dead" channel mapping in place, so that there is the new 8.1, dead 8.1, new 8.2, dead 8.2, etc. In most cases, TV stations will not have the actual frequency they are currently using on their website. If the auto scan does not pick up the signal and the tuner has manual frequency scan capability try to get the actual frequency from the station engineer. This may allow one to stay on one frequency (channel) versus "scanning" (moving too quickly through) and allow one to make antenna adjustments while observing only a problematic channel.

Other errors which appear to be in the tuner are actually the result of incorrect data sent by one or more stations, often including missing electronic program guide data. Many ATSC tuners will remember EPG info for each station, but only for a few hours after viewing a channel on that station. Some will not remember at all (displaying only the required channel banner), while a very few others will store data for days (although this requires staying tuned to each station for more than a few seconds in order to receive the extended info). DirecTV receivers with ATSC tuners can download the guide at any time, while other TiVo units download guide data separately. TV Guide On Screen can also be used for this, but very few if any ATSC tuners include this (which requires downloading all guide data for all channels from one particular station). Stations sending the wrong time are also a major problem, as this can skew or ruin guide data for all stations until the correct time is received again from a different and correctly set station.

Each digital OTA channel number is composed of a main number and a subchannel, for example 4.1, 4.2, etc. A dash is an alternate form of representation: 4–1, 4–2... The dot and dash are interchangeable; they both mean the same thing. The main channel numbers refer to the same radio frequencies as previously. However, now "virtual channel" (technically known as logical channel number) numbers are common. So, Channel 4 digital signals may now actually be broadcast on channel 43, or any other frequency. When the ATSC tuner does a channel scan, it finds the signal on channel 43, learns that this material is called "Channel 4", and remembers that mapping. The user can tune to "4", and the tuner will know to tune in 43. Before a scan is done, it may be possible to access the programs directly by manual tuning, by entering 43–1, 43–2... After the scan, the programs would usually be accessed by entering 4–1, 4-2 etc., but it may still be possible to also access them directly at 43 as long as it is also not the same as an already assigned channel. If stations change their broadcast frequencies, it may be possible to access the new frequencies directly as long as it is also not the same as an already assigned channel in which case it will go to that channel instead of the frequency, but the usual procedure is to re-scan all of the channels which will just assign multiple version of any overlapping channels.

ATSC computer cards provide you with the equipment necessary to watch TV on your computer or record and capture video from a video game that you are playing. A wide range of different brands, including AVerMedia, HP, and Elgato, build these cards. Depending on your needs, you can use these video capture cards to convert digital and analog video.

When you are choosing one of these tuner cards, you should be aware of which ports and slots that they are compatible with. The following is a general rundown regarding compatibility:

ExpressCard 54: This interface is typically found in laptop computers and supports both 34mm and 54mm cards, which are available with a selection of these video capture and TV tuner cards. The ExpressCard port is usually found on the side of the laptop that you are using.

PCI Express x1: There are a wide array of different PCIe slots on a computer, the most common of which is the PCI Express x1, which many of these cards are compatible with. These slots are situated directly on the motherboard of your computer, allowing you to transfer the video on your card to the motherboard.

USB 2.0: The majority of these cards are compatible with USB 2.0 slots that come standard on most computers. If you only have a USB 3.0 slot, these are also backward compatible with USB 2.0 devices. A USB is a standard cable connection interface that allows you to transfer any video you capture to your computer.

This type of card allows signals from your television to be received by a computer that the card is hooked up to. Most of these tuners can also be used as video capture cards, providing you with the means of recording television programs and placing them onto a hard disk. There are several different types of TV tuner cards, each of which works with a different type of video.

These cards are generally outfitted with a wide array of unique features. Almost every model allows you to perform video recording and streaming from a large variety of devices, such as personal computers and video game consoles. Most cards allow you to stream or record in 720 to 1080 pixel resolution as well as 30 to 60 frames per second, providing you with high-definition recordings. Additional features on many of these models include the inclusion of low latency technology, live commentary features, and HDMI pass-through functionality.