Bit long post but bear with me and if this is in wrong topic, feel free to relocate to proper location:

Goal live tv watching concept: NTSC tuner thru various boxes (even broadcast quality boxes) as required then feed LCD TV by best possible input (component or HDMI). *perserving* the details much as possible and almost 98% no artifacts, odd things etc. All flat panel TV onboard tuners via SD between okay and awful and is what driving me crazy. Canada not yet to go HD till aug 12, 2011 so long way off and I'm getting LCD TV in very short term, hence the need to solve this problem.

Details on this concept.

Tuning for NTSC: S-VHS VCR with S-video output. I got:

HR-S3500U JVC (freebie from my work)
I also have Mitsubishi HS-U82(C) but display is dead and input/output is not controlling. Needs service manual for this. (I work at TV shop).
I even bought a HM-DT100U and returned it for no CC decoding overlay, astrocious PQ (shocking!) either S-video, component or HDMI from tuner with cable source on SD channels.

Another choice but I haven't found one yet is specialized broadcast tuner box, ever one exist at all? Tthat could either output S-video, component or SD-SDI.

Various: Closed caption decoder which is required since I'm deaf. I'll explain more about this CC. I found three solutions; S-video, SD-SDI or big box (megabucks!).
Video converter: may need to convert S-video to SDI or something even S-video to component, or SDI to component. Important: no processing or scaling at all to the LAST moment ideally in the TV itself via component or VGA or HDMI.

Final conversion from SDI or S-video to component or DVI/HDMI to TV.

Viewing: LCD samsung; what model of LCD I know not, since I'm waiting to see what samsung have come up around March. It will be a 120Hz 1080 32" LCD probably with LED backlight most certainly C series, not those thin ones. I nearly had gotten LN32B650 but went out of stock, tried and returned Sharp LC-40LE700UN, awful PQ and artifacts abounds because of cheap processor chip (mediatek for a 1,300-1,800 TV).

CC regarding Samsung had changed dramatically past 2 years, first dropped S-Video input, then lost ability to decode CC through component input which I vertified. PQ quality wise, 480i via component is best PQ when I tested with a old DVD player on a LN40A450 or LN40B450 so I was seeking 6 series ever since.

I did try three capture cards and I was utterly disappointed. Threatrix 550 Pro, Impact VCB and Kworld ATSC-120. Had to do hardware modifications to block out herringbone noise, improved but still picture is heavy on noise card and still not stellar PQ. Dscaler did the job with CC right on but still dark and weak color with TV or LCD monitor, never sharp or vivid with all three cards I tried.
I realize that using a PC as live TV via TV is good but I'm still eluding PQ and ease of use route is tough for daily use.

Now specific hardware uncovered during the days and days of research:

S-video or SDI closed caption decoder. Have anyone had used this and does they preserve or destory PQ
Plenty out there with google, can be card or a small module that fit in your hands.

Blackmagic Design:

Intensity Pro but don't know if anyone have done a live TV setup with this and implemented CC decoding with it except for a "solution hack" with a SageTV but I'm leery of the PQ loss this implies with software TV PVR. I tried BeyondTV, GB-PVR and Dscaler with varying of success but not total win souring my experience. PC hardware no matter, I already have one that can take this kind of stress.

Possible solution: HDlink Pro DVI (perfect solution for upconversion from SD-SDI as 480i to 1080 for LCD via DVI) Price is reasonable and I'm very interested in this.

Adapters that converts SDI to or from s-video or component if there is a NTSC tuner with SDI output beast ever it existed instead of HDlink Pro DVI:
http://www.miranda.com/product.php?i=137&l=1
http://www.miranda.com/product.php?l=1&i=134

I have not seen a short recording of Hauppauge HD-PVR SD 480i cap via s-video at top data rate, but I found one but plays fine and gave lot of banding and soft look, not as sharp.

PS: there is a chipsets that does nearly what I wanted but I haven't found a device ready to buy:
TVP5160 can be hooked to tuner, s-video and component, coupled to ADV7311 (outputs either S-video or component). TVP5160 has several good features that others might find interesting:
Line TBC, VBI processor (CC decoder need a external chip to render and overlay text on video but this is only a direct hook up to a 20-28 pin CC decoder), 3D and 3D NR, much more. ADV7311 is professional level high-bandwidth 216MHz chip output IC. Google TVP51560(EVM) and have a look through PDF guide of this evaluation boards with this mentioned chips.

Cheers, Wizard