IO Digital Cable Tv Tuner - HELP!!!

[jenpierno]

I'm looking for a Tv-tuner for my dell inspiron 8600 laptop(preferably
one the can connect through USB). I would like to use this tv tuner in
conjunction with software, essentially creating a TIVO like device out
of my computer.

Here's my problem.

I have IO Digital Cable, and as far as it seems,
all the PC-TV tuners I’ve researched only work with analogue cable
source.

I want to connect directly using the cable from the wall
(bypassing the cable box) so that I can change channels and schedule
recording from my laptop, but I have no idea where to get a tv tuner
that converts an IO digital Cable signal.

Can you help me???
All my searches have been fruitless!

Is there a tv tuner (card or usb) that I can use with digital cable????

Thank you.

[farnlc]

not speaking for your cable company, most cable companies are analog on channels 2-80 then digital on all the rest, so any capture card should work for channels 2-80 but if you want to capture the premium channels, you will have to tune them on your cable box and capture that using an analog input. remember, just because a cable box is digital the output is still analog. There arent any digital cable cards for computers that I know, because what benefit would that give the cable company.

[jenpierno]

Thanks for your reply! So you're saying that if I get any tv tuner card, I should be able to plug the cable directly from the wall (bypassing the box) into the card, and I'll get channels 2-80???

I know that the signal coming from the box is analogue, My only concern is if the entire signal coming from the wall is digital.

What card would you recommend?

[lordsmurf]

Almost any tuner cards will be fine with it. ATI ALL IN WONDER cards can take analog cable signals just fine.

No card takes digital, as it has to be decoded.

But as said, your lower band channels are probably still analog. You need to ask your provider, and get a knowledgeable person to give honest answer. Call a few times to verify (some workers are pretty ignorant at many companies, the ones that answers phones)