1) is it possible to split the cable signal between the internet and a TV tuner? would both devices have full functionality when on?
2) what are the sys. requirements to watch TV without any problems on a PC.
i have pentium III - 500 Mhz and 288 MB RAM...the processor is kinda old but the memory is decent.
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Originally Posted by e-z-e
Originally Posted by e-z-e -
i was thinking of getting something cheap...like the ATI all in wonder card at wal mart. my computer is too slow to capture video but i would like to watch tv on my pc. do you know if the ATI all in wonder card will take care of all the processing for me?
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Here is some info that no one has stated yet.
This was told to me by the broadband/cable internet installer.
There is some type of splitter used and then there is a two way filter (on one side)so you can send and receive data from the net. so in order to get cable on my computer (I hava an ATI all-in-wonder card BTW)I have to use another splitter and tap of the cable side of the splitter.
In other words if you have a cable modem you can't just use a splitter off that line because that line is running two ways (in and out) and this will interfer with the cable tv signal.
Now onto question 2
I have a 400 mhz celeron and I watch tv with the ATI All-In-Wonder 128 PRO (16MB) PCI.This is now considered a slow card because of both the 16MB and the fact that it is PCI. At the time when I built my computer a regular everyday video card was around $20 I paid $50 dollars for my ATI after mail in rebates(purchase price was $120 before rebates).
I love My ATI card ,my wife hates it because there is no reason to leave my home office, I can watch tv, record tv, play a dvd, all while surfing the net. Oh and I almost forgot my computer even has a remote and surround sound all I need is a microwave in here (already have a fridge for cold drinks when entertaing a client).
I know you will LOVE the ATI card. BTW why would you use the word cheap when referring to this card
Hope this helps
VCD4MEWe were all NEWBIES once and the only stupid question is the one that's not asked? -
Originally Posted by vcd4me
thanks and peaceoutVisit my webpage at:
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Ok
I'll try to explain it easier.
The cable comes into your house and is split into 2.
1 side is for the internet it has a special filter allowing you to send and recieve data.
the other side is for your cable television that goes to the rest of your house you can split off that to put into your Ati or whatever tv tuner card you buy.
I have two cable wires coming out of the wall in my office
1 for internet
1 for ATI all-in-wonder card
Hope this is clearer
Signed
VCD4MEWe were all NEWBIES once and the only stupid question is the one that's not asked? -
ok. understood now
do i have to actually physically split it like that or can i just use a splitter with a cable booster ? somone told me that would work.
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You do not need two lines for your cable modem, unless you live in an area where they have a really bad cable system (but most of those can't support cable modem at all). There is no "special filter", aside from the connection they make at the cable box outside - and normally there is only one line from that box in to the building. In virtually all apartments and most houses there is one line with splitters behind the wall plates, and cable modems work fine. Under normal circumstances the only filtering you need is a band-pass filter to block most of the non-data (TV) signals from even reaching the modem so it can lock in on the signal more easily, but even that is often unnecessary. If they told you that you needed to pay for them to install a second line, they were probably just trying to get you to pay extra. If you didn't pay extra they were probably trying to cover up substandard cabling or problems in their own equipment.
The average cable modem installation tech knows very little about cable systems, networking, or computers. The dangerous part is that they usually don't know quite how deep their own ignorance is. I would never allow one to actually install anything on my computer, and even the more advanced techs that came out when my cable modem service went out said things about the cable system that I knew to be wrong. -
hence, its safe to say that i can use a regular splitter to do this?
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I quite believe that Sterno is correct as I have never seen any special filters or special splitters for this purpose. Any 900mhz sliptter should work to allow operation of both a TV and computer or computer network. But, do heed Greg12's note that it should be an HIGH QUALITY 900mhz splitter.
As for a cheap card I would recommend getting just a simple WinTV card. The quality for price can not be beat.
Golem -
Sterno I could be wrong
I am just going by what the internet installer told me and when I looked down in my basement I saw some filter on the internet side of my splitter. I called it a special filter you called it a band pass filter, I don't know anything about filters, you obviously know more about the spliters and filters than I do. They never charged anything extra he just told me what and where I had to split it.
I guess I didn't say it right because we both basically said the same thing the diffrence is I am talking about splitting it in the basement and you are talking about splitting it from the wall either way is correct.
So if I wanted to run one line up from the basement I would have to move that splitter and filter up here in my home office. It was actually easier to run a second line off the splitter and come up through the wall than to undo all the staples and move the splitter and filter.
So am I wrong? That's how you made it sound to me
Good luck e-z-e
SIgned
VCD4MEWe were all NEWBIES once and the only stupid question is the one that's not asked? -
I have a 4 way gold platted 900MHZ splitter.
I don't recomind using more than 2 feeds out of the splitter at once -
A band-pass filter doesn't really have anything to do with one-way or two-way signals. It allows only a certain range of frequencies (a band) to pass through and blocks any signal outside that range. The one they gave me is a small metal cylinder 2-3 inches long that screws in to the cable connector on the back of the modem, and the cable line screws in to the other end of the filter.
The reason it's useful with cable modems is that a cable modem locks in on a frequency just like your TV tunes in to a channel, but unlike your TV the cable modem has to scan for it. That's why a cable modem usually takes a few seconds to go online after you turn on the power, it's "tuning in". If your signal is noisy or weak the modem can have trouble identifying the signal. The band-pass filter makes it easier by blocking out any signals/noise outside the range they use for cable modems. I didn't need the filter at all until after one of the many "upgrades" the cable company did that didn't go quite as well as they'd planned.
The reason cheap splitters don't work well with cable modems is that many of them are only designed to handle the frequencies used by standard TV and analog cable, and cable modems use a much higher frequency. Low-quality splitters can also cause problems with some digital cable systems for the same reason. -
Use Caution
A good splitter is a must , I simply recommend asking your cable company for one that they use. I used to be a Tech for an ISP and found alot of people messing with this kind of thing. Always use good splitters atleast 900 or higher. Never NEver use a splitter in your room that has a port that is not being used and make sure that the splitter is connected in the right direction. You can lose another 10db doing that. Also it depends how far your house is from the street. Most people don't consider the loss due to distance. The rich folk are the worst to deal with. IF possible NEVER use a house amp. Cable companies may recommend one for your house if you picture is not great ask them if it could by pass the modem and if not ask to use a 0db gain 8 port amp. This will reduce the amount of noise that is amped that could stop your return path and kick you off line. -
Hey STerno
The average cable modem installation tech knows very little about cable systems, networking, or computers. The dangerous part is that they usually don't know quite how deep their own ignorance is. I would never allow one to actually install anything on my computer, and even the more advanced techs that came out when my cable modem service went out said things about the cable system that I knew to be wrong.
As far as installers I agree with you. I was a Tech for Knology in GA. Most times what happens is the if the Tech keeps coming out chances are that it is in the system but if your system was like Knology with phone service also you always had problems hunting down the taps that were bad due to shitty installs for phones. As far as computers I was one of 2 that knew anything about them. Most people won't work in that kinda job for the pay thats why you can't find the computer guys. Besides most problems could be fixed by maintance techs but sometimes I had to hunt the problem from my laptop on the customers modem up to our corp dept. That happened when 1 of our new blocks of ip's weren't being served out to the users. -
funny thing happened today. went to radioshack and purchased a 900 mhz gold plated splitter. came home and was looking for a screw driver to mount it and stumbled upon our oldass 600 mhz splitter in the garage. decided to take it out just in case. went back to my room and plugged in the 900 mhz splitter and it worked but only one side worked at a time. if i plugged the internet in on one side and the tv tuner in on the other one of the internet wouldnt work. if i did vise versa, the internet would work but the tv tuners picture was bad. so i just decided to try the oldass 600 mhz splitter to compare. and what do you know? the old sucker worked!! i did notice that my internet slowed down a bit but maybe that was just kazaa. are there any drawbacks to using only 600 mhz?
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The drawback is that it may not work as well. The MHz rating on the splitter is usually the highest frequency it's designed to carry without significant degradation. Since that rating is more or less a guarantee, they almost always work reliably well beyond that rating. People suggest 900MHz splitters, I think a lot of cable modems actually use frequencies well over 1000MHz but that's within the safe range for most 900MHz splitters.
With a 600MHz splitter you may be pushing it, though. The slowdown you noticed may very well have been your connection. If you later rearrange how you have other things plugged in to your cable line it may stop working. If the cable company makes changes to their hardware it may stop working. Or everything could be just fine forever.
If it works well enough for you, go ahead and use it. If you want to test your speed a lot of broadband providers have a web site or something that just has a big file sitting on a server at the other end of your connection (so it won't go through the internet) that you can download to check the speed.
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