Our native mobile app has a new name: Fora Communities. Learn more.

Comcast HDTV on my laptop...help?

656 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by RobsTV, Apr 12, 2005

rickrock88

Discussion Starter · Mar 1, 2005

Hello,

I would be very grateful if someone can tell me how I go about wathcing HDTV on my Dell 9200 laptop.

My Dell 9200 notebook has a DVI, S video and VGA output. My goal is to hook up a Comcast Motorola 5100 hdtv cable box to it and watch hdtv on my computer.

The issue is, I think that it will not work as the Comcast box has a dvi output and my computer has a dvi output--two outputs don't make a right

I would think that my notebook would need to have a dvi input. Are there any cables that can convert an output to an input? any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I understand that I will need a tv tuner card for my laptop regardless of if I successfully hook up my Comcast box to my computer. Is this true?

Thanks!

Save

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 9 of 9 Posts

MikeSM

· #2 · Mar 1, 2005

This is almost impossible to do. Your best bet is to try and get a new cable box from comcast that supports firewire, like the DCT6200, and try and stream MPEG2 from the DCT to the laptop, and then have the laptop do the MPEG2 decode and display. You'll need a very fast laptop and/or video accelerator to do this.

Also, if Comcast is encrypting the HD signal over the firewire interface with 5C, then this will not work and then there is no way to do what you want.

Thanks,

Mike

Save

rickrock88

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 1, 2005

thanks Mike.

I guess my first question is why can't my laptop simnply function as lcd television? Why all of the complexities? also, My laptop does not have tv tuner card. Will I need to buy one? Also, what if I want to watch regular non hdtv programing on my computer?

Save

MikeSM

· #4 · Mar 2, 2005

Quote:

Originally posted by rickrock88
thanks Mike.

I guess my first question is why can't my laptop simnply function as lcd television? Why all of the complexities? also, My laptop does not have tv tuner card. Will I need to buy one? Also, what if I want to watch regular non hdtv programing on my computer?

HDTV is output using component or DVI. Both carry high amounts of information that requires enormously expensive technology to encode. The TV tuner cards only will allow you to watch non-HD analog TV. HD is an order of magnitude more complex, and therefore exponentially harder to encode.

Laptops aren't designed to support passthrough inputs, so you can't just hook up the display to the DCT. If you had a straight 15 inch monitor with a DVI input (not a laptop), then this would work if the monitor had the right level of resolution.

Thanks,

Mike

See less See more

Save

rickrock88

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 2, 2005

thanks Mike,

Whether or not I actually watch hdtv on my computer, do I need to by a tv tuner card in addition to the comcast box?

thanks

Save

Duwaan

· #6 · Apr 11, 2005

Do I need a tv tuner card to use the tv functions? Sometimes I see people use the word video card in the same context when refering to media center. I thought a "classic" video card was something different. I have a laptop and a comcast digital box.

Thanks for your patience.

Save

umdivx

· #7 · Apr 11, 2005

the one option both you you have is possibly "streaming" via firewire, thats if your laptops have firewire ports.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...hreadid=403695

that or look for a USB TV tuner card, those are the ONLY ways to get video from any source to display onto your laptops.

-Josh

Save

Duwaan

· #8 · Apr 12, 2005

Thank you for your reply. 2 more questions.

Would one option be more appropriate for MCE?

If using an external tuner for a laptop is there one highly recommended to be used with MCE?

Save

RobsTV

· #9 · Apr 12, 2005

rickrock88

I too have i9200, and it works great for HDTV as well as WMV-HD.

Running Sasem OnAir USB2 for OTA HDTV. Friend tested Sasem with Brighthouse cable QAM HDTV, and it too worked fine. Other options may exist as well. You have non-powered mini firewire port. The i9200 is more than capable of handling anything you throw at it. Excellent choice for HTPC.

Save

1 - 9 of 9 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.

Top Contributors this Month