Computer Components

Receiver Tuner

How to Hook up a PCIe TV Tuner Card to a Desktop

The TBS 6981 is a PCI Express compatible dual TV tuner card capable of receiving DVB S2/S HD/SD TV, Clear QAM and FM signals. Most TV tuner cards with this model number come packaged with a remote control, and some come packaged with an iR receiver and low profile bracket which adds extra A/V ports to your computer. Also packaged with this computer tv tuner card is TBS's own software, including the driver and user manual. Now here is a tutorial on how to hook up TBS 6981 PCI express card to a desktop.

 

Installing the TV Tuner card

 

Step 1

Turn off your computer and unplug it from the wall. Open up the case and look for a short, white card expansion connector on the motherboard. Next to it should be at least two more white connectors that look similar but are longer. If this connector is already being used by another card, you can still install your tuner in a long connector. The PCIe TV tuner card will still run as a PCIe x1 when installed into the longerx4/ x8 or x16 connector.

 

Step2

Remove your tuner card from its anti-static bag and line it up with both the motherboard connector and its associated expansion card slot. The slot is the hole that the TV tuner card's ports will stick out of when the card is installed. If there are any clips or a plastic swing-arm on the tops of the card slots, release the slot's clip or pull up on the swing-arm. Push the card down into the connector so that the card's metal bracket fits into that slot. Secure it with the slot's clip or put the swing-arm back into its original position.

 

Installing Drivers & Remote

 

Step 1

Plug in your computer and power it on. Attach your TV signal source to one of your new tuner ports using a coaxial cable. If your computer tv tuner came with a remote control, plug in the Infra Red (IR) receiver into its port on the card, which is located on the card's bottom. Allow your computer to boot into Windows and then insert the drivers disc and install the drivers.

 

Step 2

Click on the "Start" button in Windows and type "Media Center" into the search box. Press the "Enter" key to load Windows Media Center. While in Media Center, go to "TV + Movies" and then click on "Set up TV." From there, follow the prompts to choose a local programming guide and find channels.

 

Step 3

Run the IR Configuration Utility by clicking on "Start" and then typing its name into the search box. When the program comes up in the search listing, click on it to start. When the dialog box appears with a message saying it detected one remote, click on the checkbox and then click on "OK -- Save Changes." Restart your computer before attempting to use the remote.

 

 

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Amplifier - Tuner - Audio Receiver - PreAmplifier... What is the difference?

We'd like to control our home theater as well as control our outdoor system. I have no clue what it is that I need but I'd like it to all be easily contained inside the house
(I'll run outdoor speaker wire from inside to outside for those speakers)
Which one of those do I need??

I will address your question as a series of definitions to clarify the differences, and then try to get more specific from there.

Amplifier: Think of this as a "power supply" for your speakers. An amp is a dumb device and needs a signal to be sent to it by something like a receiver/tuner/preamp, which the amp will then boost up and send out to your speakers.

Tuner: The real definition of a tuner is a device which receives a frequency of some type (radio/tv/satellite...) and modulates it into a usable form. A tuner in your application could be any of the previously mentioned types, and in some cases could be fed directly to an amplifier, but this is not a recommended method of use, as all you would end up with is whatever type of signal your tuner is (ex. if you hooked up a radio tuner directly to an amplifier, all you would have is radio...)

Receiver: This is the modern home theater "jack of all trades". The term 'receiver' generally denotes having a built in amplifier (or several) a tuner of some kind (or sometimes several), and a pre-amp. For home theater, this is usually the easiest and most cost effective method to drive multiple speakers, and multiple zones (such as your outdoor system being a second zone). Look for a "multi-zone receiver" to address your specific needs. These will have several amplifiers for the main system, and several more for use in another zone, and most will even allow you to use different sources (DVD/CD, Radio, Satellite, etc...) in each zone, so you could watch a movie in the main zone while people on your patio could be listening to XM Satellite radio as an example!

Pre-Amplifier: Think of this as a receiver without the amplifiers built in. It's the brain without the brawn. You would be able to connect everything to it (DVD/CD players, Game Systems, etc...) just like a receiver, but you would need to provide external amplification to power your speakers. If you are doing more than 2-3 zones, this can be a good option, as it would allow you to select amplifiers with enough power and enough channels of amplification to drive those extra zones, but if you are only considering the two zones you mentioned above, a receiver is your best option.

Look into having a professional audio/video consultant help you with making the right decisions to ensure you get a system capable of meeting your specific needs. An HAA certified specialist (www.homeacoustics.net), such as myself, can help you with many areas of sound design from system recommendations to speaker locations and audio calibration!

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