# HDTV on my PC?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv-on-my-pc/156866>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 23, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv-on-my-pc/156866 "2003-02-23T00:22:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![boo\_boo\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@boo\_boo\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boo_boo_bear)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv-on-my-pc/156866/21 "2003-02-26T16:28:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Running with Scissors \*  
> \*\*Bear,
> 
> The answer is “it depends, but probably not”. To be able to record HD, your cable box needs to have a Firewire output (DVI bandwidth is too high for recording, and there are no HD component-\>digital converters yet, probably because there’s no affordable hardware that’s fast enough). Also, your cable company needs to enable recording of premium content. That second part is the tough part; since Hollywood is loathe to give anyone the ability to record HD content[sup]\*[/sup], it’s likely that you would **not** be able to record HBO or SHO on D-VHS. You should check with your cable company to be sure (see if there’s a user-supported mailing list set up for them; a fellow subscriber of my cable company - Cablevision - set up a Yahoo group/mailing list, and we have lots of technical folks on it, including a couple of senior CV employees, who give us info not yet available to the general public).
> 
> [sup]\*[/sup]This will likely change in the near future when integrated HD set top boxes/PVRs become available; however, you still won’t be able to record the program on a removable medium like tape or DVD-R; it would have to stay within the box. \*\*

You know, I didn’t think about the bandwidth issue - my cable box doesn’t have Firewire but both the JVC unit and the Sony tuner that I’ve been looking at do have Firewire; on the Crutchfield website, there’s a disclaimer to the effect that the JVC unit might not be compatible with all HDTV tuners…

I’m on Time-Warner (which, rumor has it, will soon be sold to Charter) so I’ll poke around for some more info - I found a couple of HDTV sites but, to be honest, they spoke a lingo way above my head.

Thanks!  
-bbb-

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv-on-my-pc/156866/22 "2003-02-26T16:31:07Z")

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"Don’t some HDTVs come with tuners built in "

Sure,  
[http://electroline4u.com/shopsite\_sc/store/html/sony65XBR2.html](http://electroline4u.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/sony65XBR2.html)

"For the ultimate in viewing excitement, you can’t do better than Sony’s biggest and best projection HDTV! The HDTV tuner is built in on Sony’s 16:9 widescreen KDP-65XBR2. Over-the-air HDTV programs are available in nearly two-thirds of the major TV markets (practically all of CBS’s prime-time lineup is broadcast in HDTV, and the other networks are increasing their HD offerings). "

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**Author:** ![mcbiggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@mcbiggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcbiggins)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hdtv-on-my-pc/156866/23 "2003-03-20T23:33:13Z")

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[http://www.viewsonic.com/products/video\_box\_nextvisionn6.htm](http://www.viewsonic.com/products/video_box_nextvisionn6.htm)

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