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June 2, 2006
Dear CNET members,
Happy Friday! I never did get to hear from Alan S. from Australia to know if he solved the issue with his Windows display properties reverting. Anyway, if you're out there, Alan, check your e-mail or the previous Help & How-to Newsletter for some great suggestions from our members, and we wish you the best of luck. Now, let's tackle this week's question, submitted by John, who would like to watch TV on his computer. Many members suggest that while those ads that state "download now, no additional hardware needed to watch TV on your PC" may be true, they will either severely limit what is available for you to watch or may cost you a subscription in order to watch those programs; some even suggest being careful in case that software has spyware. Most of our members recommend either a TV tuner card that installs into your computer or a external USB TV tuner for the best TV viewing experience on your computer. Many members even recommend specific hardware brands that they have personally used successfully. So without further delay, here is this week's winning answer by Andy, where he lists a few options to watch TV on your PC but also gives some pros and cons for each one. We have many great answers this week, so make sure you read through all the honorable mentions and other suggestions from our members to get a good idea of what approach you would like to take. I have no doubt that before you know it, many of us will be enjoying TV on our computers. If you have any more suggestions about this topic, please join us in this week's discussion and offer some of your experiences and advice. Have a great weekend, everyone!
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Member Question of the Week
I have been looking into TV-to-PC software to be able to
watch TV from my PC. Some ads say "download now, no
additional hardware needed," yet others say that a media card
is needed, leaving me confused. Can anyone tell me the truth
before I waste my money? Would I need additional hardware
like an antenna, a media card, and so on? Or can I really
watch TV from my PC with just the software? What are the
minimum requirements? How long will everything take to set
up? The bottom line is that I would like to watch TV on my
computer, so what are all the possible ways I can go about
doing so? Thanks.
Submitted by:
John B.
Regarding watching TV on a PC. There are several ways to accomplish the task of watching television on your PC: 1. Software-only solutions. It's hard to say without knowing exactly what service you're looking at, but it's important to keep something in mind: TV shows have to be broadcast from somewhere, somehow. Most software solutions are subscription or pay-as-you-watch services.
Since you usually download or stream the show to your computer, you need to have a broadband Internet connection. Beyond that, hardware requirements vary by service (each service should list the requirements), but I would imagine Windows 2000 or later, 256MB of RAM, and a decent video card (32MB to 64MB or so) would suffice...
Submitted by:
Andy F.
For
Andy's
efforts, we're sending him his choice of any
Help.com Learning CD.
Community Buzz
 Each week we take a look at topics discussed in the forums.
Best regards and enjoy!
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Member dcmorris is in the process of setting up a second computer in his home that will be placed about 12 to 15 feet from the other PC in a separate room. He believes that if he goes wireless, he must purchase a router and wireless card. And if he hard-wires it, he must purchase a connecting cable. He would like to know what is the best way to use the Internet, printer, and scanner capabilities of both computers. Do you have advice for him?
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Check out next week's question:
Every once in a while a Web site asks me if I want to load an ActiveX control. I usually click the X button to close the window instead of the OK button, but sometimes I have to allow it, such as when I use Symantec's free online virus scan. The thing is, I am worried that having these on the computer could leave me vulnerable for attack later, so how do I get rid of them? Clearing cookies, history, and cache doesn't do it, and Ad-aware doesn't do it. Can someone please explain to me what exactly ActiveX controls are and what they do? Are there any security risks about them that I should be aware of, and when is it OK to allow ActiveX controls on my PC? Thank you.
--Submitted by:
Jon of San Francisco, California
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free Help.com CD.
Have a question?
• Multimedia
• Internet Security
• Digital Cameras
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• PC Upgrading
• PC Troubleshooting
• Digital Music
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Do you mix TV
with your PC?
(Please click on button to vote) |
 Never, they're separate machines,
separate activities (tell us why)
Sort of, I surf the Web while I watch TV
Yes, I watch TV on my computer (how?)
Maybe later, I expect both will be
tightly integrated (tell us why)
Other (tell us what)
| Member Profile of the Week |
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User name: RichMe1ster
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Member since:
May 22, 2006
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About me: I was born at the same time electronic technology was rapidly growing. I grew up with computers...
(read more)
Each week we feature a CNET member who contributes to our community. Fill out your profile to get a chance to be featured in our newsletter and win a CNET t-shirt!
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Simple question, simple answer
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