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Find a Business or PersonaccessDTV
AccessDTV Benefits: Streaming Data, HDTV, CustomizationAn additional benefit to viewing DTV on your computer is that some broadcasters are sending Web pages alongside shows. Some DTV stations broadcast Web content on a 1- or 2-Mbps sub-channel, and you can view it in a browser on your computer screen. This is a new idea that is waiting for clear standards and patterns, but some broadcasters are trying it now. |
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AccessDTV Card ComponentsThe tuner receives the signal from the antenna and tunes in a single channel. The demodulator retrieves the 19.39-Mbps digital stream from the channel. The MPEG decoder decompresses the MPEG encoding and separates subchannels. The signal then goes to either the connectors on the board that connect to a DTV monitor, or to the computer's video card directly. MPEG signals and sound information can go through the PCI bus to the hard disk and sound card, respectively. |
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AccessDTV Benefits: Price, Picture, PerformanceThe Basic Idea The basic idea behind the accessDTV card/software combination is that, once installed in your computer, it allows you to watch DTV on your computer's monitor. There is nothing else to buy, so this is definitely the least expensive way ever to watch DTV in your home. And, it turns out that in full-screen mode, this is a good way to watch DTV -- standard computer monitors create a high-quality display that really shows off the clarity of DTV. |
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AccessDTV Features* It provides personal video recording that allows you to record DTV broadcasts onto your hard disk for later viewing. * It provides a service that gives you a program guide, listings for digital broadcasts in your area and links to content-related Web sites. DTV technology and programming is advancing quickly, and this card lets you experience it all. |
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ConnectorsThe accessDTV card comes with a collection of connectors that you use to accept video input and generate audio/video output. This diagram shows you the connectors: |
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DTVIf you have read How Digital Television Works, then you are familiar with the world of DTV. Here is a quick summary of the important points: |
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How accessDTV WorksThe excitement around digital television (DTV) has been growing steadily for several years. If you have been to any of the major electronics stores recently, you have probably noticed shelves filled with digital television sets. |
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InstallationInstalling the accessDTV card and software takes 10 to 15 minutes. You can install it in any machine that has a Pentium II processor running at 400 megahertz (MHz) or better as long as the machine has a free PCI slot -- see the bottom of this page for details on the minimum system requirements. |
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