Ultimate TV


Would you like a TV guide where you can just type in the name of a show and have the times and dates it’s on this week displayed for you?
Oh look, Sex And The City is on Tuesday night at 8. Cool. How about entering the name of an actor to see if he’s in any movies this week? Aww, Kevin Spacey isn’t in any movies this week. But how about Hilary Swank? Hey Jackpot! Oh, but I have a life and I’m going out Friday night! Now what? Oh, there’s a record button. Done!

Okay, that’s cool and everything, but what if I’m a nerd that enjoys watching Cable Pulse 24 a whole bunch but I don’t really need to stare at the traffic and weather while I’m at it? If only I could just draw a box around the part I want to watch and have it zoom to full screen. Oh I can? Groovy. Oh, and hey, I can think of other things to draw the box around! Guess who’s going to be the alpha geek at the next Star Trek night! Tasha Yar, resistance is futile!

“Okay Aleks,” I hear you say, “So, like, can I buy one or what?” Like, yeah – or else this article would be titled, “Sci-fi fantasies of a computer science masters student” or some such thing. So, is this cool new thing out yet? Yup, I’ve had mine for three years actually. Whoa. And how much is this going to cost me – as I am but a starving student? Well, very little if you’ve got a PC, a screwdriver and either a little technical know-how or enough money to buy someone with technical know-how a pizza. (Many pizza-loving students with technical know-how are said to hide in the Computer Science building. They’re a bit shy, but will generally answer when spoken to in a calm non-threatening manner).

The missing piece of the puzzle is a TV-Tuner Card. I use an ATI All-In-Wonder Card that can be had for about $5-$10 if you buy it used from eBay or one of the many fine used computer stores in Toronto.
I know some of you are saying, “Oh Aleks, I don’t want to do any work or talk to an icky computer science student.” Well, let me entice you with some more benefits then. Wouldn’t you love to have the name of the show you’re watching displayed on the screen as you flip channels?
Don’t want to watch TV on a little computer screen? Well hey, what’s this in the box? It’s a cable that hooks your PC to your TV! How cool is that? Not only can you now see the TV guide and shows you record on your actual TV, but you can surf the web on your TV.

Have a DVD drive in your PC? Well now you can watch your DVDs on your TV as well. And all those movies you downloaded off the net? Yeah, watch them on your TV. Legal movies of course. Not that I’d ever think you were the type of person who illegally downloads movies, but I’m just saying.

Oh, and watching slideshows of pics you took with your camera on your TV is pretty sweet as well. Oh, and I almost forgot the best part – you don’t have to pay Rogers for any of this! No more than you already do anyway. It’s all free once you set this system up. Good luck.
Excalibur Naked Tech