TV receiver program on it on the computer. Huge selection of drivers for TV tuners
In the days when everyone had fourteen-inch monitors on their desks, the notion that a computer could one day replace the TV in the living room could only bring a smile. But only ten or fifteen years have passed, and everything has changed. Monitors are now flat, have grown in size and become widescreen, so you can watch TV shows on them with the same comfort as on a modern TV screen. In order to turn the monitor into a TV, you need a TV tuner. By and large, you can do without it if we are talking about online broadcasting of TV channels (more on this can be found in the article "Online broadcasting. Part two: Internet TV"), but in this case we are talking about watching those channels, which can be seen by turning on the TV. As a rule, any TV tuner comes with software, but you can find a number of alternative programs on the Internet to work with these devices. The functions that they offer are very diverse: you can automatically record TV programs at a specified time, improve picture quality, display images from several TV channels at the same time, etc. Standard and alternative programs for working with TV tuners will be discussed in this review.
AverTV
Developer: AverMediaDistribution size: 25 MB
Spreading: free Unfortunately, many programs for working with a TV tuner cost money, and a lot of it. Therefore, before installing alternative software, you should take a closer look at the capabilities of the program that comes with the device. If it works without failures, and its capabilities are enough for comfortable watching TV, then other applications may not be needed. For example, popular AverMedia tuners are equipped with the AverTV program, which is quite functional. In addition, AverTV has not bypassed the fashion for decorations - it has the ability to change the appearance, or rather, the color scheme.
During the installation process, the program requests information about the user's location. This is done for a reason, because the broadcast format depends on the country in which it is located - NTSC, PAL, SECAM. Depending on the response received, the program automatically sets the broadcast format. AverMedia will also help in compiling a list of channels - for this it is enough to start scanning the range. However, if there is a need to add a channel manually, this can be easily done by specifying its frequency.
AverTV has a fairly handy task scheduler. It will come in very handy if you don't want to miss a football match or a TV show that will be on when you are not at home. The program can start and end the recording at the time specified by the user. Before starting the scheduler, you need to check the general recording parameters in the program settings. Information about how much free space is available on each hard drive is available here. If you plan to record long transmissions, then it makes sense to set the file splitting options. In this case, AverTV will create a new file every time the size of the previous one reaches the specified size (650, 700, 750 Mb or 4 Gb).
AverTV can be used not only to record TV programs, but also to record a signal from any external source, such as a satellite tuner, camcorder or VCR. Optionally, you can save individual video frames as graphic files in BMP, TIF, JPG, or PCX formats. After capture, frames can be viewed in the preview window and the unsuccessful ones can be deleted immediately. Since AverMedia tuners usually come with remote controls, AverTV works great with them. If, over time, some buttons on the remote control become "sticky", you can use the key remapping function and change the assignment of some of them. You can control the tuner not only from the remote control, but also from the keyboard.
To do this, AverTV introduced support for "hot keys". By default, they are assigned to all basic actions: switching channels, turning off the sound, freeze frame, etc. If desired, you can change all keyboard shortcuts. If nothing interesting is on TV, you can start switching channels, in the hope that some exciting movie or program will start on one of them soon. In order not to click the remote control, you can use the function of viewing all channels in a special table. In each cell of this table, a frame of a TV show is displayed, which is currently on a particular channel. Cells are updated one by one.
DScaler 4.1.15
Developer:Distribution size: 1.8 MB
Spreading: free Free programs are often created if a programmer is not satisfied with something in an application that he often uses. Most likely, it was the same with DScaler. The utility has a huge set of filters for correcting an image and applying various effects to it, which compares favorably with other applications of a similar nature. Many of the filters that are used in DScaler would be expected to be found in video editors rather than in a TV program. Using the available tools, you can sharpen, get rid of noise, perform color correction, etc. These features will be especially useful if the TV reception is not very good. In addition, in DScaler you can find filters for obtaining various effects, for example, mirroring an image on the screen. Let's pay your attention to the Logo Killer filter, designed to eliminate the TV channel logo. The filter blurs the image in the logo area, puts a "patch" on it, or simply masks it, trying to adapt to the changing image on the screen. Such a filter is useful when recording a program, when the logo in the corner can spoil the impression of the video.
To work correctly with the tuner, DScaler must recognize the device type. This happens immediately after installation. The tuner model can be selected from an impressive list, but even if it is not there, an automatic analyzer of devices present in the system will come to the rescue. After launching it, DScaler will try to determine what type of devices known to the program the tuner installed on the computer is closest to. DScaler supports keyboard control using hotkeys. The developers also thought about the possibility of accidental keystrokes, due to which, at the most inopportune moment, the channel can be switched to another. To prevent this from happening, keyboard control can simply be blocked. When the lock is enabled, the DScaler can only be controlled with the mouse.
flyDS 2.0 beta 2
Developer: ASVzzz SoftwareDistribution size: 2.1 MB
Spreading: shareware One of the features of flyDS is the automatic detection of the chipset on which the TV tuner is based. Thanks to this, the program can select the best parameters for the tuner to work automatically, without the need for manual tuning. If the tuner has the ability to listen to radio stations, then flyDS can also be used for this purpose.
Another advantage of flyDS is the presence of a special method of dealing with interlacing, which is also known as the "comb" effect. Interlacing manifests itself in the form of unpleasant distortion of the image and often occurs in dynamic scenes. The appearance of distortions is due to the way the image is transmitted, in which the lines of the current and next frames are displayed alternately on the screen. If the scene is dynamic, then the discrepancies between the lines are very noticeable. flyDS implements a very good algorithm for getting rid of this shortcoming - the image frequency is artificially increased, and as a result, in dynamic scenes, the frame change is very smooth, angularities disappear. The flyDS developers have worked hard to make the program not only functional, but simply beautiful. Therefore, the program implements the ability to change the appearance of the window using skins. Skins change not only the color of the window, but also the location of the keys, the shape of the borders and other parameters, and some of them imitate appearance other programs. For example, using a skin, you can make the flyDS interface look like Winamp player, Far file manager and other applications. You can pick up and download the skin from the official site.
Another feature of flyDS that concerns visual effects is the ability to use transition effects when switching stations up and down the band. In other words, when you click the remote in search of something interesting, the pictures will not just flicker randomly, but replace one another. Let's say a picture can displace the previous one, appearing from the middle, showing from behind the edge of the screen, etc. If you have a habit of watching TV "in the background", that is, without looking up from the main activity at the computer, you will surely like the function of minimizing the program into a small window. It can be placed anywhere on the screen and placed on top of all windows. Interestingly, even partially "push" the small screen outside the visible area is impossible. Thus, the flyDS window cannot be accidentally "lost".
Got All Media 7.0
Developer: gAllMediaDistribution size: 2.1 MB
Spreading: shareware Got All Media is not your typical TV tuner software. This utility belongs to a class of applications that are a control center for various media resources: videos, photos, audio files, etc. Got All Media is easy to use, so even inexperienced users can easily master the program. Got All Media has a very simple interface. Each menu item is a command that speaks eloquently about its action. For example, to watch a TV show, just select the command TV > OpenTV.
Since Got All Media supports all TV tuner cards that work on the WDM driver, there should be no problems during operation. The program is set up once, and the whole setting comes down to choosing a tuner board in the list of connected devices for capturing video and starting automatic channel scanning. After that, Got All Media itself determines the channels and compiles a table of frequencies. The program has a task scheduler, with which you can record TV shows at a given time. All recorded fragments are placed in a special directory, which can be searched. Videos in the catalog can be sorted according to different criteria. Got All Media is also convenient because it has a built-in browser, with which it is convenient to receive various information from the Internet, for example, download the TV program for the week.
Conclusion
A TV tuner is a device that may not be on a work computer, but it is already difficult to imagine a home computer that is used as a multimedia center without it. A small TV tuner is able to peacefully solve the eternal family problem "what to watch?" - series or football, and besides this, it can completely replace the TV in an apartment where there is not enough space for it. Well, to make working with the tuner as comfortable as possible, you just need to choose software that meets the requirements that you put forward for it. We hope this review will help you make that choice.To work with a TV tuner, it is preferable to use the standard software package that is provided with the device. But if you bought a TV tuner from friends, the disc may not be. In addition, the drivers could be outdated a long time ago. In this case, you will have to download the program yourself.
If you have Windows 7 installed on your computer, most likely it will prompt you to install the necessary components and required updates for the full operation of the TV tuner. In this case, just follow the suggested prompts. This is the easiest of all the options presented. There is another way. Go to the manufacturer's website that released your TV tuner model. All well-known manufacturers have their own websites where you can download the necessary programs, utilities and updates for the correct operation of the device. Just find the section you need, click "Download" and open the downloaded files on your computer. When the program is installed, the system will notify you about it. The best driver for TV tuners is WDM Video Capture Driver 5.3.8. It fixes many bugs and allows the device to work fully. You can easily download it on any website or Internet resource for free. If you did not find the manufacturer's website, you will have to look for an alternative. Windows Media Center also allows you to activate the tuner. The program is included with Windows 7. If you do not have it installed, download it and check the compatibility of the signals transmitted by the device. To do this, connect one end of the coaxial cable to the tuner and the other end to the TV signal source (wireless antenna, cable TV wall socket, etc.). If you're having setup problems, go to windows.microsoft.com and see what hardware you need to set up your TV signal.
As you can see, there are many different programs for the TV tuner to work properly. It is not necessary to use the manufacturer's utilities. Choose any option you like and download it.
TV Player Classic- a free program for viewing and recording to disk online Internet television with on-the-fly compression in AVI format (Xvid, DivX, etc.), as well as TV channels received through a TV tuner or video stream from a video camera (if available in the system). The program allows you to broadcast your own channel on the Internet from a TV tuner, camcorder or other Internet TV channel. Watch more than 20 paid Russian-language and 400 international channels, including channels for adults (Adult, XXX), for free and more than 1200 free TV channels from 109 countries. For users of TV Player Classic, the following paid Russian TV channels are broadcast free of charge - REN TV, TNT, Humor TV, World Fashion, Russian Extreme, Eurosportnews, RTR Planet, Muz.kanal, MusicBoxRU, Special Rock TV, Vesti, Eurosportnews, STS, TBN, Mir , Spas TV, TV Center, O2 TV, SGU TV, TDK, STYLE TV, A - One, Bridge TV, RuTV, AMTV, RBC ... To watch online TV, you do not need a TV tuner, all channels are broadcast directly via an Internet connection. All versions of Windows are supported, including Windows Vista. To connect through a proxy server, just specify its settings in Internet Explorer. It is possible to update the list of TV channels and add a channel to the Global Database by any user of the program (after passing the test).
The main features of TV Player Classic:
- view and record more than 1200 absolutely free TV Internet channels of streaming TV.
- viewing and recording TV channels received from a TV tuner or camcorder
- broadcasting your own TV channel to the Internet from a video camera, TV tuner or other Internet TV channel
- recording of all video streams in AVI format (Xvid, DivX, etc.) with on-the-fly compression or after recording
- viewing more than 20 paid Russian-language, 400 international TV channels and channels "For adults" for free.
- TV (Dual) mode for displaying a copy of the image on a TV or a second monitor
- built-in standalone mode for viewing the image on the selected area of the monitor with size adjustment
- watching TV channels on the monitor and / or TV in full screen mode.
- stream speed filter to display channels that will be well viewed at a given Internet connection speed
- full saving of all current settings upon exit and their restoration at the next start of the program
- channel list update
- proxy server support
- free channels do not require installation of additional software (such as Windows media player, Real player, etc.)
No additional equipment required.
About channels:
Some stations may not work at the moment due to overload. Not all channels operate 24 hours a day. The quality of all channels is different.
About watching TV channels on TV:
Since the resolution of the TV is much less than the resolution of the monitor, and the point of the kinescope is much larger, it is strongly recommended to watch terrestrial Internet television on the TV in full screen mode. At the same time, in most cases, the image quality is no worse than conventional or cable television. Most modern video cards support TV-OUT mode. Connect the TV to the computer to the TV-OUT connector using a special cable sold in almost any electronics store (if it was not supplied with a video card). You will be surprised by the image quality. For Russian-speaking users the program is free.
ProgDVB- the best free program in Russian and many other languages for online TV playback on a computer. Additionally, it is used to work with DVB-cards via satellite and cable channels, as well as to view streaming video via IPTV protocol.
Main purpose: playback of digital TV and radio. Allows you to record playback content to disc or broadcast to the network. Supports all modern satellite TV formats. You can familiarize yourself with the rating of TV channels in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
ProgDVB supports modes
- DVB-S, DVB-S2 - satellite TV viewing
- DVB-C - watching cable TV
- DVB-T, DVB-T2, ATSC, ISDB - playback
- Search and view YouTube video clips
- Analog TV support
- Internet TV and radio (about 4000 channels)
- IPTV support
- Playback of many multimedia file formats
A convenient and functional channel editor is built into the ProgDVB program for Windows, in which you can manage your playlists of radio and TV stations in every possible way.
Another of the additions to the player for watching digital TV is full support for remote control through the utilities HID, Microsoft RC or WinLIRC. After you download and install the ProgDVB for Windows program, you can turn your computer into a multifunctional device for viewing in high quality TV in all modern formats.
The interface of the Prog DVB program has been translated into many languages. The default is English. You can switch to the one you need in the program settings.
List of ProgDVB changes:
ProgDVB 7.24.9
- Fixed issues with EPG
- Improved HTPS playback
ProgDVB 7.22.6
- Improved HLS playback
ProgDVB 7.21.5
- Fixed EPG, Teletext support bugs
ProgDVB 7.20.4
- Improved local media playback
- Improved stability of work with HLS
ProgDVB 7.20.3
- Added support for HLS AES playback
ProgDVB 7.20.1
- Added support for W3U lists
- Improvements have been made to the program code to improve performance
ProgDVB 7.19.6
- Fixed DVB playback issues over IP, RTSP
ProgDVB 7.19.2
- Added support for https (Internet radio and TV)
ProgDVB 7.17.9
- Fixed problems found in the previous version of the program when working on Windows 10
ProgDVB 7.17.8
- Important updates have been made to the ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) set of standards
- Improved user dialog for IPTV
ProgDVB 7.17.7
- Improved support for 4K monitors
- Corrections in SAT>IP
ProgDVB 7.17.6
- Fixed issues with incorrect reading of M3U and xmltv
- Improved Astrometa support
ProgDVB 7.17.3
- Significant improvements have been made to work with the HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) communication protocol
- Expanded options for downloading data in JTV format
- Updated translations
ProgDVB 7.17.1
- Improved work with internet radio
- More stable work by watching online TV channels
ProgDVB 7.16.7
- Fixed HLS bugs
- Improved TV Torrent
ProgDVB 7.16.4
- Fixed HLS bugs
- Improved TV Torrent
- Added new interface translations
ProgDVB 7.16.3
ProgDVB 7.16.2
- New DVB-T and DVB-C tables (f2065)
- Improved channel base architecture to improve stability and increase speed
- Corrected work with Astrometa, PLP
ProgDVB 7.16.0
- BDA (Broadcast Driver Architecture) driver bugs fixed
- Updated a number of functions for code optimization
- Updated interface translations
ProgDVB 7.15.1
- Significantly optimized program code, smaller size achieved
- Improved overall stability
ProgDVB 7.15.0
- Improved network module
- Fixed sat>ip crashes
- Added support for Mainconcept HEVC
ProgDVB 7.14.1
- Updated some modules
- Found bugs fixed
ProgDVB 7.14.0
- MadVR video render support
- Extended auto-update settings
- Fixed HLS, PIP crashes for use in more than 4 channels
ProgDVB 7.13.1
- SAT>IP for 4 satellites
- Optimized system memory consumption for HLS
- Improved performance for network connection
ProgDVB 7.12.8
- Support for text files for IPTV
- SlyNet Internet TV playlist
- Improved MIS/PLS and EPG
- Upgraded player tool for listening to the radio
- Improved stability of work with IPTV/ITV
There are a number of models of TV tuners, which can be connected not only to a TV, but also to a computer. Thus, you can watch TV using a PC. After purchasing the device, you just need to choose a program and enjoy watching your favorite channels. Let's take a closer look at several representatives of software suitable for various models TV tuners.
The DVB Dream program opens our list. Immediately I want to note its unique interface, created manually by users thanks to open source code. At the first start, you can choose the most suitable design for the tuner connected to the computer. Next, the developers offer to set a preliminary configuration using the built-in setup wizard. After completing all the settings, all that remains is to find the channels and start watching.
The main window of DVB Dream is implemented quite comfortably. A player is displayed on the right, which can be expanded to full screen, and on the left is a list of found channels. The user can edit this list: renaming, setting frequencies, adding to favorites and other useful functions. In addition, I would like to note the presence of an electronic TV guide, a task scheduler and a tool for setting up a remote control.
ChrisTV PVR Standard
ChrisTV PVR Standard has a built-in setup wizard that will greatly simplify the process of pre-configuring the program. It appears at the first start and you only need to mark the necessary parameters. If something was set incorrectly, you can change what you need at any time through the settings window. The software in question scans channels automatically and does not allow you to do it manually, however, adding channels is available by entering their frequencies.
ChrisTV PVR Standard has two different windows. In the first one, television is shown. You can freely resize it and move it around the desktop. The second window contains all useful tools, including the player control panel. Of the additional features, I would like to note the built-in task scheduler and a tool for recording broadcasts.
ProgDVB
The main functionality of ProgDVB is focused on viewing digital television and listening to the radio, however, this software also supports cable and satellite TV by connecting a special tuner to your computer. Broadcasts are played through the main window. Here the main place is occupied by the player and its controls. The area on the left displays a list of addresses and channels.
In addition, ProgDVB supports playback of most popular audio and video file formats. They open through a special tab. There is also a broadcast recording function, an electronic program guide, a task scheduler and the ability to create screenshots. ProgDVB is distributed free of charge and is available for download on the official website of the developer.
AverTV
Developer software AverMedia is engaged in the production of multimedia products for watching TV using a computer. AverTV is one of the software representatives from this developer and provides all the necessary tools and functions for comfortable playback of broadcasts.
AverTV has a Russian interface language, has a built-in video recording function from the screen, works correctly with an analog signal, allows you to listen to the radio and edit channels manually. The disadvantage of the program is that it is no longer supported by the developer, and new versions, most likely, will no longer be released.
DScaler
The last program on our list is DScaler. Its functionality is almost identical with all the representatives discussed above, however, there are still some peculiarities. I would like to pay attention to the ability to set the settings, starting from the power of the computer and tuner used. This configuration is made at the first start. In addition, DScaler has a lot of visual effects that allow you to make the video better in quality.
I would also like to note a function that is not found in other similar programs. The built-in deinterlacing tool allows you to choose one of the appropriate mathematical ways to improve video quality. The user only needs to specify the method and configure some of its parameters. DScaler is distributed free of charge and is available for download on the official website of the developer.
The use of special software for watching television through a tuner on a computer is mandatory. Above, we reviewed some of the best and most popular representatives of such software. All of them work with most TV tuners and provide almost identical functionality. However, each software has its own unique instruments and features that attract users.
