IT Queries: Computer problems answered

I am moving into a very small aged care independent living unit. My current computer hardware and television are too bulky.

Is there hardware & software available to do all these options using only the one LCD screen? Thankyou for ypur assistance.

There certainly is, you can add a TV tuner card to your computer that will receive the TV or cable signal and show it on your LCD screen. In fact, the computer this is being written on has one. You can buy them for between $50 and $400.

There are two types of tuner card; digital and analogue. Analogue is the older type and it will pick up the standard TV stations while digital will receive the newer digital signals.

You can use a tuner card to watch cable and the card plugs into the cable receiver just as a TV would.

The problem with cable is that the type of signal will depend upon the location, the cable operators are moving over to digital but some places like retirement homes and apartment blocks may transmit the signal in analogue. You’ll have to speak to the management to find out which type you need.

Having decided whether to get analogue or digital, you’ll now have to decide what type of connection. There are three ways to connect a tuner card to your computer; Firewire, USB and internally.

The internal way is the less cluttered and is the cheapest but will have installation costs. The card plugs inside the computer. You will need space inside the computer as well.

USB plugs into the one of the USB connections and sits outside the computer. It’s simpler to install than an internal card but adds to clutter and takes up one of your USB ports.

Firewire is similar to USB and is standard on Apple Macs and common on better laptops.

Given the complexities, we’d suggest you get a computer tech to have a look at your system and get the part that will suit you.

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