Can I Plug My Cable Box into My Desktop?
You may want to use your computer as a TV monitor to watch TV while you work, use your computer's hard drive as a DVR or work on digital video editing projects. Viewing TV on your computer is possible through the use of a digital capture card and the proper connections.
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Types of Cable Used
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The type of cable you use to connect your cable box to your computer will determine the quality of the video produced on your computer. High-definition multimedia interface cables (HDMI) provide the highest quality image and sound, but require a high-definition signal from your cable box to be most effective. Composite video cables are the second best in terms of quality, providing a 720p signal, while component and coaxial cables provide the lowest video quality.
Internal Video Capture Cards
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Internal video capture cards connect directly to your computer's motherboard and use your computer's graphics card to process the cable TV information. Internal video capture cards can connect to your cable box through coaxial cable, HDMI cable or component video cables. The resolution of your TV programming on your computer depends on the signal coming from your cable box and the type of cable you use to connect to the computer.
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External Video Capture Cards
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External video capture cards like EasyCap use the USB port on your computer to connect to your cable box through component video cable. Many external video capture cards rely on coaxial cable or component video cables to connect from your cable box to your computer and provide a lower-quality video source than an internal capture card.
Connecting to Your Computer
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After installing an internal or external video capture card to your computer, you may connect your cable box using an appropriate video cable. The type of cable used largely depends on the input ports on your video capture card and the output ports on the cable box. Connect the Output coaxial cable, component, composite or HDMI cable on your cable box to the Input port on your video capture card.
Recording Programs on Your Computer
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The Audio Recording Act of 1992 and the principle of fair use entitle you to record one copy of any DVD, CD or television program for your own personal use. While making these recordings on your computer is not illegal, transmitting recorded TV programs from your cable box over the Internet is considered piracy, which is illegal.
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References
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