[elbles]

Hi all,

I have what I would imagine is a somewhat unusual request. I'm getting ready to move into a new apartment, where I will likely have to put what has been my bedroom TV in the living room (college apartment, one roommate). I'm looking to keep my options on the inexpensive side, so my first inclination was to get a TV tuner for my MBP, and just use that.

The problem there is that I would be dependent on my MBP being on, just to watch TV. I also have an external LCD that I normally use with my Mac via the DVI output, but this external LCD also has a VGA input that I could connect a product like this to, and just switch the LCD between my Mac and TV using the DVI/VGA selector button. The downside to this is that I couldn't have my Mac showing anything on the external LCD at the same time as I'm watching TV. Spoiled, yes, I know.

So I'm left wondering if there is a TV tuner out there that will let you use it with a computer (showing TV in a window on either my internal screen or external screen), and yet will also allow usage completely independent of a computer. I did see one product that would overlay the computer picture on the LCD while it is showing the TV picture (or vice-versa, I can't honestly remember), but that required using a VGA connection, which I would prefer not to do. I also thought about buying both products, but that's wasteful, not to mention nearing the price of a halfway decent LCD TV itself.

I know this is likely an usual request, but if anyone has anything they'd like to offer, it would be appreciated. Thanks, in advance.

[CMYKid]

There are more than a few desktop monitors that support PIP for showing two inputs at once. But if you're going to the trouble to buy a tuner just spend another few bucks on a cheap low-end LCD screen.

[anthology123]

Just run a USB tuner like El Gato or I use Miglia on your MBP. I get an HD picture via a USB tuner attached to an iMac G4 and can watch, record and do computer work at the same time on the same screen. I can full screen the TV or shrink it to a corner and watch while working.

[mduell]

What's your budget?

[anthology123]

Forgot to mention that if you use your MBP in two screen mode, you can put the TV view in the external LCD and work on the laptop screen and do both at the same time, or vice versa.

[ginoledesma]

I use the SlingBox, which allows me to watch TV on my Mac (or cellphone/PDA) over the network. It supports remote streaming over the Internet as well. Note that is place-shifting instead of time-shifting. You can only watch "live" TV; recording isn't supported.

[elbles]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I've seen desktop monitors that support PIP from multiple sources, but I already have an external LCD that I like quite a bit, and if I were to purchase another LCD, it'd just be a plain-old TV. When I got the LCD I have now, I was thinking of getting one that supported PIP, but finding one that met my requirements (namely a 4:3 aspect ratio -- Widescreen doesn't suit my programming projects as well, IMHO) was challenging.

I've seen the regular old TV tuners for the Mac, and they're an attractive option. Problem is, I want to be able to watch TV without my Mac on, no matter what I get. I haven't yet seen a TV tuner for a Mac that will still let you watch TV on an external LCD without the computer being on, which is a big deal for me. I'd love to be able to watch TV in a window on my Mac, but being able to watch TV without my Mac being on carries a higher priority. Think that AVermedia box I mentioned in my first post, crossed with the TV tuners mentioned, and you have exactly what I'm looking for.

I did look at the Slingbox, but that doesn't really suit my needs either, which isn't to say I don't want one. My budget just doesn't allow for something like that, in addition to whatever I need to buy to watch TV, unfortunately...

Speaking of my budget, and at mduell's request, I'm looking to spend around $200-$250 tops for something that will let me watch TV in a window on my computer and let me watch TV even if the computer is off. Anything more than $250 or so, and I'm getting into the realm of a cheap yet decent LCD TV, which would likely be a more attractive option, despite the higher cost.

Again, thanks for all the replies. I have looked quite a bit to see if there's anything around that'll do what I want, but I haven't seen anything. Leaning towards either the AVermedia box, or possibly a small LCD TV, if I can somehow fit it into my budget...

-Sean

[mduell]

The problem with the AVerMedia you found (and several other options) is the output is VGA only; not many cheap accessories for the Mac that will take VGA input.

I'd abandon the unified approach and get a different device for each. Either the AVerMedia you found or (assuming you have cable rather than OTA) a box from your cable company ($5/mo?) for the LCD and SlingBox TUNER for the computer(s)... about $20 over budget in total.
There are some 15-19" LCD TVs in the $200-300 range, but they're pretty poor and do nothing to get TV on your Mac.

[elbles]

That's the thing: My MBP is connected to my external LCD via DVI, and the monitor itself also has a VGA input that is easily switchable, so the AVerMedia would work well, as long as I don't mind switching the entire second monitor to TV all the time (which I do mind).

I'd have to agree at this point that there's just no single device that will cover all my bases. My main objective of being able to watch TV on the computer was/is to not give up as little "computer" screen real estate as possible while still being able to watch TV full screen, even with the computer off. The SlingBox Tuner and AVerMedia solution is pretty interesting though, I'll have to give that some serious consideration. I'd be willing to spend a little bit extra on a dedicated TV ($300-$375) if necessary, simply because it'd give me a little more flexibility with quite a few things, but that is only starting to get into the "acceptable" quality LCD TVs. A tough call, but one I won't mind wrestling with for a bit. Thanks again for your help!

[mduell]

For $365 shipped you can get this 22" Viewsonic which doesn't look too bad.