Laptop as a TV ?

I use an Avermedia PCMCIA TV card in my laptop with no problems, works very well. I've heard of some problems with USB boxes with a separate audio connection, the audio gets ou of sync with the video.
You know have a choice of analogue or digital TV cards, the Avermedia ones seem good.

Have to agree with Brett.

Have one of these and it is great. You will find you may have to use a large external aerial in some sites. But this will be the case with any receiver. The unit only comes with an internal aerial.

Make sure you get the AVerTV Hybrid+FM Cardbus.

Redeye

Make sure you get a Digital unit. You will have far more channels and clear reception, while analogue sucks almost everywhere.

Don't bother with an old analogue TV - you will finish up buying a set top box en route, and then you may find it won't work with your old TV due to lack of inputs or synch problems, and then you'll have to buy a new TV! This is exactly what happened to quite a few people we met last year.

You will need a decent antenna as well.

Gday

Seems like people are happy with Laptop as TV. Our laptop also has a 17" screen so is larger than the ol' 30cm. By using the laptop at least I dont have to cart another item around !!

The Avermedia card sounds pretty good. What antenna set up would be recommended. Not to worried about TV when bush camping as we wont have a generator (only a triple battery system), more for the few times we may be in caravan parks with mains power. At least the TV can occupy the wife and toddler whilst I go fishin !!!

cheers

I tried a usb type set up with the laptop whilst we were living in Townsville, couldn't get it to work. So my advice would be to do some research and make sure you get the right one (obviously the avermedia one recommended here is probably a good start).

The one I got, can't remember the brand but an Ozzie company sells them out of Canberra. It was digital only and seemed to need extremely strong signal, wouldn't pick up what our pvr would anyway, and that was through the house aerial which was pretty close to new etc.

Also keep in mind that places like Cobar (NSW) still don't have digital TV (we had to sell the pvr after moving here) so once again if you're travelling all over best to go for one that can receive both digital & analogue.

The Birds

Use my laptop as a TV with a usb tuner. It has worked well and saves in the amount of gear you have to carry. You can also record to the HDD.

Your old 30 cm TV will add to the weight you are carrying and reduce your available space.

Tjilpi

Thanks for all the replies.

Where can the Avermedia card be purchased in Pert - Any ideas ??

Cheers