How to Watch TV Programs in Your Laptop With No Internet?

If you don't have an internet connection at home or you want to watch your favorite TV programs in real-time in your laptop or desktop, an easy way to do this is by having a TV tuner.

I have specifically brought mine when I got interested watching Be Careful with My Heart (yes, Papa Chen!)  here in Quezon City. I haven't got the comfort of having an LCD TV installed in my boarding house, but I have my ever trusted Compaq laptop! I got hooked to this TV program and bought the cheapest TV tuner in CD-R King just to satisfy my whims. It costed me Php 1,180 plus Php 150 for the TV antenna. It also have a remote control so you can feel as if you're laptop is just like a TV. I also canvassed for other brands but they are a bit pricey, around Php 3000.

Some say TV tuners will speed up the life your laptop, but I think it will not since you are just installing a program. Even if the signal is not strong at times, it won't after your LCD screen. So, try at your own risk. I have been using mine for five months now and haven't got any problem with my laptop.

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If we have the same TV Tuner USB Adapter, here's an easy tutorial on how to set it up. You should buy a rabbit antenna or an indoor antenna, the usual kind used in TVs.

If you are using the tuner for the first time,
1. Install the TV tuner program in your laptop using the CD installer that came with it.
2. Connect the antenna to the other end of the tuner and connect the tuner into a USB port in your laptop. Don't worry on connecting at wrong places, there are only two slots in your tuner, so you will surely make it right.
3. Run the TV tuner program in your laptop. It will ask for set-up like searching channels and if you will be using cable or antenna.Once finished, just press OK and you can now browse the channels available at your location. Use the remote control for convenience. Remember: the use of TV tuner is area dependent. Only those areas with available TV signals can use this TV tuner, unless you have a cable connection.
4. You can also record the TV programs in your laptop if you want a rerun of them later. You can set it to record in mpeg, mp4 and flv format. .
5. You can also do some snapshots of the TV program you are watching. Snap it up when Papa Chen is smiling! :)

If you have installed and set-up your tuner, every time you want to watch TV, just connect it to the USB port and run the TV tuner program. Also turn it off when you are not using it and don't put it in standby mode for long.

One downfall of this device is that it heat up fast on prolong usage. Use it for 3-5 hours everyday.

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Leave me a comment below if you are having problems with your TV tuner.