Using your LCD monitor as your TV, isn't as complicated as one would think. You have a couple of different options. There are boxes, or standalone tuners, that are like little command centers for all your equipment. You plug your cable or satellite signal into them, then plug whatever else you want, like your stereo or DVD player, and your monitor. This kind of system is probably the easiest, bypasses your PC, and acts like a receiver for all your ins and outs.

There are also cards that insert directly into your computer making it the brain for your media. You can then choose to do anything or everything on your system. If you love your TiVo and all it can do, but hate the extra costs to operate it, there are also cards that will turn your PC into a DVR. (Some of the stand-alone tuners do that, too.) The nice thing about those is that you can pause, rewind, and fast-forward, just like your DVR.

Some of these units, cards and tuners that is, have remote controls and wireless capabilities. Some of them even have their own hard drive and speakers and will also act like a DVR. There are lots of choices from the very simple to a full blown media extravaganza. The basic thing to remember is the difference between an outside box and an inside card to do your converting.

You still have to have satellite or cable coming in, like DirecTV, regardless of how you decide to hook your stuff together. (There are some sites out there that offer TV. I can't tell you how reliable they are. They seem to be a viable alternative, but you have to pay them first to see what you get.)

You'll have to check your RAM and hard drive memory quantity if you use your computer as the brain of your media operations. Your PC will be required to do a lot more work and memory makes a huge difference in the sound and picture quality you'll get.

All of these options are fairly simple. If you've been thinking about converting your computer into TV or vice-versa, go ahead and make the leap. We're headed in that direction anyway. It does make sense. With the emergence of multiple monitors, computers capable of carrying loads of information, and wireless networking, you can do more with less.

Learn more about this author, Shawn Shearer.
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