5 replies to this topic

[taffy1967]

A few years ago I bought an Acer Aspire L320 desktop PC which uses Windows Vista Home Premium. It's done pretty much all I've wanted, apart from allow me to record my old VHS video tapes, but one of those EZGrabber devices sorted that (even though I had to use my daughters laptop as my PC refused to read the set-up CD-ROM disc).

Anyway to cut a long story short (if I can), as of today our analogue TV signal got switched off.

I was initially quite pleased, because it meant the new LCD widescreen TV my daughter had for Xmas would then pick up even more freeview digital channels, which after a quick tune it does.

However, I was also hoping that my Acer Aspire L320 PC would also pick up all the freeview digital channels too, because although I had in the past tried tuning in the analogue signals, the reception wasn't very good and it's supposed to also have a digital tuner.

I've been trying all evening without luck to tune the damn things TV tuner via Acer Arcade Live and it isn't picking up anything. I've told it to look for a Digital Terrestrial (DVB-7) Antenna signal but it finds nothing.

The PC came with hardly any instructions and the help guide doesn't seem to relate to what version of Acer Arcade Live I have.

So if there are any PC/Digital TV experts here, I'd be pleased for any advice.

Edited by taffy1967, 31 March 2010 - 09:20 PM.

[minisilverbullet]

the acer arcade is the software but i think you still need a tv tuner card. im sure you can use some sort of usb thingy insted of an internal card since its a laptop - but to be honest i have never really got these things to work either.

Why not try tvcatchup.com instead, just as good in my opionion!

[minimadjonesy]

as above, does it have a coax socket for you to connect your TV ariel to? if not then you will need to buy an expasion card for it to picture up a signal

[maryquant]

Is the EZGrabber device definately freeview compatible? If its not you could still connect a freeview tuner to it.

Ive had a few people ask me if they can continue to use their tv tuner cards after the analoug gets cut off, but in less its a DVB-T device then it wont pick up anything im afraid.

[davidv]

Have you fitted a Free-View Ariel to PC.The cards work better than the USB Free-View Sets.
I use the USB type on a large Ariel outside.Freecom DV3 from PC Wld.They are very good quality and value.You do have to go on there web site to get there new software.The disc in the box puts most of with many errors.There updated free downloasd is great.I Run it under Media Centre microsoft.I been running it a long time with no problems.There Free Guide is great and the recording is spot on.

[taffy1967]

Cheers for the replies and yes my desktop PC has a coaxial aerial input socket, although the analogue picture it did provide prior to the switch off was really poor and so I didn't bother using it. The analogue FM radio reception is good though (being picked up via an FM aerial connected to the FM Radio socket).

I guess I will need one of those external digital tuners then, because the advertising bumf (which states it has an analogue/digital tuner) for my PC must be wrong otherwise it would have picked up the freeview channels like my daughters TV.

Doing a quick Google search on the specs is confusing though: -

Click Me 1

Click Me 2

Click Me 3