Just like an antenna for your high-definition television, you will not be able to watch and receive HDTV channels without an HDTV tuner.
If there is no HDTV tuner built-in with your television set, then you should buy a separate tuner in order to “tune” into different HDTV channels.
If you have or wish to buy a high-definition television, over-the-air HDTV tuner card is the only way of watching and recording HDTV movies or channels.
The over-the-air tuners require an external antenna for them to pick up high-definition broadcasts, with different programming options that largely depend on where you live or where your antenna is located.
As a rule of thumb, major metropolitan spots have larger selections of programming offered compared to smaller markets.
High-definition televisions come is different HDTV tuner configurations, which largely depends on how you watch television.
If you are subscribed with a satellite or cable provider, you should call them and ask about “HD upgrade promos” before buying a new set of HDTV tuner.
This is important because you don’t want to waste money in purchasing a cable tuner that is not compatible with your existing provider or if the kind of HDTV tuner is already installed along with the subscription package.
Looking at your Tuner Options
The type of HDTV you have or wish to buy will determine the type of tuner you will need. For instance, if you have an HD monitor, be aware that these types of electronics have no built-in HDTV tuner of any kind.
Meaning, you will need to buy an external HDTV tuner to be able to pick up channels. When you have an HD-ready, HD-compatible or HD-capable television, there is an tuner built in.
However, this tuner can only provide you with traditional, analog (NTSC) signals. For this reason, you will need an external HD tuner to get HDTV signals.
If you have an HD-integrated television, there is a built-in tuner for analog and HDTV formats. With an appropriate HDTV antenna, you can easily pick up broadcast stations in both formats. HD-integrates TVs are perfect with external set-up box to maximize HDTV features and receive more channels.
Choosing the HDTV tuner can be a tricky task, especially for first-time consumers. Learning the specifications of your television and discovering the type of accessories that works best with your television is important to ensure that each add-on you buy can maximize the potential of your HDTV, instead of giving negative effects and wasting money on products you did not need in the first place.