Metropol

I'm after purchasing a tv card. I'm on a budget so it only needs to have the basics, all I'll be using it for is to take captures of Calendar and the ITV News Channel etc!

It has to be a external one and my computer does have USB2 ports.

Any recommendations which is the best?

Is there not only one brand of external ones? The Hauppauge Nova-T USB or DEC (which can be used with a TV also).

These plug into your USB port and provide you with DTT.

Try http://www.dabs.com
or http://www.ebuyer.co.uk

A visit to http://www.hauppauge.co.uk could also be of some use.

I got a WinTV USB Card from Argos Extra last year for £49.99, more expensive than normal TV cards, which are usually £29.99 onwards. Though I did some research first as the same card was £10 more expensive at The Computer Shop and Dixons to name two.

Though I'd seriously recommend taking a look round PC World for one.

gum boy wrote:Why would going to PC world be any better? I am wanting to buy a tv tuner aswell.

Simple, they have more choice of TV Cards compared to Dixons, Argos etc

I know the original poster wanted USB only, but I've got Nebula's PCI DigiTV Card. I had a Hauppauge WinTV-Go PCI card for analogue terrestrial (I'm sure you can get the PCI version for about £30 on the net), but when I moved to my student flat there was no space for a telly in my bedroom and I wanted digital.

The Nebula DigiTV an amazing card - I'm extremely impressed with it. Sounds like a cliché but it's one of the best purchases I've ever made. I thought it was a bit pricey at first, but now I don't mind - after all it's like buying a new TV. The software's good and they update it lots. The company is a small UK company and they're good for support if you need to phone them. I also got student discount - see the link on the bottom right of their homepage.
http://www.nebula-electronics.com/

They have a USB version of the DigiTV card on their website. Not tried it, but if it's as good as the PCI, then I fully recommend it. Another thing they're working on is a USB card reader to let you get Top Up TV in the future, if you so desire.

I've also only got it plugged into one of those set-top aerials as I've no TV point in my room. Works a treat. The aerial I have is from Argos.

Plenty of reviews and advice are available at http://www.tv-cards.com. (especially the forums).

Hope that helps a bit!