First let’s define the tuner. In order for you to watch TV shows, your TV needs a tuner. This is such a device that receives a radio signal, subsequently converted into a picture. Also, a TV tuner is still needed to decode the signal, to correct errors, and in some cases for reformatting.
Tuners are divided into two types: digital and analog. The analog tuner receives a normal broadcast signal, where the image quality is not always good, with a digital tuner, on the contrary, the image quality is perfect. You can see even the smallest details without any distortion.
In addition to the built-in, an external TV tuner for the TV is used, which has a number of advantages. For example, you have a TV and a computer, and you do not assume that they can be combined. That is, to watch movies on the Internet in real time, entertainment programs, etc. on the tv. What needs to be done to get a highly functional device that will surpass the parameters of the most modern TV? Connect an external tuner to the computer, then a special cable from the TV.
I think you understand what a tv tuner is, and how it works.
Now let's talk more specifically about tuners, first about analog ones. Such tuners receive the signal from the TV tower and then convert it. Watching TV shows in PAL and SECAM formats is available, you can set the scale of the picture. You can also view and record video through the dedicated S-VIDEO input.
A digital TV tuner can be of several types. Basically, they are divided by type of screen resolution. These are HDTV, SDTV and EDTV. Tuners SDTV and EDTV can not be considered so far, since we did not have digital television, but on HDTV it is worth paying attention.
Now cable television is common. There are many programs, it reaches one hundred channels, the picture is good, if not excellent. And all because of what? Everything is simple. HDTV tuners are designed not only for receiving HD-signal by home antennas, in cable television they act as a drive or receiver.
If you want to watch only cable or satellite TV, then you do not need to purchase a tuner for a TV. The fact is that almost all peripheral video equipment already has a built-in tuner.
There are several digital television broadcasting standards in the world. Therefore, a TV purchased in another country, for example, in Japan, in Russia will not work correctly. The broadcast format does not fit with the European one. This is why you need a tuner for your TV. As mentioned above, an external TV tuner for a TV is just right. Nothing needs to be disassembled, re-soldered, just plugged in and choose the required broadcast standard.
In our country, not everyone has a modern TV. Quite a few people who are not able to purchase it. Therefore, the production of TV tuners that receive the analog signal of the PAL system (European standard), SECAM (French and Soviet broadcasting), NTSC (America and Japan) continues.
Currently, hybrid tuners are being produced in Russia, with the ability to receive both analog and digital signals. And purely analog, as such, disappeared from production.
The difference between analogue broadcasting standards is screen resolution and frame rate. Digital television often encodes some channels, so some tuners have a built-in decoder for decoding. This applies to paid channels.
In mass sales, there is mainly a tuner for the TV without additional options, so it is suitable for watching only free channels. By and large, there are more than 60 such channels, so tuners with a decoder do not buy everything.