Hi,

I'm looking at a very nice flat screen PC monitor, which also has composite and s-video inputs. I would like to watch analogue TV on it, so how can I get the RF aerial input into the monitor? Do I need some sort of device?

I know a VCR will do the job, but I was looking for something a bit more compact!

Cheers,
Nick

You could use a small Freeview box and get digital channels.You just need a lead with the right connectors to use Composite Video or S-Video (Y/C) depending on the DTT box outputs.

Getting a freeview box sounds like a good option

the only other thing i can think of is actually fitting a TV tuner card in your PC and plugging the aerial cable into that. Then of course you could have TV on your monitor without even having to connect any more cables as it would just come through your normal video cable though of course you would have to have the PC on which you might not want

Hi,

Thanks for your help. This was the monitor I was referring to.

I ordered a 15" TFT monitor from Dabs, with inbuilt TV tuner. This works very well, but unfortunately I will be returning the monitor because one of the top backlights doesn't work resulting in a half dim image - very annoying!

So, i'm now looking round at TFT's again. The reason I wanted a TV built in was so I wouldn't have to take a TV set with me when I go to university in a few months time. A Freeview box will be very picky on reception, and is likely NOT to work on just a portable aerial. There aren't that many TFT's with inbuilt TV tuners from what I can see, only ugly looking ones anyway, and Dabs have no more of this monitor in stock for about a month. I suppose that KISS one, linked to above, would be OK with a VCR?

Alternatively, I could get a standard TFT monitor, and a normal TV card for my PC. I'd rather not do this, but it could be a possible solution. What is the quality like using a portable aerial with TV cards?

Sorry for all the questions, hope you guys can advise me best!

Cheers,
Nick

Ive not seen a PC TV card in use, but the reception quality is likely to be the same as a portable tv.This will vary in noise level with an indoor aerial.It depends on how high the room is,where the aerial is located,how high the field strength is in that area.The Kiss screen will be okay for a VCR.I presume you have active PC speakers to connect the VCR audio outputs to.

Depends how much you want to spend, but I was thinking about one of these...........

http://www.qed-uk.com/?i=0-8ceU1S4tS...&bp=9936s&bi=0

mainly as a tv but I think I read somewhere that it can be used as a monitor.

d_d_l

The Philips PF9925 is a similiar model and does support a PC as well as a DVD and VCR.Its rather pricey though,reduced at Dixons from £999.99 to £599.99.

Well good luck with that. Not so long ago on BBC's Working Lunch, they had a feature about dabs.com.

A person contacted the BBC because he received a dodgey monitor from dabs, and found he couldnt return it for a refund. Apparently the reason was that dabs dont replace/refund if the packaging has been opened, yet how would it be possible to know if it was damaged if he couldnt open it.

Hopefully they have changed their policy's about returns.